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Courage To Change The Continued Journey of Self Discovery By Bishop S.F. Makalani Mahee I recently attended the 13th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance commemorating the violent deaths of transgender people across the world and I was absolutely blown away by the keynote address given by U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings. Hastings’ impassioned words as he reflected on the change he has seen in South Florida, and particularly Broward County, as it has transitioned from segregated to progressive and the price paid by the oppressed and their oppressors. I got once again felt that oppression, in all of its forms, is inter-connected and that our actual fear of change is the very link to all forms of oppression. I write this for my beloved, family, friends and community as I am reflectively headed toward my 40th year on this planet and taking stock of what I desire for the next part of my life. I now realize that I can no longer live in the fear that has kept me from fully expressing myself as a transitioning transgendered man. Transitioning from a black feminist dyke to Black trans-man – who is still a feminist – isn’t something that many who know me saw coming. But, as my
dad said, “who would really be surprised?” I have often said that being born female-bodied, raised in a single-parent household in an environment that lacked strong male representation but was rich in strong female role models, probably saved my life. Because of the tenacity of the womyn while growing up, I knew I could carve my own path which leads me to a fuller understanding of myself. My family is not losing the experience of me as a daughter/sister, my womyn sister/friends are not losing the experience of me as a feminist womyn and the community is not losing the experience of me as a “strong dyke,” but the new experiences of my now manifesting self would value the opportunity to be known as the man I feel blessed to be becoming. My Dad told me he felt that for himself “it’s not about who shows up at the table, but what they bring to the table.” Phil Wilson a leader I so value said, “People can’t love us if they don’t know us” and Congressman Hastings concluded his address that night with a call for “guts.” So, I answer the call of these men who I hold dear to have the guts to let people know who I am by bringing my fullest self to the table. May we all manifest courage for change.
Founders List Platinum Level ($10,000 and above) Anonymous (2) Embassy Suites Hotel – Fort Lauderdale Hotspots! Magazine / Peter Clark James Laird Michael Trost Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Diamond Level ($5,000 – $9,999) Anonymous (1) Arthur Smith, Esq. Dale Russell and Jan Carpenter David McLaren DC Allen and Ken Flick George Castrataro / Law GC Jim Stepp and Peter Zimmer The Kenneth S. Hollander Charitable Foundation Ron Ansin and Jim Stork Richard Schwarz and Tom Massey Slammer c/o Michael Horne South Florida Agenda & Mark Media Will Spencer / CAMP Inc. Gold Level ($2,500 – $4,999) A Celebration of Friends, Inc. AIDS Healthcare Foundation c/o Mark Martin Al Cicotti and Kevin Palombo / American Tax and Insurance Bayview Cadillac Bill Greeves and Robert Hubbard Bob Young City County Credit Union Coffee and Conversation Darren Frankenberger Darcy Beeman / Edward Jones Dave Litty /Agel Independent Diplomat Pharmacy Dolphin Democrats Doug Candler Doug Tinklepaugh and James Rickard / Pinnacle Constructors, LLC Ellen Krider / RBC Wealth Management Herbert Reis and William Coffey J. Alan Shemelya Jay Wilkinson, MD. Jeff Stirling / Sterling Tax and Accounting Maria Kondracki and Jim Dwyer Mark Budwig and Nick Scalzo / S.MarkGraphics Maura Lane and Ilene Berliner, Board Vice-President Metro Media Works / Chris Caputo Lisanne Cattoretti and Nicole Mannarino, Board Treasurer Robert Pavlick Ron Ansin and Jim Stork Ronnie Pryor / Source Salon Ted Emery Times Ten Creative c/o Lary Arnet and Keith Hasting Tracey Cramer / Ameriprise Victor Flores / Fast Printz Silver Level ($1,200 – $ 2,499) Anonymous (2) Adam Harpool Allied Kitchen & Bath Anthony Molluso and Bill Volbrecht Anthony Timiraos and Arthur Crispino
