Prostitution is a FELONY in Houston!

June 22, 2022

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Texas is ranked No. 2 in the nation in reported sex trafficking cases. In 2020, the state Department of Public Safety reported that approximately 1.8 million online commercial sex ads were posted and over 300,000 were suspected to be children.

As of Sept. 1, due to recent changes approved under HB 2795 makes Texas the first to make solicitation of prostitution a felony! According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Texas is ranked No. 2 in the nation in reported sex trafficking cases.

During a press conference with a large police presence, elected officials and local media gathered off the track in front of one  of the multiple orange signs posted all up and down Bissonnet.

Council member Pollard said the problem was brought to his attention several months ago in a letter from a young girl who attends school in the area.

“She said it bothered her to leave school and see prostitutes walking up and down the street,” said Pollard. “She questioned if I cared about the area. That letter really touched me and I vowed to my staff that we make this issue a priority.” Looks like he did just that! He joined forces with other elected officials, law enforcement and area businesses that had been affected by the prostitution in the area.

Council member Pollard said that in order to make an impact we gotta hit the money! Charge the Johns and they’ll stop. 

Although the felony charges aren’t aimed towards the sexworkers it still affects them in multiple ways as for many sexworkers, sexwork is for survival! The “plan” has multiple components like a larger police presence, possible felony charges for the John’s, cameras recording activity but most importantly the lowered activity from the John’s. 

We reached out to a Black trans woman that works in the area to see how it’s impacted her making money. “I don’t think it changed much for me, I just moved to another track and now the dates call me instead of riding around.”

Although I can see how this bill HB 2795 will possibly slow down sex trafficking in the area I totally see how it will make life a lot harder for a sexworker that works the Bissonnet track. Just know that if charged with the felony it could be punishable of up to two years in jail.

Look at how the tables have turned

June 22, 2022

What’s most important is that we take a moment to honor the loss of a community member who sadly her incident with this fool shined light on who he was and what he’s capable of doing! 

RIH Muhlaysia Booker 

Muhlaysia Booker

It hasn’t even made 2 years since his conviction and this fool is now on trial for murdering a Black CIS woman 🤦🏽‍♀️. 

“He wouldn’t hurt anyone and he only did it because he was provoked!” Just one of the things that were said about this waste of DNA by Black folx following the brutal attack on Muhlaysia Booker back in April of 2019. 

One month following the attack Muhlaysia was found shot to death on a street in Far East Dallas. Although it wasn’t Thomas who murdered her, the suspect in that case is Kendrell Lyles. Lyles is being charged with multiple murders including the murder of Chynal Lindsey.

Edward Thomas was charged with misdemeanor assault for that attack on Muhlaysia and was only sentenced to 300 days in custody by a jury that didn’t think he deserved to get the felony charge unfortunately. 

The case brought a large amount of hate and transphobic attacks to many of Muhlaysia’s friends and chosen family, specifically a local radio show called Trans-Fusion which each of the ladies on the show knew Muhlaysia. The hate continued on to her immediate family, loved ones and of Muhlaysia as she and community  members advocated for #JusticeForMuhlaysia. Sadly many of our CIS brothers and sisters forget that this is nothing new and that Black men have been murdering Black women for decades just the same as Black trans women. 

Some of Thomas’s supporters said ridiculous things like “he was fighting like a man because she was one” referring to Muhlaysia Booker as a man or that “nothing was wrong they was both men” . So much so that his attorney Andrew Wilkerson, was arrested for disrupting the court, making side bar comments, arguing with the court and refusing to abide by the Courtroom decorum rules. Which was simply to refer to Muhlaysia using female pronouns.

Oh how I’d love to see their faces now!

On this weeks show we will invite a special guest on from Trans-Fusion

Back to the present moment, the report says that in the early hours of Sept. 20, police responded to a call of a shooting at the Williams Chicken on the 2800 block of East Ledbetter found LaShanda Wilson 41 dead in the parking lot behind the restaurant with a single-gunshot wound to the chest.

Security video shows Thomas handing one of the women a stun gun to use on Wilson.

The arrest affidavit says that after hearing her friend scream for help, Wilson pulled out a handgun and may have fired twice. At that point, according to the affidavit, Thomas got a gun from a nearby car and shot Wilson with one bullet hitting her in the chest.

Side note while this is going on Thomas was out on a $10,000 bond for a case he picked up back in April for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon!

Thomas showed his true colors when he attacked Muhlaysia Booker and looking at his behavior I’m sure Muhlaysia wasn’t the first to encounter an attack from the 6’7 Edward Thomas. 

Sadly it’s a reality that we Trans folx know far too well, that if he hits on a CIS woman he’ll possibly hit us too. So to those that were defending Thomas after the attack on Muhlaysia Booker and painting him to a withstanding Black man in community pick your jaw up and before you say one word, allow me to say 3, SHUT UP FOOLS! 

We’ll be following this trial and hoping for justice for the young lady LaShanda Wilson that was murdered. 

LaShanda Wilson

Although it’s not justice for Muhlaysia we at TransGriot hope it’s an eye opener for folx that followed the case and supported him but most importantly he is taken off the streets and won’t hurt, harm or murder anyone else’s daughter or child.

#JusticeForMuhlaysia 

I attended the National Trans Visibility March 2021

June 22, 2022

“NO LIVES LEFT BEHIND” was this years National Trans Visibility March purpose and drive. October 9, 2021 was the 3rd Annual March for Trans Visibility, held in Orlando Florida with satellite cities in New York, Sacramento, Atlanta, & Chicago. 

The march kicked off with a rally & prayer lead by host Rev. Carmarion Anderson-Harvey. One Orlando Alliance Executive Director, Josh Bell welcomed us to Lake Eola, Orlando FL by chanting LOVE from the stage!

We were able to reflect on the past march from 2019 with clips shown on the big screen and we chanted “Trans POWER”. We also took a moment to mourn those that have been murdered this year, that we know of.

Unfortunately last year we were virtual due to COVID-19. But that didn’t put a damper on our spirit as we came back this year stronger. We as a community gathered as an army on a mission to march for visibility and to see change. When the march started we stepped into the street and demanded our inclusion, diversity, and equity that is due to us as human beings.

As I marched in the lead with my black trans siblings, I felt empowered and a sense of purpose that our voices were heard. We took up space along the route around the park & passed through areas where people were dining outside and chanting with us. Others participated in cheering us on from the sidelines with signs and encouraging words. Not once did we encounter any anti-trans terfs or hate.

Although the march was short less than an hour walk around the park, we completed our mission. The world saw us from New York, to California! We stood up & raised our voices to face another day! Together we showed the world that our lives matter & the T will not be silent! We marched for “OUR PEOPLE OUR PURPOSE”.

We had a safe and fun event as we opened the door for all the new advocates & activists to join the movement for change. Next year we will be in California, & we need all hands on deck as stated by Marissa Miller the organizer of the NTVM.

SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!

#IAMJEVON

JEVON MARTIN