Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Interview with Bernadette Wagenblast

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Monika: Bernadette Wagenblast, also known as The Voice of the Subway, is an American transportation journalist, radio personality, and voice-over artist. She is the founder and editor of the Transportation Communications Newsletter and the voice of various transportation facilities in New York City, such as the AirTrain and the Subway. She was active in her college’s radio station, WSOU, where she served as the news director and station manager. She also appeared on several New York City radio stations over five years, including WINS and WABC. She later joined the New York City Department of Transportation, where she helped to establish the city’s first transportation communications center. Hello Bernadette! Thank you for accepting my invitation.
Bernadette: Thank you for the invitation, Monika!


Monday, April 4, 2022

Interview with Eris


Monika: Today I have invited Eris, an American cosplayer from Seattle and transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Eris!
Eris: Hiya Monika! It’s great to talk with you.
Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Eris: Of course! So my name is Eris, exactly like the Greek goddess of chaos and discord (which, if you ask my mother, is quite a fitting name).
I’m a 30-year-old cosplayer, avid anime watcher, and video game player, specializing in Japanese role-playing games. Basically, a big nerd. I was born and raised in New York and just moved across the country to Seattle last year. You can always catch me at the nearest anime convention in some new cosplay.
Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments on social media?
Eris: So I was born in 1991, about two years after the Internet became a thing. The Internet and I basically grew up together as siblings, so I’ve always been online. Social media is great because you can find other people who are into the same hobbies as you very easily.


Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Interview with Jessica Potak


Monika: Today I am talking to Jessica Potak, an American social media influencer from Long Island, NY, YouTube vlogger, and a transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Jessica!
Jessica: Hayy Monika!!! Thank you so much for having me on and giving me a chance to share my story!
Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Jessica: Well, I'm an almost 40-year-old post-op transgender woman from Long Island New York. I'm a single mother and have custody of my wonderful 13-year-old daughter Leah, who is one of my biggest supporters! I'm a visual artist, rock guitarist, model, and earth angel. I use social media as a way to outreach to the trans community and connect with the people that need a friend or mentor.


Friday, September 24, 2021

Interview with Tiffany Ryan


Monika: Today I am going to introduce to you Tiffany Ryan, a talented woman from New York that happens to be a comedian and stand-up artist. Hello Tiffany!
Tiffany: Hi Monika -- it's great to connect with you!
Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself? 
Tiffany: Like you said, I am a stand-up comedian. I am a parent to two puppies, Gretchen Wieners and Chauncey. I also work as an event planner and personal assistant. I've been trying my hand at acting recently as well. I was born in New Jersey and raised in Las Vegas. I'm currently living in New York City, so I was very excited for comedy clubs to open up when it's safe, so I can get back on stage.
Monika: You are not the first trans comedian that I interview. I am very happy to list you among Natasha Muse, Julia Scotti, Alison Grillo, Maryanne Marttini, and other talented ladies. It seems that our community can boast a surprisingly high percentage of ladies with a sense of humor... :)
Tiffany: Yes, and so many more -- Robin Tran is my current favorite! We're a talented community. I feel like humor was a defense mechanism I developed when I was growing up as an outsider in school and I'm thrilled that I get to use that talent to entertain people.


Sunday, April 18, 2021

Interview with Amber Rose Washington


Monika: Today I am meeting Amber Rose Washington, an American author, songwriter, musician, producer, public speaker, and advocate for the transgender community originally from Liberty, New York. Amber has been featured on FOX, NBC, CBS, NPR, and a host of other media. In 2020 she published her memoir "Hiding from Myself: My Complicated Rebirth Into Womanhood and My Own Skin". Her new Podcast, "THE JOURNEY, Unscripted" is scheduled to begin airing in April 2021. Hello Amber!
Amber: Hello Monika! It’s nice to be here.
Monika: You are a woman of many talents. I have listed so many of your professions and interests. I am wondering which one you are most eager to pursue.
Amber: I’ve done many things in my life, partially due to what I call, self-inflicted Occupational ADD. I kept myself busy so I would have very little time dwelling on my incongruity. I spent nearly three decades in the music business.
Music was a perfect outlet for me. I began writing music at about the age of thirteen and was fortunate to have several successes along the way. Although I will always be a songwriter, I really enjoy writing stories as well as helping others tell their stories.


Thursday, January 28, 2021

Interview with JaiLynn Joanna Desvignes


Monika: Today I am meeting JaiLynn Joanna Desvignes, an American transgender activist, model, and YouTube vlogger and influencer. Her vlog 'To Whom It May Concern' chronicles her own transition and provides recommendations to the transgender community all over the world. Hello JaiLynn!
JaiLynn: Hello Monika!
Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
JaiLynn: Sure... My name is Jailynn-Joanna, originally from New York and currently residing in the Bronx. I am a niece, a daughter, and a friend who loves living life and loves the life I’ve been given. 
Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on social media?
JaiLynn: When I began my transition several years ago, it was a very lonely journey in the beginning and I had to do a great deal of the research and journeying on my own. I also met other trans folk along the way who felt the same way but didn’t have the courage to share the most intimate details of their lives.


Friday, November 10, 2017

Interview with Lisa O'Connor

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In a world where the transgender community often finds itself navigating uncharted terrain, it is heartening to meet women like Lisa O’Connor, who not only survived her own transition but chose to transform it into a beacon of support for others. A physician, therapist, and proud founder of Healthy Transitions, LLC, Lisa is a steady and compassionate presence for countless transgender and gender-diverse individuals seeking guidance, affirmation, and care. Born and raised in the vibrant heart of New York City, Lisa brings a blend of sharp intellect and warm humor to everything she does, from her clinical work in endocrinology and psychotherapy to the simple yet profound act of helping someone pick their first outfit or find the courage to come out. Her approach is holistic, deeply human, and grounded in lived experience. Lisa’s journey into womanhood was anything but easy. 
 
