Featured presenter, Abigail Melton with the public policy arm of Equality Florida will provide up to date statics of Transphobic Violence and Crime, followed Devin Cole and a panel of local Transgender Community Members (bios below) who will provide a firsthand account of and put a face on this important issue. Thank you to Abigail Melton for donation of her presentation, to STRIVE for providing local panelists, and Downtown Public Library for donation of venue.
Abigail Melton, is a Public Hist...
Featured presenter, Abigail Melton with the public policy arm of Equality Florida will provide up to date statics of Transphobic Violence and Crime, followed Devin Cole and a panel of local Transgender Community Members (bios below) who will provide a firsthand account of and put a face on this important issue. Thank you to Abigail Melton for donation of her presentation, to STRIVE for providing local panelists, and Downtown Public Library for donation of venue.
Abigail Melton, is a Public History graduate student at the University of West Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in history, specializing in 20th century history—in particular, the socio-political landscapes of the United States and Germany, culture, and civil rights movements. As a public historian, she enjoys creating diverse ways to educate the public on important issues within both historical and contemporary frameworks. Having been interested in history, politics, and social justice ever since she was young enough to learn about it, she now works toward a future where equality is paramount.
Devin Cole - is a white, working-class, anti-fascist, pro-Palestinian Marxist-Leninist from Birmingham, Alabama. Ze is the President of the University of West Florida Lambda Coalition and has been since 2014. Ze is also the secretary of STRIVE and one of two Gulf Coast representatives to TransAction, a statewide transgender advisory board. Ze is a student at UWF and will be graduating in December with an undergraduate degree in Women's and Gender Studies.
Asher Balfour - is a transgender man who transitioned in the 1990s. He has been active in the LGBT community for almost twenty years. He has extensive experience as a transgender activist and advocate from Pensacola to Seattle, as a member or leader of transgender rights groups in several states.
Vanessa Hicks - AKA Vanessa Vogue originally born and raised in Memphis Tennessee. She is a former Entertainer, show girl and pageant title holder. Miss Gay Memphis Tennessee and Miss Gay Tennessee are among some of her titles that she has held. Vanessa enjoys a very successful career in cosmetology. managing a hair salon locally in Pensacola. She started her transition in 1990 and completed her transition in1994 by traveling to Brussels Belgium, to undergo gender confirmation surgery. She has been living successfully as a post-operative transgender woman for 22 years being a leading role model and counselor too many pre-operative transgender women.
Katharine Alice Luck - is a transgender woman who is a full time transgender rights advocate. She is the Vice-President of STRIVE and a minister ordained through Fire Dance Church of Wicca in Milton Florida. She has planned and hosted the Transgender Day of Remembrance in Pensacola since 2013 and vocally advocates for increased public awareness regarding violence against the transgender community, particularly transgender women of color.
Delia Melody - is an independent musician, and YouTube personality, who has been called the loudest transgender rights activist in North West Florida. She serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for STRIVE and the Social Media Director for the Florida Transgender Alliance, as well as writing for the Queer Voices and Women’s, columns of the Huffington Post.
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The program will be introduced by Maria Paoli, a graduate of University of West Florida with degrees in Psychology and Counseling Psychology. She specializes treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. She is a Victims Advocate with Lakeview’s Victim Services department and is especially passionate about working with the Trans/Queer community. She has been working in the Pensacola community for nearly 4 years, 3 of which she has spent helping survivors of violent crime. Maria is an avid reader and will likely quote Harry Potter at least once per therapy session.