JennaOnFire Productions will host the first annual Trans-Fest on Saturday, November 18. The event will be held at Black Lodge, located at 405 North Cleveland Street in Memphis, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
According to Jenna Lee Dunn, founder and CEO of JennaOnFire Productions, this will be the “biggest trans resource and vendor market in the Mid-South.” The free event is open to all ages, and will offer “family friendly” drag performances from Brenda Newport, Bu$ted, Lady Pluto, and Will Ryder.
Sponsors for the event also include Mid-South Pride, The Haven Memphis, CHOICES Center For Reproductive Health, Focus Mid-South magazine, Love Doesn’t Hurt, and more.
The event will offer “over 40” free resources for the transgender community including name change support, feminine and barber style haircuts, and free gel manicures to name a few.
“There’s going to be so much,” said Dunn. “A Fitting Place will be there doing bra fittings if we have any trans women that are trying to find out what size they are. Maybe someone doesn’t know the proper way to measure themselves for a bra. Maybe they’re not comfortable with it.”
Dunn said that having resources like this lets the trans community know that there are people who are open and accepting and want to help them. In return, they build rapport and trust with these different businesses and organizations.
Vendors will have items available to purchase, and Dunn also mentioned that organizations such as My Sistah’s House have donated full-sized items to include in gift bags.
Empowerment is a key theme for this event, said Dunn, however so is education. She looks back on the time when she first began to transition and remembers having “no clue on what she was doing,” with makeup tips and bra fitting. With being out for three years, Dunn said she is considered a “trans elder,” and is ready to help younger generations of trans people.
“I’ve learned a few things, so the younger trans people come to me for advice and information about things,” said Dunn. “To be able to provide that is amazing.”
Dunn is also the founder of the newly formed Mid-South Trans Nation, which she likens to being the “little sister” of Mid-South Pride. The organization was founded to “create a team of transgender individuals who are able to uplift and affirm members of the trans community everyday.”
“We envision a future where transgender individuals in the Southern region are safe and supported, able to thrive in our everyday existence and are empowered to support ourselves,” said the organization.
Dunn said that the goal is to celebrate Pride Fest in June, and Trans Fest in November of each year, as the month is held as Transgender Awareness Month.
While Pride Fest celebrates all members of the LGBTQ community, Dunn felt it was necessary for Memphis’ transgender community to have an outlet with resources tailored specifically to their needs.
“It’s very important,” Dunn said. “People need that outlet to go somewhere safe where they can express themselves and be their true selves and enjoy themselves around like-minded people, and their friends and families that are in our community.”
The transgender community in Memphis is “pretty small,” said Dunn, and this event serves as a way to bring them together.