Like many of us, she walked through fire, losing family, a job, and nearly her peace of mind. But in the ashes, she found a calling. Her mother’s unexpected embrace became a light in the darkness, one that still shines in Lisa’s practice today, where kindness and knowledge go hand in hand. She’s the kind of woman who understands that beauty isn’t about passing, it’s about presence. That health isn’t just medical, it’s emotional, social, and spiritual. And that freedom for trans people won’t come in a bottle or a scalpel alone, but in the fierce, daily act of living authentically. Today, I have the honor of speaking with this extraordinary woman, part healer, part advocate, part philosopher, and always herself. Please join me in welcoming Lisa O’Connor, a woman whose work, wisdom, and warmth continue to shape lives far beyond the walls of her clinic.


Monday, February 9, 2015

Interview with Joann Prinzivalli

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Joann Prinzivalli is a lifelong New Yorker, transgender activist, lawyer, and thoughtful voice at the intersection of law, politics, faith, and human rights. Raised in a working-class Italian-American family, Joann knew from early childhood that she did not fit into the expectations placed upon her, a realization that shaped decades of resilience, self-reflection, and ultimately courage. Her journey toward authenticity was neither linear nor easy, unfolding against a social and medical landscape that often denied the very existence of transgender people. After a brief encounter with psychiatry in the 1970s left her without answers or support, Joann returned to living in hiding, building a life that outwardly conformed while inwardly exacting a heavy toll. The death of her younger brother in the late 1990s became a turning point, forcing her to confront the cost of postponing her own life. Coming out brought profound losses, including her marriage, her home, her job, and painful estrangement from parts of her family.
 
Yet these hardships also clarified her sense of purpose and strengthened her resolve to live openly. With remarkable clarity, Joann chose authenticity not as an abstract ideal, but as a daily, lived commitment. Drawing on her legal background, Joann has played a pivotal role in advancing transgender rights in New York, including drafting the original version of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and challenging discriminatory birth certificate policies that helped bring lasting legislative change. Her activism spans local and state advocacy, civil liberties work, political organizing, and pro bono legal support for trans people, all guided by a deep belief in justice, love, and shared humanity. Joann’s story is one of persistence, intellect, and compassion, and her voice continues to shape conversations about equality, dignity, and what it truly means to live openly and authentically.


Sunday, June 15, 2014

Interview with Alison Grillo


Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Alison Grillo, a New York City comedian, guest on NBC's Last Comic Standing in 2010, named by The Advocate as one of “Five Hottest Transgender Comics of 2013” and one of "Seven LGBT Comics You Should Not Have Missed in 2011," and a celebrity judge of the 2013 NYC Pride March. Hello Alison! 
Alison: Hi, Monika. I like the way you spell your name with a k.
Monika: This is how my name is written in my mother tongue. Could you say a few words about yourself?
Alison: I do stand-up comedy, sometimes about trans-related issues, sometimes about general issues involving the phenomena of our lives as humans. I like to read literature from 100 or so years ago, go to movies, including those at New York City’s Film Forum, and take long walks in the City.
Sundays will sometimes find me in a pew of a Methodist church on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where I’ll be struggling with questions of spirituality, seeking comfort and guidance in the preacher’s sermon, and very often mentally critiquing his/her rhetorical project.


Monday, March 24, 2014

Interview with Aneesh Sheth

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Aneesh Sheth is a radiant force in the world of film, theatre, and activism, a woman whose journey is as courageous as it is inspiring. Born in Pune, India, and raised in New York City, Aneesh blends the richness of her Indian heritage with the vibrancy of American arts. She began performing at the tender age of seven, and over the years, carved a path for herself as an actress of grace and depth. You may recognize her from her roles in Outsourced, My Inner Turmoil, and Arbore, where she brought both authenticity and heart to the screen. But Aneesh is much more than her filmography. She is a passionate advocate for transgender rights, using her platform to challenge stereotypes and uplift her community. Her work with organizations like The Trevor Project and The Stigma Project speaks volumes about her commitment to saving lives and changing minds. 
 
Aneesh also made history by co-hosting The TransView, one of the first web-shows centering trans voices, proving she’s as comfortable at the mic as she is under stage lights. Her artistic talents are matched by her elegance, intelligence, and fierce compassion. Whether portraying the complexities of trans identity onstage, or mentoring others through their own transitions, Aneesh is driven by love, empathy, and a vision for a world where everyone can live as their most authentic self. Today, she lives in Seattle with her husband and continues to pursue bold, meaningful work in both performance and advocacy. It is my absolute pleasure and honor to bring you this conversation with Aneesh, a woman of beauty, strength, and unstoppable spirit.


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Interview with Kalina Isato

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Kalina Isato is a Chinese-American producer, musician, and media personality who has been an active force in the transgender community. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she began her music career in 1988 and quickly evolved her sound from fast-paced rhythms to more relaxed, chill vibes. Embracing her true gender identity publicly in 1995, Kalina transitioned in the early 2000s, undergoing HRT and gender confirmation surgery. She’s not only made a mark in music but also as a mentor and advocate, creating content to help transgender women improve their appearance and mannerisms. In addition to her music career, Kalina is deeply involved in the LGBT community, hosting events and supporting trans rights. In this interview, Kalina shares her journey, experiences, and her passion for empowering others to live their truth. Our conversation will focus on her transition, her impact on the transgender community, and how she blends her artistic talents with advocacy work.
 
Monika: Hello Kalina! Thank you for joining me today!
Kalina: Hi Monika! Thank you for speaking with me.


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