Three Black trans women have been killed in Milwaukee over the last few months. Brittney Griner’s wife Cherelle visits the White House and shares her experience on Instagram. Anna shares some good news about Nnecka Onuorah, the NLGJA conference and the Las Vegas Aces winning the 2022 WNBA title.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

00:53 – Palm Springs Ad

01:42 – Intro

02:42 – Today’s Top Stories

03:01 – Intro Music by Aina Bre’Yon

03:40 – Mya

05:01 – BG’s Wife Visits WH

07:32 – Shoutouts

08:51 – Anna has a word

10:05 – Outro

Things for you to check out 

Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival

https://bit.ly/PalmSpringsWomensJazzFestival

Join the QCrew

Sign the Petition – Secure Brittney Griner’s Swift and Safe Return to the U​.​S.

https://www.change.org/p/secure-brittney-griner-s-swift-and-safe-return-to-the-u-s

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Listen to More Queer News

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Transcript

Family, it’s your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn with our queer news for today. Now, I want to make you a promise. We will continue to bring you the latest in queer news, culture, and politics . So, if you are digging our intersectional take on the daily, consider joining the QCrew.

The QCrew is our monthly membership program we started to help us grow the podcast. With your help, we can bring you more stories celebrating our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. 

This month we have a QCrew exclusive we are working on that I think will be one of our best interviews yet. More to come on that and in the meantime you’ve shown us your support by tuning into this episode. You can show your curiosity by clicking the link in the show notes to learn more about the QCrew.

So, have you purchased your Purple Tie tickets yet. We’ve been giving back to my favorite small non profits that are making big impacts for nine years now. This year will be so special too. VIP will be our very first Qube Original Podcast Listening Party. This is going to be so lit. You will have the opportunity to hear what we’ve been creating in the podcast space as part of The Qube. I’m excited. For general, Kenyotta KenChris is performing with her band and she is going to shut it down. All the proceeds are going to the Chicago Therapy Collective. If you aren’t in Chicago that’s okay too. We will be live streaming our general time too. I thank you for your continued support of the work. Truly from the bottom of my heart. And per usual there is a link in the show notes for you to check out. 

Okay okay let’s get into it.  

Now for the news; We remember Regina “Mya” Allen, a Black trans woman who was killed in Milwaukee. Brittney Griner’s wife Cherelle visits the White House and I’ve got a lot of shout outs to share some good news. Let’s go!

For our leading story today, I want to talk about Milwaukee and what’s been going on there. According to the news publication them. three Blak trans women have been killed there in the last 12 weeks. The latest is Regina “Mya” Allen who was killed on August 29th outside of her home. Today, September 20th she would have turned 36 years old. The story goes that she met a guy named Clayton Hubbird at a gas station and got into his truck. Once they got to her home a witness says they heard arguing, a gunshot and then a scream of “I’ve been shot”. Clayton had shot Mya outside of her own home. Mya called police herself and she was able to provide them key details that helped them identify her killer. I’m talking about the make & model of the car, the fact that there was a baby seat in the back seat, and that they’d met at a gas station up the street. The police were able to find video footage from that gas station which gave them the lead they needed to identify Clayton. Clayton is now on the run and hopefully someone turns him in soon. Mya, we speak your name today. 

As you all know we’ve been following the Brittney Griner really closely since she was arrested 215 days ago. Yes, that’s right. It’s been 215 days. Just Friday, President Biden met with Brittney’s wife Cherelle and Paul Whelan’s sister Elizabeth. He held separate meetings with both of them. Cherelle shared this on instagram “I want to thank President Biden for yesterday’s meeting as well as the Administration for its efforts to secure my wife’s release. It was an honor to speak with him directly about the Brittney we know and love. I’ve felt every minute of the grueling seven months without her. I look forward to the day my wife is back home. As my family and I continue on this journey, I’d like to thank the broad coalition of friends, leaders and supporters who continue to stand with us and advocate for Brittney’s swift and safe return. Let’s share a unified commitment to bringing all Americans home to their families and loved ones. Together We Are BG.” I will say through all of this she has been a rock from Brittney and their family. 

A senior administration official told CNN last Thursday that there has been “movement but not breakthrough” on the efforts to get Griner and Whelan out of Russia. The official said that the United States has urged Russia to put forward “a serious counteroffer” to the proposal on the table to secure the release of the two, but quote “we’ve not gotten a serious response back…We’ve gotten back a repeated demand for something that we are not capable as a government of delivering on. I don’t mean not inclined to, I mean not capable of delivering on. It’s not something within our power to deliver. And I think anyone would see that as a non-serious counteroffer,” the official said without going into specifics.

As I’ve said many times Brittney is being used as political leverage. A pawn. Keep the prayers going up that the US can bring her & Paul home. Everyday is a day too long. 

Last story, today is going to be a collection of shoutouts because lots of good things have happened. First, shoutout to Nneka Onuorah for winning her first Emmy for “Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program” for her work on Lizzo’s watch out for the big grrrls. Def go follow her life and work on IG. Next, I want to shout out the amazing people I met at the LGBTQ journalism association annual conference a couple weeks ago. The highlight for me was hearing  Imara Jones give it to one of the attendees who asked the most ignorant question on the planet. Just know the question led with should we give the GOP some credit. Yup that happened. My last shout out is to the Las Vegas Aces for coming out on top and becoming the 2022 WNBA champions. I mean if my Sky is going to loose it better be to the team that takes it all. Big congrats to Aja Wilson, Becky Hammond, and Chelsea Gray. 

Now, y’all know I always end with a word. Anna’s always got a word. Today I think we end with the word Sheryl Lee Ralph dropped when she won her first Emmy for best supporting actress for Abbott Elementary. What an extraordinary career she’s had. Keep dreaming family. Till tomorrow family, peace

Sources

Regina “Mya” Allen, a Milwaukee Black Trans Woman, Was Killed Just Shy of Her 36th Birthday

https://www.them.us/story/regina-mya-allen-milwaukee-black-trans-woman-killed-36th-birthday#intcid=recommendations_them-verso-hp-trending_5a76e6d5-100a-4b3e-bc57-9abe0e46857e_popular4-1

Trans Woman Regina ‘Mya’ Allen Fatally Shot in Milwaukee

https://www.advocate.com/crime/2022/9/08/trans-woman-regina-mya-allen-fatally-shot-milwaukee

On The Heels Of Her Emmy Win, Nneka Onuorah Is Committed To Making People Feel Self Love Through Her Work

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/nneka-onuorah/

Biden to personally meet with Griner and Whelan families Friday

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/15/politics/joe-biden-to-meet-with-griner-and-whelan-families/index.html

Regina “Mya” Allen, a Black trans woman was killed in Milwaukee, Brittney Griner’s wife visits the White House & Anna shares lots of good news – Wednesday, September 21, 2022