Preference Radio: well-being for trans people; & sex worker rights in Oregon.

In the first part of the hour, we'll be talking with Rebekah Katherine Brewis and Iden Campbell McCollum.

Rebekah tells us: “I just served a Notice of Tort claim to the State of Oregon Risk Management Division, that I intend to sue the Oregon Health Authority for health care discrimination in the treatment of gender dysphoria, for the statutory maximum of $4,096,600. If all goes as planned long term, the state will create greater uniformity in the comprehensive treatment of transgender health care for everyone (and I will continue the work of holding them to it), along with addition of facial feminization surgery and other procedures.”

Rebekah and Iden are organizers of #No Suicide: A Transgender Health & Wellness Campaign ~ A PDX Trans Pride transgender mental health seminar and community dialogue featuring Washington D.C. Campbell Center's Iden D. Campbell McCollum http://www.thecampbellcenter.org/ and PDX Trans Pride's Rebekah Katherine Brewis http://www.pdxtranspride.org/ for the #NoSuicide Campaign. The event takes place on March 19th, 1 - 3:30 pm, at the North Portland Library, on North Killingsworth, followed by a picnic at Peninsula Park.

Then, Red will be joining us to discuss sex worker rights, including legislation related to stripping, and BOLI's live entertainer hotline.

Bios for all three guests can be found below.

Rebekah Katherine Brewis, who is passionate about creating change for gender equality, has over 16 years of experience as a civil rights activist, and is the Executive Director and Director of Legal & Business Affairs at PDX Trans Pride, whose mission is:

“Ensuring equal rights and improving the quality of life for all transgender LGBTQIA+ Oregonian peers statewide and nationally through legal advocacy, peer support, and social justice organizing.”

Rebekah is greatly invested in improving the quality of life and health equity for the transgender and mental health communities within the state of Oregon and nationally, and is the Consumer Voice Representative for theSystems Integration Subcommittee of the Traditional Health Worker Commission, atOregon Health Authority’s Office of Equity and Inclusion. Rebekah is also a member of the Bradley Angle LGBTQ Community Advisory Council, which is dedicated to reducing domestic violence in the LGBTQIA+ community. Identifying as a historically marginalized transgender female, Rebekah is passionately devoted to ensuring health equity and equality exists for everyone, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, or access to legal justice.

Rebekah also believes in promoting greater agency and personal choice in deciding one’s medical needs and pathways, including informed and conscientious care that helps to create supports for transgender persons in the community. Through trauma informed care, Rebekah believes that culturally competent consumer based organizations such as PDX Trans Pride can help transgender LGBTQ survivors and peers find a path to restored dignity, healing, and renewed hope. Please visit PDX Trans Pride at http://www.pdxtranspride.org/contact for more information for program registration or volunteering opportunities!

Iden Campbell McCollum, CPRP believes that The Great Turning is happening, and though our generation may not see the full fruits of our labor it’s up to us to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to live their lives as freely as possible, and is the founder [and Executive Director] of the Campbell Center of Washington DC. The Campbell Center is an education and advocacy group for individuals living with and seeking treatment from mental health and substance addiction challenges, or "consumers". More information about the Campbell Center can be found at http://www.thecampbellcenter.org

Red is founder and director of STROLL, the Sex Traders' Radical Outreach and Liberation Lobby, a grassroots harm reduction, outreach, education, and community organisation BY sex workers, FOR sex workers.
A confused Boston transplant to the West Coast since her teens, Red grew up in strip clubs and, after some false starts, is finally working toward her ultimate goal of fomenting revolution in Portland’s strip clubs. When not suing hypocritical vegans she does the public health and rights focused zine Working It, wonders what her dogs are thinking, and works on her oral history of Portland’s clubs and sex worker activism in Portland. Also representative for SWOP-PDX, her writing can be found on Tits and Sass.