This book is a collection of interview transcriptions designed to share the life and story of Tona Brown, a transgender musician of color. In working to build this book, St. Louis writer and musician Chris King conducted dozens of interviews with Tona. In the span of four years, they compiled nearly eight hours of interview transcriptions. These transcriptions are reproduced for you here, having been edited for clarity and flow only; no original content has been removed. The conversation is supplemented with quotes from, and narrative informed by, academic research, scientific data, and the lived experiences of the Transgender community. Most importantly, this book is filled with Tona's honest responses to Chris's often penetrating and personal questions.
You will learn the brutal realities of the experiences shared by so many transgender men and women, and especially by Black transgender women. You will learn about Tona's life as a daughter and niece, musician, lover, granddaughter, activist, victim of assault, Black transgender woman, and more. You may, dearest reader, even learn about yourself, because this book is for you.
One of Tona's primary driving forces in life is helping others. This book is designed to help you in whatever way fits best based on your own experiences.
Meghan K. Sheehy, Editor