by HPR Contributor | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Culture | February 26th, 2020
by Kris Gruber
perriex1@gmail.com
The Tristate Transgender Support Summit is a conference and marketplace with speakers, workshops, and vendors. The Trans Support Gala takes place on Saturday, February 28, at the Radisson Hotel in Fargo. High Plains Reader spoke to the Vice President of Tri-State, Rebel Marie, about the Summit and Gala.
HIGH PLAINS READER: Can you give a little background on what Tri-State Transgender does for the community, and your role with it?
REBEL MARIE: I am the vice president of Tri-State so I have kind of taken the role of fundraising leader. Our president Kat Kosterman is in charge of making sure our meetings on the third Saturday of each month are staffed by herself or another community member that has been attending meetings regularly. Tri-State is a casual support group that allows trans people to meet other trans people and talk about some of the struggles they're facing. We try our best to be the best advocates we can be for the trans community.
HPR: This is the 3rd year for the Trans Support Gala. Do you see the Gala growing so far? Are there any challenges you have faced that you can share?
RM: It's the Trans Support Summit -- the Gala is the fundraising portion of our event that happens on the last night. I'm actually seeing more trans support summits happening outside of Fargo that I feel like could have been inspired by our event. There is one in Sioux falls on May 8th and one in Duluth, Minnesota July 17th. One of the major challenges is getting enough funds to have the event and to highlight why the event is important. Not every venue that I contacted three years ago would allow us to have this kind of event. This event is also kind of our moment to pick ourselves up after the rough winter and right before or after a tough legislation session either in North Dakota or South Dakota. Many people don't realize that trans identities are some of the most politicized identities. Many of the people who try to write laws that hurt the trans community have never spoken to a professional that is well-versed in trans health care. This is our attempt to organize and promote what's considered to be best practice for the well-being of our community and our community members.
HPR: Can you tell us about the keynote speaker, Kelli Twoteeth? What is the process like in searching for the right speaker(s) for an event like this?
RM: I also want to say that we have a guest of honor for the gala who is D DU Shane. Ms. Shane is one of the original founders of tri-state and a lot of what the LGBT community has is because of her work in the early years. Our keynote speaker Kelli Twoteeth is a Montana person who is a vibrant two-spirited speaker. I wanted to make sure that we had a lot more intersectionality than in years past. Kelli has been a robust figure in their state and has really created programs that I feel we can learn how to implement here in Fargo. One of the coolest things I think they did was creating a camp where two spirited and trans individuals could just be outdoors and not worry about external violence. Kelli also has helped Fargo trans people and tristate transgender by coming to this event in years past. We are just so grateful for this person, you have no idea.
HPR: The Marketplace will be free. What can people look forward to seeing there?
RM: During the marketplace we also have classes that individuals can attend to learn more about the trans community as well as pertinent things that trans people might be interested in learning. We currently have six classes: Transforming South Dakota One Story At a Time, Parenting a Gender Expense of Person, Gender and Colonization, A Beginner's Guide to Be an Ally to Trans People, and Stories from a Christian Trans Woman. We'll also have a panel that will feature Dr. Sturgill as well as various other medical providers to speak about what affirming healthcare should look like for trans youth and adults.
If a person comes to the marketplace just to see the booths they will find businesses and churches that have services that are affirming towards trans people. We have a couple of churches, multiple medical clinics, jewelry makers, political action groups, and even a charter high school from Minnesota. Currently there are about 15 groups that will be at our marketplace and we are excited and grateful. If people want to find the full list they should visit our website and click the more information "tickets and event information tab".
HPR: Is there anything you would like the public to know or remember about the Gala?
RM: Every trans person and ally is invited to the gala as well as the other events that we have. The gala is our only event that costs money to attend because it's our fundraiser that we have to be able to host the summit as well as contribute to some of the healthcare costs. The only stipulation is that we ask people to have a trans affirming attitude while attending our events.
