Interview with Jamie Shiner

Monika: Today I am talking to Jamie Shiner, an American activist, and former politician from Wisconsin. Jamie was the first transgender delegate to the Democratic National Committee in the history of Wisconsin politics, and she was elected in a contested election to represent Congressional District 8 of Wisconsin. In addition, Jamie was the second vice chair of the Democratic Party of Brown County and she ran for the office of the second Vice Chair of the State Party and Democratic National Committee.

Jamie is a 50+ year member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324 of Michigan. She operated some of the biggest construction equipment that is used. Her specialty was operating large cranes. She was a CCO Licensed Crane Operator at one time. Yes, she tried really hard to be a tough guy for over 30 years and it never worked for her. SheI took early retirement when she went full time and went into nursing as a CNA. Hello Jamie!

Jamie: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Jamie: I am 69 years old, born in 1953 in a small town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. At the age of 4, I realized I had a body that did not match my inner self. I hid it as my greatest secret for most of my life. I got married in 1978 and had one daughter in 1985. I stayed drunk quite often to bury who I know I really was. I never crossdressed during this time of heavy drinking.

Interview with Pauline Park

Pauline Park is a pioneering transgender activist whose life and work have left an enduring mark on both local and global movements for equality. Born in Korea in 1960 and adopted by European American parents, she grew up in Milwaukee before embarking on a distinguished academic path that took her from the University of Wisconsin–Madison to the London School of Economics and ultimately the University of Illinois, where she earned a Ph.D. in political science. Her scholarship was recognized with a Fulbright fellowship to France, where she conducted research on the Maastricht Treaty and met Senator William Fulbright himself. In New York City, Park became one of the most visible and influential voices in advancing transgender rights. She co-founded Queens Pride House, Iban/Queer Koreans of New York, and the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy, playing a central role in securing funding, drafting organizational bylaws, and building networks of support. Her leadership was instrumental in the passage of New York City’s transgender rights law in 2002 and in shaping guidelines for its enforcement, as well as ensuring that gender identity and expression were included in both citywide and statewide safe schools legislation.

 

Park’s activism has extended far beyond legislative efforts. In 2005, she made history as the first openly transgender grand marshal of the New York City Pride March. She has been recognized as one of the most influential LGBT Asian icons, a leading transgender advocate in New York, and a role model celebrated on Transgender Day of Remembrance. Her visibility and advocacy have also been documented through films such as Envisioning Justice: The Journey of a Transgendered Woman and Coming Full Circle: The Journey of a Transgendered Korean Adoptee. Her work has taken her across the globe, from speaking at the Queer Korea Festival before a crowd of more than 35,000 to joining the first US LGBTQ delegation tour of Palestine. Whether through activism, scholarship, or public visibility, Pauline Park continues to stand as a vital figure in the ongoing struggle for human rights, bringing together her experiences as a Korean adoptee, a transgender woman, and an advocate for justice.