Hey there,

I just want to make sure you saw Mason’s email about our upcoming panel on Building Trans Political Power. I hope you can join us for the discussion this Wednesday, August 23 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. Just RSVP here to let us know you’re coming. 

I’m also thrilled to share Rep. Zooey Zephyr, Jack Knoxville, Founder of Trans Empowerment Project, and Stephanie Medina, the Deputy Director of Partner Engagement at Zinc Collective, will be joining the panel co-hosted by June Borst and Mason Kalinsky.

Meet the Panelists:

Rep. Zoey Zephyr: In 2022, Rep. Zephyr was elected to serve as the State Representative for Montana’s 100th House District out of Missoula, and is the first trans woman to hold public office in Montana. This year, Rep. Zephyr made national news when the radical right-wing members of the Montana legislature banned her from the House floor for defending trans rights. Throughout her time in office, Rep. Zephyr has been a fierce advocate for affordable housing, healthcare, and human rights throughout Montana.

Jack Knoxville: Jack Knoxville (He/They) is a multiple award winning transformational leader. They were the first Trans* masc candidate for political office in the Southern United States. He is an activist and digital strategist who specializes in building power by centering marginalized communities. Jack is also the Founder and Executive Director of Trans Empowerment Project, which is now one of the largest providers of direct aid in the US for Queer, Trans, Intersex, and 2 Spirit Individuals. 🔥 Jack is also an Arena Academy graduate!

Stephanie Medina: As a nonbinary Latine, Stephanie is committed to working for and electing people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and pro-choice women to office. They are passionate about developing winning field programs and language accessible communications as well as building inclusive, diverse teams. Most recently, they were the Campaign Manager for Delegate Danica Roem’s 2021 re-election campaign in Northern Virginia and Sean Meloy’s historic congressional race in Pittsburgh, PA. They are currently the Deputy Director of Partner Engagement at Zinc Collective. 🔥 Stephanie is also an Arena Academy 201 graduate!

Our panelists are leaders I admire, and I look forward to hearing their thoughts about how we can collectively build trans political power.

Join us for this important conversation on August 23 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom.

See you there!

Jess Weldon
Arena Training Director

P.S. The next Arena Academy will be held online September 28-October 2 and the deadline to apply is this Sunday, August 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Apply or spread the word!

* Trans*, simply put, is an umbrella term for those whose gender identity does not align with their assigned gender at birth. Trans* includes a wide variety of identities such as trans-femme, trans-masc, non-binary, intersex, two-spirit, and other gender-expansive identities. The only identities not included are Cisgender (Cis), as their gender identity is aligned with their assigned gender at birth.

If you missed it, you can see Mason's email below about the panel:

Arena Community,

My name is Mason. I'm an Arena-trained staffer and the Organizing Director for Hood to the Holler -- a Kentucky-based organization fueling a people-centered movement to build power and transform our future.

I’m excited to invite you to a panel discussion Arena and Hood to the Holler are hosting together: Building Trans Political Power, co-moderated by me and June Borst, Arena’s Career Development Associate. Stay tuned for additional panelist and speaker announcements. 

Here are the details
What: Panel discussion on Building Trans Political Power
When: August 23 from 7:00 p.m. ET 
Where: Zoom
RSVP

As a trans person, organizer, and former social worker, this conversation is so important to me. Like many Arena Academy-trained staff, I made a career change from social work into movement work when I realized my clients needed more than direct aid -- they need systemic change. 

Today, as attacks on trans rights ripple through state legislatures, schools, and communities across the country, I’ve never been more clear-eyed about the role organizers play in creating systemic change and my desire to build political power for the trans community. 

RSVP to the panel discussion Building Trans Political Power to learn more about this work.

In my political journey, I’ve come to find one of the most effective ways to build political power and protect trans rights is to change who gets to make decisions in our country. 

Most of the state legislators that are enacting the right-wing agenda are put in office by just a few hundred votes and school board members by just dozens of votes. Together, if we organize, we can change hearts, minds, and laws to protect trans rights and all communities under attack. We’ve seen how long-term community organizing can shift the balance of power in states deemed "red" like Arizona and Georgia, and it doesn’t have to stop there.

If you’re eager to connect with a community that’s ready to fight back against attacks on the trans community, join us on August 23 for our panel, Building Trans Political Power. 

RSVP to the panel today!

See you there,

Mason Kalinsky
Arena-trained staff and Organizing Director for Hood to the Holler