HPR: If people would like to help or volunteer with the Gala, or Tri-State Transgender, who should they contact?
RM: We are creating more opportunities as we speak but if people want to email us at TriState transgender701@gmail.com they certainly can. We also have a web page tristatetransgender.weebly.com. which has more information about our event. Since we are a small non-profit we are grateful for any help that we can receive.
For Gala tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trans-support-gala-tickets-85551363431?aff=efbeventtix
IF YOU GO:
Open Mic
February 28, 7:30-10:30PM
Tristate Transgender Support Summit
February 29, 11AM-3PM
Trans Support Gala
February 29, 6PM-11:30PM
All events at the Radisson Hotel, Fargo
November 14th 2020
October 7th 2020
March 18th 2020
March 11th 2020
March 4th 2020
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.comFargo, ND – Mayor Mahoney issued a city-wide mask mandate on Oct. 19th, shortly after North Dakota became the state with the largest number of new cases per capita in the US, a record it…
Shawnee Kaseman of Wishek, ND was awarded the title of Miss North Dakota for America 2020 this past September, but instead of preparing to hit the stage in a glittering gown under sparkling lights,she addressed pageant judges from…
Thursday, March 19, 4:30- 8 pm1609 19th Ave N, FargoCass County Soil Conservation District is hosting their annual Ladies’ Ag Night supper event. This event has a goal of bringing together multiple generations of women involved…
In a news cycle where it’s tough to discern fact from fiction, you may have noticed that a number of conservative media consumers are announcing their dramatic exit from Facebook and Twitter. After Twitter labeled a number of…
Is There Personal Liberty? When Does It Begin And End?It was bound to happen to an inquiring mind. Scientists around the world are monitoring sewage for outbreaks of COVID-19 because victims of the virus have had the very…
To say that this year’s Bartenders Battle was the best display of talent in the six years since its creation would be an understatement and a disservice to not only the bartenders who made it into the competition, but also the…
Reviving Rural Grocery Stores in North DakotaBy Annie PrafckeFargo, ND – On October 7th, Gov. Doug Burgum awarded Milnor Market and the Forman grocery store project Main Street Awards, as part of an initiative led by the Office…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comMusicians and concertgoers alike unexpectedly found their plans disrupted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Artists and venues have been facing a situation that is unprecedented for most…
Sofia Coppola’s delightful distraction from national affairs sees the writer-director returning to her sweet spot: the tiniest whiff of autobiography in a story that, to paraphrase James Stewart’s Macaulay “Mike” Connor in…
By Jill FinkelsonWe’ve been hearing the word Unrest a lot lately. Unrest in the streets. Unrest in the capital. Unrest in our own homes as we struggle to hunker down in the face of the unseen pandemic. People are restless. They…
By Kris Gruberperriex1@gmail.comEloise Breikjern has been the Executive Director of Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre since 2013. She will retire in December.High Plains Reader spoke to her about the strength of her staff, the…
by Kris Gruberperriex1@gmail.comAdam Quesnell's last show at The Cellar beneath the Front Street Taproom in Fargo was in early September of 2018. He was embarking on a seminal move from Minneapolis to LA. As always, his comedy was…
by Jill Finkelsonjsfinkelson99@gmail.comFar North Spirits, located up in Hallock, MN, is the northernmost distillery in the lower 48. They may be young in the distillery world but the farm and the spirit reach far into the past.…
by Laurie J Bakeremsdatter@gmail.com Part of modern yoga is participating in the world around us. We live in a time of upheaval in society and nature, and of great suffering in humans of all ages. Most of us perceive this suffering…
By Ashlee Nordquisthpr@hpr1.comI've come to the conclusion that not everyone understands why my brother and I went on ventilators for covid and what that means. As I survived and my brother SO FAR is improving, I can make jokes and…
By Marc de Cellemarcdecelle@midco.netAs someone who has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the last decade, and who has participated as both a poll worker and an absentee vote counter in the last five years, I feel it's my…