Health & Wellness

TASTE OF EDEN

By Latrina Moore

In 2016, I was introduced to the vegan world after being diagnosed with IBS leaving me unable to hold down the southern comfort foods

that I grew up eating.

“Chicken, pork, beef, paired with sides filled with butter and salt and anything fried was a norm in our family so not being able to eat those foods sent me searching for a new way of eating.”

I was introduced to a holistic vegan concept by Dr. Franco Taylor of Memphis TN, who showed me the ropes and helped me put the right foods and combinations together. Soon after adopting a vegan lifestyle every aspect of my health got better.

I have been strictly vegan for the past 6 years and during that time I have maintained my health and have not taken a single pill or medication regimen. I attribute that to my healthy lifestyle choices.

Some benefits of eating healthier are weight loss, managing and maintaining healthy weight, lowering blood pressure, mental clarity, better sleep, clearer skin, more energy, and vitality, decreased stress, improved immunity and a better quality of life just to name a few. Latrina Moore, native Memphian, beloved wife, and mother of three is the owner of Taste of

Eden LLC. Taste of Eden is a local

health food catering delivery that specializes in freshly made salads, fruit platters, fruit bowls and fruit baskets.

Orders can be placed for Taste of Eden by phone, email, messenger or on our social media accounts (Instagram or Facebook). Depending on the size of the order, at least 24 hours’ notice is required.

Taste of Eden LLC

Dena is a diversity, equity, and inclusion professional who has created and led business resources

for some of the country’s largest corporations. She has a wealth of experience, along with 15 years of activism and advocacy for historically underserved communities.

Dena is also a founding member, former Board Chair, and former Chief Executive Officer of the groundbreaking Trans Chorus of Los Angeles (TCLA) – the nation’s first all Trans-Identified

Chorus. Under Dena’s leadership, the organization performed with Grammy Award-winning artists, partnered with GLAAD on a nationally televised campaign celebrating diversity and inclusion, and was featured in the

Los Angeles Times.

Dena began her activism with a focus on HIV outreach in the inner cities

of Connecticut, where the rates of

infection were disproportionate among POC and LGBTQ+ youth. Thanks to her unwavering advocacy and support for the LGBTQ+ community, Dena has been nominated for

Orange County’s Unsung Heroes and has received

the APAIT Visionary Leadership Award.

Dena

WILLIAMS

With a little creativity and thought, we can all do our part to progress trans equity and inclusion further.

Dena HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 5 WORDS? A: The five words I would use to describe myself are: altruistic, resilient, compassionate, plant mom, and insightful. AS A TRANS WOMAN IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE, YOU HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE TRANS COMMUNITY LOOKING TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS?

A: I feel that before I can offer

advice on my professional career path, I need to acknowledge the struggles that trans people face in the workplace, in job seeking, and in overall discrimination

just because of who we are. It’s unfortunate that trans

people have to deal with these challenges even in 2022; however, I do feel that efforts are being made to help us find lasting and fruitful careers.

Now to my advice. I was told once by a trans elder, early in my transition, that “Being trans ain’t for the weak-hearted.”

Note: I’ve cleaned that up a bit, or maybe a lot, for this answer. This saying remains one of my biggest mantras in life, especially regarding my professional career. I’m going to be honest with you. As a trans woman and as a Black woman, I’ve had to work harder, work smarter, and maintain a level of excellence far superior to my peers. I attribute my success to two main qualities:

My steadfastness and determination. I relocated to

California from Connecticut

in 2008 to find a space to be openly and honestly myself. But the move was not easy. Upon arriving in California, I was unemployed for a full year. During that time, I sent out resumés almost every day and went on countless interviews

as I dwindled through my meager savings. Nonetheless, I didn’t give up. If I crumbled or gave up every time I was rejected for a job, promotion, or raise, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today. Being able to live authentically as myself was worth too much to give in to rejection. I wasn’t going to be “weak-hearted.” I was going to do what needed to be done.

My ability to network and build meaningful, beneficial professional relationships. I’ve always loved forming relationships with new people, and I didn’t realize how

beneficial it would be to the

progression of my career until I met the CEOs of The Artemis

Agency, Catherine Kimmel and Sarah Adolphson. I had begun volunteering with the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles when I arrived in town and had

risen to the role of Board Chair.

Sarah and Catherine attended one of our events, and we immediately kicked it off. Four years later, these relationships led to a role I’d been dreaming of for years – the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director at an organization that strives to do good in the world. My ability to form and sustain these relationships over years got me to where I am today. I would advise trans people just embarking on their professional pathways to recognize the importance of relationships.

DO YOU THINK WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD TRANS EQUITY AND INCLUSION? AND WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRESS?

A: It may seem in the current political climate that trans equity and inclusion have taken a turn for the worse.

However, in the face of the apparent attack on Trans rights, I think we need to focus on what we can do in

our communities to make

things better. One avenue for supporting trans equity in our local communities is

through politics. According to Victoryfund.org, 54 nonbinary and/or genderqueer candidates ran in 2022, compared to 17 in 2020 and just four in 2018 and we won a few of those races too, including James Roesener, who became the nation’s first

out transgender man to win election to a state legislature in New Hampshire. Having our voices represented in the political arena is a powerful and necessary step towards trans equity and inclusion. So, if it’s in your prerogative, go out and get involved! Vote! Run for your local political office! Campaign for politicians who hold trans-inclusive views!

I recognize too that not all of us are built for politics, and some of us prefer to avoid politics altogether. Still, with a little creativity and thought, we can all do our part to progress trans equity and inclusion further. Join your local chapter of PFLAG (which has evolved to include all members under the

LGBTQ+ umbrella). Through PFLAG, share your stories and experiences in board rooms, college classrooms, and corporate spaces where trans representation may be absent! Volunteer at your local LGBTQ center! Mentor trans youth to help them gain confidence and career-applicable skills.

WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU INVOLVED IN OR WORKING ON FOR 2023?

A: One of my major projects in 2023 will be to further my DEI initiatives at The Artemis

Agency by developing and hosting a series of salons with DEI focuses. The Artemis

Agency has direct ties to celebrities and has a lot of

stage presence through the media, so it is crucial that we are as equitable as possible in order to present a model for other organizations. I envision inviting speakers who focus their studies on social justice so that we can bring them into the conversation with people who can enact their theories.

The topic of the first salon is Empathy. What I see as a major barrier toward trans equity and inclusion is the lack of

empathy some people have for us. As such, I consider it to be one of the most

important steps in our journey to educate, communicate, and help people gain understanding and empathy toward our lives and struggles.