Carmarion D. Anderson

Carmarion D. Anderson is a vibrant and visible Trans* person of color who has worked tirelessly to spread the Message of Inclusion to the world.  Carmarion is the Executive Director of Black Transwomen, Inc., a national non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with a mission to uplift the voice, heart, and soul of black transwomen.  As well, a Prevention Public Health Consultant with a focus on HIV/AIDS and other health disparities in marginalized communities.  Carmarion serves as the National Moderator for TransSaints of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Inc. and an associate minister at Living Faith Covenant Church, Dallas, Texas.  Carmarion resides in Austin, Texas, and is the proud parent of one son and has one adorable grandson.

Derek Baugh

A native of Atlanta & recent graduate of Georgia State university, Derek is a staunch advocate for many disenfranchised communities, most notably the transgender community as well as those affected by HIV. He has founded a nonprofit organization by the name of Ubuntu Incorporated, whose mission it is to continually examine the ever-changing barriers of the trans community and strategize to create unique programs and practices to remove the many obstacles that severely impact trans people’s ability to unlock their full potential. In his spare time Derek works with another nonprofit as the community support specialist, He Is Valuable, A status inclusive organization that works to celebrate, reinforce, and uplift the value of black queer men & their communities. Over the last 2 years Derek has and continues to volunteer his time with many organizations. Derek works to increase knowledge and visibility for the trans community by conducting trainings, giving presentations, and having necessary conversations.

Tori Cooper

Ms. Tori Cooper holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services. Ms. Cooper works as a Prevention Specialist at Positive Impact Health Centers in metro Atlanta, Georgia. Tori is a staunch advocate for the Trans and HIV communities and travels across the country providing education to providers, clinicians, consumers, students and communities of every size and scope. She created the Hour of Power which is an empowerment group that meets twice monthly for the trans, gender nonconforming communities and allies. The HoP recently celebrated its second anniversary. She is a National Trainer, Subject Matter Expert (SME), facilitator and consultant with the CDC. She is a National Trainer for NMAC’s Building Leaders of Color (BLOC)  advocacy training program. She is Executive Director and Founder of Advocates for Better Care (ABC Atlanta, LLC) which seeks to further her mission of education, empowerment and opportunities for marginalized people. She is also an ordained Deacon at Tabernacle Baptist Church under the pastorate of Bishop Dennis A. Meredith. Tori has received numerous awards and honors for her work, but she measures true success when the people she serves achieve viral suppression, when they master new life skills and achieve health and financial equity.

Kymberly J. Gordon

Kymberly J. Gordon is a 64 year old Transgender Woman. Throughout life she has had many challenges to face; one of the greatest was a lack of education. In 2002 Kymberly Gordon returned to school and received a GED, ABA, BBA and Certification in Addiction Counseling.

She has worked in the fight against AIDS for more than 30 years. She has held many positions from a Home Health Aid assigned to some of the first victims of GRID in 1984 and is now the Non Medial Case Management Supervisor at Damien Ministries, Inc. She oversees the 340B Pharmaceutical Program of Damien Ministries, Inc., Program Manager of a growing agency ‘Shuggs Place’ and the Director of the Non-Medical Case Management Department.

Carson Graham

Carson Graham is the Co-founder and President of Transinclusive Group (TIG), a South Florida Trans led LGB non-profit organization whose mission is to advocate and work with community partners and stakeholders in efforts to build trust and relationships with all relevant associated entities.

Born and raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Carson is skilled in Computer Administration and Networking and currently works as an experienced IT professional in the banking industry.

He serves on the Board of Directors for the Dolphin Democrats and is a member of the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) Transgender Advisory Board, Healthcare Consultant for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Community Advisory Board, National Library of Medicine Youth Advisory Board, Co-Chair of FLUX South Florida, and a Board Member of South Florida Ballroom Summit.

His advocacy is rooted in initiatives that address the challenges of the LGBT community, but with primary focus on Transmen and Transwomen.

His numerous honors and recognitions include the 2018 Florida Department of Health Transgender Equality Award, the 2018 Annual Bishop SF Makalani Mahee Transgender Equality Award, and 2019 South Florida Gay News Out50.

In addition to his activism and advocacy, Carson’s hobbies include Graphic Design, Website Development, and Marketing. His favorite quote is “Change is difficult but essential for survival” by Les Brown.

Charles Hawthorne

Charles Hawthorne works for the Harm Reduction Coalition as a Capacity Building Coordinator. His role includes providing training, technical assistance, and educational materials to organizations in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area that provide services for people who use drugs, people living with HIV/AIDS, people experiencing homelessness, and LGBTQ+ communities. Prior to joining the Harm Reduction Coalition, Charles worked at HIPS in Washington DC as a policy and direct service intern. Charles is a graduate of Purdue University, where he majored in biochemistry and worked to deliver public health and diversity training to students, staff, and faculty.

Dr. Joyce Turner Keller

I am Dr. Joyce Turner Keller, a 68 year-old HIV positive woman, who resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  I am Founder & CEO of ASPIRATIONS, a nonprofit HIV service organization, as well as an artist, advocate, community organizer, motivational speaker, writer, actress, producer, and director.  I’ve served as CEO of Positive Diva and Positive Dude Production, and Spiritual Leader of the Travelers Of Christ Evangelistic Ministry for 53 years. My areas of study are theology, psychology and gerontology, and I am also a certified paralegal. I am passionate about fighting for the rights of others and a champion for those underserved, hopeless, discouraged, dismayed, and discriminated against.

