life
Beverly “Mecca” Moss Our People
BY L’MONIQUE KING QNOTES STAFF WRITER On a chilly winter afternoon, a therapist and advocate for the underserved Black Transgender community sits at home practicing a little self-care. For Beverly “Mecca” Moss of Moss Counseling Services, PLLC, self-care looks like starting a new food blog on Instagram, where she’ll be blogging about prepping and preparing vegan meals. Self-care is important to Moss. “I give so much energy taking care of other folks, I’m at a space in my life where I need to take care of me. Part of that care is being vegan and diligent about it.” Undoubtedly, Moss does expend loads of energy caring and advocating for her clients and causes. As for how she manages shouldering the burdens of those she assists on their multiple journeys of recovery, the Brooklyn-born native and mother of two reflects on her own experiences. “I was a young mother. I had my son [when I was] 15. So, I know something about the triumphs of overcoming obstacles and resiliency.” Today Moss is a licensed mental health counselor who has resided in Charlotte for the past 20 years. She’s been practicing therapy for 10 years, and two years ago she expanded her expertise to include a license as a Clinical Addiction Specialist. Her area of focus is transgender health care. As a cisgender queer woman, what interested you about servicing the Trans community? Initially it was the LGBT community and adolescents, but I found myself embracing the Trans community more when I started doing advocacy work with the Freedom Center for Social Justice. I did that for 10 years. I’m a founding member along with [Bishop] Tonyia Rawls and [Clinical Psychologist] Lisa Griffin. My thing has always been to service marginalized communities. Typically, these are communities of people of color, impoverished communities and children. How did you begin working with the Trans Community? In January of 2012, Dr. Lisa Griffin, an
area psycholois what gave gist who had me the educacared for the tion, it wasn’t trans comthe books. I was munity in the showing up, Charlotte area being available, for 15 years that sort of was moving thing. and wanted to What obstacreate a group cles to providof providers for ing care have gender diverse you noticed or individuals – dealt with? The Charlotte There’s not Transgender enough Black Healthcare and Brown Group. At that representation time there were or integration only about within profive providers grams. Health offering HRT insurance and [Hormone employment are Replacement also obstacles. Therapy], seven Without employmental health ment, there is Beverly Moss: ‘I found myself embracing the professionno insurance, so Trans community when I started doing advoals and one many don’t have cacy work with the Freedom Center…’ surgeon. So, it insurance. A lot became a colof times, that’s laborative effort where a lack to provide transgender health care and of health care comes into play. Without the first in Charlotte. Maslow’s five basic psychological needs Why is the work important to you? (food, water, shelter, clothing, sleep) being Someone has to be on the forefront met, everything is that more challenging. If in terms of the POC (People Of Color) you don’t have housing, how can you have population within these communities. At stable mental health? We need a commuone time, I was the only one, especially nity that is looking at intersectionality and for those who were uninsured or facing addressing those needs. Especially here, financial deficits. It was important for me in the southern bible belt where there’s to give of myself. It felt like it was my purstill so much inequality and a real need for pose and fit in with my beginning goal of individuals [who can service and advocate working with LGBT youth of color. for the marginalized] to show up. Coming from a diverse environment When it comes to leadership, what myself, I hung out in The Village [New are your thoughts on transgender York’s Gayborhood] with Queer folks representation? growing up but I felt like I still didn’t know I sat on the board of Transcend enough – because it’s so much deeper Charlotte until a Black Transwoman than that. Doing this work gave me the showed interest. When she did, I bowed opportunity to serve and learn. It was a out because finally, there was true repreunique learning because ultimately, whensentation of a person who lives a Trans ever I showed up people were open to life. Sometimes as organizers we try to sharing information with me they otherhave our feet in multiple arenas – but evwise wouldn’t have [with others]. I guess it eryone isn’t meant to be on the forefront. was my authenticity. <chuckling> But seriTrans spaces – need Trans leadership beously, exposure to first-hand experience cause they know their story and what their
needs are - better than anyone else Identity seems important to you and the work that you do. How do you identify? I’m Pansexual. What does that mean for Beverly Moss? Having that Agape kinda’ love. For me, it means, being interested in individuals for who they are and not because [of] their genitalia – regardless of their sex and gender. When I first started out, I was straight, or I thought I was anyhow, <laughing>. Then, I was bisexual and then I was lesbian. When I turned 50, I realized I wasn’t any of that and found myself engaged in a relationship with a trans male. At that point I came to realize that it was really just about the person as a whole. Loving individuals as they are. Was the transition of that kind of self-discovery a difficult one to make? As a person who was frequently in lesbian circles it was awkward at first and almost felt like coming out again. Many people in the [LGBT] community don’t get it – why a person would identify as pansexual. They’d ask why I wouldn’t identify as bisexual. For me, pansexual says I’m open for love no matter how it shows up, it’s bigger and boarder than bisexuality. So I’m a Queer pansexual. I identify as Queer as well because Queer, to me, is a person whose gender identity doesn’t correspond to traditional norms. What brings you joy? Seeing fruit from the work I’ve done. Knowing that if I leave this earth today, I have touched individuals lives and been able to alter, save, shift or make a difference. And, thinking about the [LGBT] community now, compared to when I first arrived in Charlotte, there’s been a tremendous amount of growth. What would people be surprised to know about you? I ride a Kawasaki 900 motorcycle and just started roller skating again. Any final thoughts you’d like to share with Qnotes readers? It’s necessary that we all work together. That’s how you build rapport and relationships. : :
Feb 18.-Mar. 3, 2022
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