I was visiting Los Angeles for a few reasons: Friends, BET Awards, IMATS, and Toni Newman.  I arrived a little late to Toni’s apartment in an artsy neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. She met me outside. She was short, smooth brown skin, and welcoming. We walked into a dim tidy apartment and immediately set up for the interview. I was worried that there would not be enough light inside, so we opted to set up outside. Coming into this experience, I knew that would find some way to relate to Toni because finding a common thread is somewhat of my forte. My problem with other trans women is that sometimes the only common thread is the fact that we are trans women and that where it ends. We had the interview and came back in to wait for my ride back to my hotel. During this small window of time, we candidly discuss the business, and other interviewers.  Toni let her guard down and show a more motherly side of herself. Seeing this side grounded her for me. It took her out of the controversy and made her a sister. One of my own.  I was able to see her altruism. She really does care about the state of trans people. An although this book was fueled by controversy, the driver is motivated by a genuine commitment to change. That was our common thread.

Diamond Stylz & Toni Newman

Due to how my video was presented to Ms. Newman, our first phone conversation had an element of defensiveness throughout. Toni defended her reasons and justification for naming names in her marketing strategy of her book, I Rise: The Transformation of Toni Newman. I defended my opinion that exposure is not the way to get respect from. By the end of the conversation and this interview, neither one of our views changed but we both understood one another better. Unfortunately in the world we live in, being a good little transsexual doesn’t garner the needed attention. The public seem to want to focus one the alien freak shocking taboo side of the trans community. Sometime in order to make a difference one has to give the public what they want to get the attention to make a much need statement. What is Toni’s statement? Here is my interview with Toni Newman where she answer that question and more about the controversy and her life.

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