Aseracare Home Health / MaryAnn Sannasardo, RN, BSN Bears of South Florida Best Buy Bill Linehan Boardwalk / Victor Zepka and Jim Kolkana Brenda Hartley / Bank United Bret Johnson and Adelio Orlando Brian Farley and Ron Alose Broward House Bruce Bogan / Planet Press Copy This Bruce Borger Bruce Lane Bruce Presley and Chris Hedlund Business & Professional Group – BPG Cal Harrison Carol Moran / New Moon Bar Carlos Perez Varela / The Peninsula Assisted Living Carmine Martorilli and Robert Poster Dr. Charmaine Johnson-Leong, DDS Charles Prather and Jack Johnson, Board Member Charles Walker Chris Dunham / Dunham Insurance Services Chuck Loring Church of the Holy Spirit Song Cliff Pettit and Chip Matza Cole Wolford, MD and Steven Schmidt Craig Benoit / Challenges Treatment Center Dan Michael Daniel J. O’Flaherty and Mario Flores Daniel Pye and Peter Mangone Dave Starkey and Arianto Sumargo Dave Stubbins David Bebbington David Guzman, Board Member David King c/o Hospice of Broward County David McConnell David Moon and Eugene Smith Dennis Fitzkee and Bernie Langeluttig Dominick Destefano and Mark Freeman Don Barlow Don Kramer Donald Croxton and Douglas Pew Donald Lucas Downtown Events Ed Garcia Designs Ed Nicholas and Chris Griswold / Eastside Property Management Edwin Mayer and Didier Moritz Enbar Cohen Eric Reivik and Andy Harrison / PC Lauderdale Forest Trace – Luxury Resort Adult Community Foxtail Landscape Solutions c/o Michael Haigh Fred Berger and Ken Merrifield Fred Goodyear Fred Wahl Gables Wilton Park Apartments Gary Farmer Jr. Gary Kempler Dr. Gary Richmond and Vernon Appelby Geph Scarr / Scarr Insurance Gerald Byers and Rudy Wengenroth Gerald S. Hirschtritt / Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate George Douglas and Ray Wieder George Kling, Board member
Glenn Goldberg Greg Dudzek and Jayant Goyle Greg Hardy and Rick Soloway / Solutions Insurance Services Greg Moore and Allan Barsky Hal Feldberg Hans Hochkamp and Joseph DeBacco Irwin Drucker, Board Member Dr. J. Michael Heider and Thom Carr / Ultimate Smile Dental Jack Schlossberg James Burroughs James Gigliello James Jagielski James A. Johnson Jared Falek Jason Burns and Nathan Brunner Jason King and AJ Alegria Jeff & Mei Sze Greene Foundation, Inc. Jeff Maisonette and David Feinberg, Board Secretary Jeffrey Gross Jeffrey and Belinda Shover Jim Doan and Ron Norwood Jim Pierce / Pierce Aire, Inc. Joanne Hayes / BugJuice Media Joe Guerrero Joe McConnell Joe Pallant and Danny Selvin John Bolton John Jovanovich and Paul Holoweski John Leyden and Tom Valentine John Ramos and Tim Caldwelll Jorge Ajuria, MD Julia Landis and Shawn Fanshier Ken Kalederian Ken Keechl and Ted Adcock, Board Member Ken Moore and Hector Valdes Ken Tewel and Ron Duran Kent McIntyre and John Tambasco Kevin Murdoch and Drew Miller Lawrence Gordon Law Office of Cal Steinmetz Law Office Of Gregory W. Kabel Lea P. Krauss Esq, Board Member Lee Rubin and Jim Walker Lynn Corning / KL Corning, Inc. Lyons, Snyder & Collin, P.A. Mark Gordon and Aldo Buono Marc Grossman Mark Halacy and Tom Pollock Mark Kasper Mark Ketcham and Werner Lutz Dr. Mark Schweizer and Robert Voelker Mark Turner and Chuck Nicholls Mase Varley / Gecko Plumbing, Inc. Mayor’s Jewelry c/o Mick Howard and Brian Jackson Michael Preihs and Khoi Luong Michael Dane / Senior Living Finders Mike Dager and Harvey Shapiro Mitchell Bloom and Paul Wardell Dr. Neel Amin and Tom Macek Neelie Sacharow Neill Hirst MD and Greg Hughes Norman Berkowitz Northern Trust Bank Norton C. Lyman and Kimeo Sato
Paul Alpert Paul Hyman and Bill Bracker Paul Jennings Paul Rubenstein Peter Hardy-Smith and Steven Devito Randy Grant and Bruno Trambusti Regions Bank c/o Charles Lane Richard Nolan and Robert Pingpank Richard Safaty / Freedom Travel Richard Sargent and Peter Genovese, MD Richard Stoll, Esq., Board President Robert Boo, Board Member Robert Collier, M.D. and Charles Hunziker Robert Joshua / The Joshua Tree Robert Kuhn and Steven Geyer Rodney White and Michael Williams Rose La Femina / Akerman – Senterfitt Rosie’s Bar and Grill Royce Willie Russell Sassani MD and Michael Schneider/Take Shape Plastic Surgery PA Stephen Banigan and Bill Van Scoy Stephen Cox / Networkx Stephen Driscoll and Robert Tocci Stephen Gerben and Robert Buckley Steve Barnard Steve Harmon and Donn Rubin, Board Member Steve Shires Photography Steven and Thomas Begert-Clark Steven James / Tower Entertainment Steven C. Lowensten / Five Dollar Fund of the Community Foundation Sumner T. White Ted Schultz Terry Stone and Mike Bush The Pride Institute c/o Fort Lauderdale Hospital Group Rev. Thomas Millner and Raymond Garassino Tim Marshall / Copy Source Tim Singer and Richard Cascarelli TD Bank Tom Runyan / Runyan Law Firm, P.A. Tyler Healis Will Mazza and Shawn McCormack / King’s Cup Dr. Will Richardson / Natura Dermatology W. Lynn McLaughlin and David Webb William Cudequest William Thornton and Adam Kratochwill
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