Aryah Lester

Aryah Lester, nationally awarded author, as well as a speaker and educator, is a black woman of transgender experience from New York living in Washington DC. Ms. Lester was the last-standing 2-term Chair for the State of Florida Health Department’s Transgender Work Group, former Chair-Elect of the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, and is an Advisory Board member of Unity Coalition (UC|CU). Ms. Lester is a board member of Equality Florida’s TransAction Florida committee, and helped to create the TransArt series with the Betsy Hotel, the LGBT Visitors Center, and UC|CU. She also sat as a member on the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) Transgender Networking Group.  Ms. Lester is also board member of STARR, the nation’s first transgender organization founded by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, and Advisory Board Member for Gilead Sciences, The Well Project, and ViiV Healthcare.

Aryah Lester founded the organization Trans-Miami during her time as a expert consult member of the Miami Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Plan for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and 12-Cities Project, as well as continued the work of her organization, the  National Alliance of Transgender Advocates and Leaders (NATAL). She contracts with universities as a guest lecturer, and is a consultant with government agencies such as the Department of Justice and Homeland Security. Ms. Lester has been recognized with many awards, featured in numerous national articles, and recently was inducted into the national Trans100 list. She currently works as Deputy Director of the Transgender Strategy Center.

John W. Meade Jr., MPH

John W. Meade Jr. is the Special Assistant to the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control. John has acquired over 6 years of public health experience, focusing on socio-contextual determinants of health and addressing health inequities. John  is a graduate of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health where he earned an MPH in Global Health, with a concentration in Sexual and Reproductive Health. John has also worked internationally supporting sexual health promotion  efforts and HIV prevention research among priority populations in Peru and South Africa.

Socorro Moreland

Born in 1985 to a revolutionary family committed to social justice liberation and the Black power movement,  Socorro has been advocating for transgender people of color for over a decade, assisting others with resources and linking them to others within the community.  Socorro has received many awards for his work with TPOC and also has been honored several times within the last five years for his work within the HIV prevention and care field as well.  Socorro currently is leading the Bay Area California chapter of BTMI and is the founder of brotherhood510.com a website designed to empower trans-masculine people of color to access community resources, and make lasting and supportive connections through social media, art and media.

Wakefield

Wakefield is an HIV-negative health care advocate with over thirty years of involvement in projects that increase community participation in HIV prevention research and ethics. Currently, Wakefield is the External Relations Director for Fred Hutch’s HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN). He also founded The Legacy Project, HVTN’s program to increase racial and ethnic population involvement in trials. In addition to his role at HVTN, Wakefield currently serves on AVAC: Global HIV Prevention Board and as Chair for The Pride Foundation.

SaVanna Wanzer

SaVanna Wanzer has been a community activist for over 20 years.  During that time she has founded two projects for the transgender community including Capital Trans Pride in 2007. This year will make the second part of her vision come to life with an event called May is? “All About Trans” featuring multiple days of celebrating, being, living & loving Transgender people.

During her years of serving in her community she has been the first transgender woman to serve on Whitman-Walker’s Health and Capital Pride’s Board.  She has been so honored to have received several awards for her hard work throughout the community. She is also a co-facilitator of an all transgender support group.  She is in the process of adding mentors and an employment youth training program for trans youth called DYME.  (TransDimensional Youth Mentor Educational Program). She looks forward to many more years helping the transgender community stand proudly.

Dana Williams

Dana has over 30 years of experience as a National and International Public Health Consultant in the field of HIV/AIDS. As Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Community Wellness Project, (CWP), she has established a strong reputation in her abilities to manage and implement a variety of programs and special project initiatives for both care and prevention services. She has extensive experience providing direct over-site of programs and assessments on federal, state and local contracts.  She has served as a representative on local, national and international projects. She is an expert in managing the agencies directly- funded CDC projects for over 20 years including prevention and capacity building grants and all their related activities.  She is a master networker, coordinating with and negotiating solid essential services in conjunction with other agencies, developing materials and providing in-service trainings for project staff as well as community based and AIDS service organizations. Dana has provided and organized numerous informational workshops, seminars and institutes on various related health and HIV/AIDS related issues.

Tyree “Ty” Williams

Tyree “TY” Williams, creator of the “T Will Not Be Silent” movement, is Trans* rights activist, motivational speaker, advocacy educator, organizer, chef, and violist. Now residing in Orlando, Florida. He is the Chairman of the California chapter of Black Trans Men International, Board member for Alpha Omega Kappa Fraternity Inc (All transmen fraternity), Senior Ambassador for National Trans March on DC, co-founder of Brotherhood 510 (a non-profit organization centering the amplification of transmasculine voices), and a valued volunteer at various youth-centered organizations across the nation, from San Diego all the way to Orlando, Florida. He is a son, a brother, friend, and a confidant. Through his activism and advocacy he tries to creates spaces of inclusion for Trans* individuals. “I believes in centering the voices of Trans* people through community activism combined with h education, fundraising, and community building. I believes in building equity and sustainability of LGBTQIA communities by centering the underrepresented identities within those communities.”