S2 Ep26: EugCast Episode 26: River McKenzie

JoJo talks with River McKenzie (They/Them/Theirs) of TransPonder. They talk about TransPonder and its purpose and growing impact on the Trans Community in Eugene. And while this episode was recorded before their fund raiser, you can still donate to the good work they are doing at TransPonder River is a non-binary queer person who works with the LGTBQIA community in both their professional and activist spheres. They work as an Administrative Director at Odyssey Community Counseling at Emergence where they are developing a trans and gender diverse counseling program. They have been passionate about LGBTQIA activism for over 20 years, working within communities on both coasts and in the southern states via social justice art performances, community organization, and changing policies at institutions. River’s experiences of living in a variety of areas, especially in rural Louisiana, inner city Memphis, Dallas, and rural Pennsylvania have focused their framework and way of thinking around anti-oppression and decolonization. They see this as a lifelong process of addressing their own place within the system and challenging the status quo in any organization in which they participate. They have used this framework to create more gender-inclusive policies and programming at Emergence, worked to change the culture around diversity at Oregon Country Fair and its Community Village, and brings this lens and approach to their work at TransPonder. You can find out more about TransPonder at https://transponder.community/ And make sure to follow them on these platforms: Facebook Instagram Twitter About EugCast: EugCast is a volunteer-powered, cooperative chit-chat where we talk with people who may or may not live in the Eugene, Oregon area. We think they have some really cool stories to share, but we’ll leave that up to you, the listener, to decide! https://eugcast.com https://www.facebook.com/EugeneOregonPodcast/ EugCast is recorded at Trifoia in Eugene Oregon!