Dear Family,
Thank you for showing up, especially when the world is as challenging as it is today. Whether you are local to LA or have traveled across multiple time zones to get here, I have sincere gratitude for what it takes to not only show up but to do so in the spirit of celebration.
I owe a great debt of gratitude to Steven for entrusting me with the care and production of the TEAs. It is an event that he created, with love and in the spirit of good fun, when he felt like our industry was being woefully overlooked by other award shows. What has flourished in the past 16 years is a multi-day event I’m extremely proud to be part of.
The TEAs were created as a community event and will continue to be that no matter how much we grow in the future. I want the show to always feel welcoming to our community and allies. I always hope for the privilege of watching new attendees pose sometimes for their first-ever red carpet photos. I always hope for the opportunity to watch the show behind the wings of the stage (and the ability to perhaps not-so-secretly yell last-minute notes to Domino between categories).
Our community has long advocated for greater visibility and inclusion not only in the industry but in the outside world. For a long time, we’ve built our businesses, our connections, and our chosen families on the margins. For this reason, I am fiercely protective of the show and the space we’ve created. When the unfamiliar ask me what the TEAs are like, I jokingly tell them that the event feels like partying at “the goth table.” I am fully aware that we will never be as big as some of the other award shows and that’s fine with me. We will always do our own thing and be a group of misfits.
In the end, I want everyone in our industry to feel like this is their event. Honestly, I’m just happy for a seat at the table with you all.
With Gratitude,
Kristel
The letter above was originally included in our 2024 TEA program. I thought it was worth sharing, if only to emphasize how much this show means to me.
Now, a couple of weeks since the TEAs, everything is beginning to settle in for me. I’m doing wrap-up (adding photos to the site, sending out programs and thank you letters, sending flowers, etc.) and that means TEA season is officially over.
It’s not a bad thing. The timing is perfect as I’m about to launch a new company with my best friend, Foxxy, called Flaming Hearts Media.
But first, I owe our 2024 sponsors a sincere debt of gratitude. This was our biggest year yet and certainly the most successful. The generosity of our sponsors this year made it possible for me to put on a smoother show and even add a second official media wall at the Awards on Sunday.
Finally, a sincere thank you to, first, our Mistress of Ceremonies, Domino Presley. It takes a sharp wit and guts to control our crowd and Domino is forced to steer a pretty tight ship in order to keep us on course. It’s no easy feat and one that she makes look effortless year after year. And, as Dr. Sinclair mentioned during his Transcendence Award speech, Domino created a scholarship called the Jazmin Shibata Scholarship for trans SWers. Through Domino’s generosity, trans SWers are able to see me or get letters of support (I’m a therapist) for free. She has celebrated many milestones over her career, but this is the one I’m most excited about it.
Thank you to our red carpet hosts Natassia Dreams, Foxxy, and Banksie. Banksie was so bubbly and warm as our official interviewer at the Pre-Party and as our second interviewer/backstage interviewer at the Awards. Natassia and Foxxy also pack a punch as a duo on the red carpet. The three of them, along with Domino, really helped my job look effortless.
Thank you to our official photographers for the evening, Industry by Rick, Altomic Visuals, and Otola Photography.
Please take a look at the sponsors below. Click their links. Explore their brands. These are brands that actively support the trans adult community.
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