Join Me!

 

I have been thinking about how others could join in this effort, improving their health and raising consciousness about transgender issues.  You don't have to be transgender to join me, just an ally.

Here is how I think people of varying abilities can join the effort:

1. FINISHING SUPPORTER: 
   Some of you may want to be a "finishing" supporter.  To do this, you pick up a starting point at a daily mileage marker at some point along the way, and you walk the full remaining distance to Washington D.C, tracking your mileage on a cell phone or other tracking device (I use a Fitbit Blaze, but there are many devices out there that can track mileage)(or, if you can't afford any of the above, estimate your mileage on Google Maps and send me your weekly total on Sundays).  Then, hopefully, you will join me in Washington D.C. on a designated day to walk the final 5.5 miles to the Capitol building steps, where we will celebrate with pictures and hopefully receive some checks, with photo ops, from sponsoring supporters.  Then if you want to join us, we will walk the halls of Congress and lobby for better laws to protect transgender people from discrimination, such as a trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.  Send me an email at bnice2meplease@yahoo.com if you want to be s Finishing Supporter, and I will put you on the spreadsheet.  Then report to me on Sunday each week a summary of your mileage from the previous 7 days, Sunday through Saturday, and I will add your mileage to the spreadsheet, keeping track of your total.
2. WALKING SUPPORTER:
   Some of you may not be capable of doing averaging 5.5 miles a day for a year and a half.  I understand that.  But, you might want to walk "with us" part of the way, to show your support.  To do this, just get a means of tracking your mileage, again, a cell phone with an app or a wrist device of some kind, (or, if you can't afford any of the above, estimate your mileage on Google Maps and send me your weekly total on Sundays) and report to me on Sunday your weekly mileage from the previous 7 days, from Sunday to Saturday.  I will put your name on the supporter list and keep track of your totals.
3. SPONSORING SUPPORTER:
   Some of you can't walk much, but you can either be a donor, or you can find donors who can sponsor a WALKING SUPPORT or a FINISHING SUPPORTER with a "per-mile" donation to the National Center for Transgender Equality.  The National Center for Transgender Equality is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and your contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.  We would like all mileage pledge donations to be completed when the walk has been completed, which should be in 18 months.  You can make the donation directly to NCTE on their website, we would just like you to report it to us that you have done so, and the amount, and the name for whom it was done in behalf.  You are certainly free to make donations to NCTE at any time.  The sponsoring donations are just related to this walking project.
4. CORPORATE SPONSOR:
   I have already asked at least one corporation to sponsor me on a per-mile walked basis, given that I have publicized their product on my blog.  I will probably ask for more sponsors.  If you can find other corporate sponsors, perhaps your employer, particularly if you are a transgender worker, that would be awesome!
5. CHEERING SUPPORTER:
   If you can't afford to be a sponsor, or can't find one, and you can't walk, you can still stand with us, figuratively speaking, and be a cheering supporter.  Just send me an email at bnice2meplease@yahoo.com and tell me that you are a cheering supporter.  You can still help us by checking into our progress by reading the blog on a regular basis and writing encouraging responses to the blog posts, or to your favorite walker.