Transgender Author Toni Newman of memoir I Rise will be speaking at the Wake Forest University LGBTQIA conference on Friday, October 23, 4 pm at Farrell Hall October 13, 2015 – Posted in: News

I Rise: African American Transgender Lives
Toni Newman (’85), Dr. Angela Mazaris (Director of the LGBTQ Center)
(Farrell A48)
Author Toni Newman ( I Rise —The Transformation) will lead this session on the transgender community, focusing particularly on African-American transgender women within the LGBTQ family. Most African-American/Latina transgender females live below the poverty level and face violence that is double that of any group within the LGBTQ community. How can the LGBTQ family help them rise above their socio-economic status?
Please join Toni for an open discussion about being transgender, transitioning within the LGBTQ family, and the support needed from the LGBTQ family.

On Saturday, October 24, 4:30 pm, at Z. Smith Reynolds Library Auditorium:
4:30 – 5:45 p.m.  Panel: “Intersections of Identity”
Panelists: Fahim Gulamali (’14), David Hopkins (’12), Justin Lee (’00), Toni Newman (‘85)
Moderator: Nehemiah Rolle (’15, Wake Forest Fellow in the Office of the Provost)

The memoir I Rise-The Transformation of Toni Newman details her 25 year transistion from M2F and her ability to survive and overcome. She graduated from Wake Forest University in 1985 with BA in Sociology, has completed her MBA and now 2nd year law-student in JD program.  The late Dr. Maya Angelou inspired Toni while a student at Wake Forest University.  Her memoir was nominated for 2 Lambda Literary awards and celebrated by the Maynard Institute of Journalism. She was honored in 2012 as one of Wake Forest University Faces of Courage.

Toni is currently the Development Manager for Maitri Compassionate Care in San Francisco. Maitri is the only AIDS-specific residential care facility in California focusing on the underserved community of those dying of or severely debilitated by AIDS. She works with Executive Director Michael Smithmick for the development and marketing of Maitri.

Her publicist is Kayo Anderson of Kayo Anderson Media. Her website is https://www.tonidnewman.com. To find out more about the conference at Wake Forest Univesity, please email lgbtq@nullwfu.edu (mailto:lgbtq@wfu.edu)