Personal Manifesto for Transformative Spiritual Leadership & Activism

My name is Ryan Cassata. Most people know me as a singer-songwriter and transgender activist. I am also a student at Pacific School of Religion where I study faith-rooted transformative leadership.

For one of my graduate level classes I wrote a code of conduct, bill of rights on how I, as a spiritual leader, plan to continue to implant and embody transformative leadership and social change. Throughout my studies thus far, I have learned several qualities and practices that productive spiritual leaders hold. Some of them are based on morals and values. Some of them are about proper self-care. Above all, to be a great transformative spiritual leader, that skillfully brings about social change, I must keep the movement at the forefront of my mind.

I must always strive to act in a way that serves the marginalized, practice nonviolence, and remain willing to learn, listen, grow, and develop. I must accept that I won't see the utopia I long for in my lifetime. I will always be nonviolently advocating for equal rights, equity, peace, love, and kindness. Being an activist is a lifelong quest that requires a lifelong commitment.This code of conduct serves as a reminder of my purpose. It also serves as a reminder to rest and recharge. It is the bedrock for my activism work. While  this code is personal to my experience as a white, queer, disabled, middle class, androgynous transgender person, I think that other transformative leaders or activists could take from or benefit by learning some of my practices as well. The chapters are in no particular order, I view them as all equally important.

Contents:
1. Grow My Spirituality
2. Stay Willing to Learn and Listen
3. Never Become Immune to Suffering
4. Always Practice Nonviolence
5. Be Willing to Sacrifice
6. Use Art to Open Hearts and Minds
7. Never Hate My Enemies
8. Meditate for Clarity
9. Accept That There Will Be Pain and Setbacks
10. Practice Proper Self Care to Recharge
11. Never Be Afraid to Ask For Help
12. Recognize and Acknowledge my Privilege
13. Know When To Pass The Mic

1. Grow My Spirituality

The first step to my transformative leadership process is always to seek to grow my spirituality. My spirituality is the foundation of my activism and ministry work. Without my personal spiritual practices, I do not process the strength that it takes to be a skillful leader. My faith must always come first. Personally, centering myself with God allows me to act more gracefully. Accepting and trusting God's will for me allows for a greater flow of peace, which leads to better actions and the ability to do this type of work.

God is my rock, my steadfast love, my champion, and my savior. In times of loneliness, despair, isolation, I rely on God. In times where I am far from my community, I rely on God. With a spiritual foundation, I can remain steady enough to carry any burden, stand tall and march forward through any emotional battle. For these reasons, I will continuously seek to grow my spirituality.

Note: Whatever your spiritual beliefs are, I encourage you to grow and deepen them throughout your life. Remember, that your conception of God, is totally up to you. Find a non-judgmental, unconditionally loving, higher power that works for you personally.

2. Stay Willing to Learn and Listen

My studies are now part of my foundation for my social change efforts and advocacy. I’m about two years into the MAST/MDiv program at Pacific School of Religion and I find myself pondering "Why wasn't this information presented to me earlier in my life?" Throughout my studies thus far, I have had the realization that I have more to learn than I previously thought. I have learned an incredible amount about marginalization, racism, oppression, intersectionality, social change history, and "the powers that be (Walter Wink)." Even as someone living on the margins, I cannot fully understand these things, but I am one tiny step closer with each class I complete.

I must maintain a willingness and an open ear to learn what is needed to continue doing this work overtime. I must listen to the stories and voices of others to build empathy and see how I can be most helpful. A strong transformative leader needs to be able to listen and hear the experience of others.

3. Never Become Immune to Suffering

I must never become immune to the suffering of others. May empathy always fill my heart and drive my activism work. For as long as there is injustice, let that injustice always make me sick to my stomach. Let the witnessing of suffering ignite my activism efforts. Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. says, "There can be no deep disappointment where there is no deep love." A deep love for humanity means suffering from the losses of our fellow humans. I promise to let that deep love that results in empathetic suffering be the driving force for my social change efforts.

4. Always Practice Nonviolence

I must remain nonviolent. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. taught me that nonviolence is the most reliable and effective way to create positive change in the world. It is also a route to gain respect.

I have found it true that when one person from a marginalized group "acts out," the oppressor uses that one action as a weapon against the entire oppressed group. The oppressor will always villainize the oppressed groups shortcomings to justify their hatred. Remaining nonviolent is an efficient way to avoid further negative stereotypes.

5. Be Willing to Sacrifice

This movement is dangerous. I've known that since before I even came out as transgender. I am no stranger to bullying, harassment, violence, and unsafe situations. I can hide in my closet, forget about the movement, forget about the people who need a voice, and stay mostly safe.

However, I refuse to be a guilty bystander, so I must risk my safety and go out into the world and lead discussions, education the public, and march in rallies.

Of course, it may be more comfortable on the sidelines for safety and stability are comforting. However, to be an excellent social change leader, we must be willing to give up our privileges, safety, relationships and even risk our lives to bring about social change. In Albert J. Raboteau's American Prophets, I learned Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. constantly risked being sent to jail and even death. Dorothy Day sacrificed her romantic relationship. Fannie Lou Hammer risked her job and her life. Risk and sacrifice is part of being an activist.

6. Use Art to Open Hearts and Minds

My music has always served as a common thread when there seemed to be none at the surface level. In giving public speeches to high schools and universities, I have used music to humanize my experience as a trans person. It has been an effective way to get students to listen, engage, grow, and learn. Music is the key that unlocks the door to a mental transformation for someone who may have been living in ignorance.

Music is a universal love, a universal language, and a compelling artistic expression that unites even very diverse groups people. I believe that is why we sing at church. I think it's why the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers had drum circles at their healing ceremonies and why folks chant together while they march. Music is a nonviolent power and a powerful transformer.

7. Never Hate My Enemies

Fannie Lou Hamer said, "I refuse to hate a man because he hate me. Because if I hate you because you hate me, it's no different. Both of us are miserable.” As a marginalized person, I already see the destruction of hatred. Resentment is an unsafe feeling that can ignite violence, cause immense mutual hate and irreparable wreckage.

Dr. King says, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.”

I must realize that my enemy's hatred is a sickness, and I must offer them love, patience, and tolerance that I freely give to my friends.

8. Meditate for Clarity

Self-preservation includes having a ritualistic meditation practice. Meditation strengthens my spirituality, grounds me, and clarifies my vision. Meditation builds my stamina to handle challenging situations and walk through them humbly and steadily. Meditation is part of my religious practice, and I do not think I could possess the strength it takes to be a transformative leader without the strength and clarity that this spiritual practice grants me.

Social Activist and Monk Thomas Merton believed in the clarity and self-awareness from silence, solitude, and meditation.

9. Accept That There Will Be Pain and Setbacks

Failure breeds pain, and in every social movement, there are systemic setbacks. This past year, a slew of anti-transgender legislation was introduced, some of which passed to become state laws. Over the past several years, visibility brought much-needed awareness to the trans community, and that awareness was met with bigots trying to erase the trans community. When demanding equal rights, we will often be met with pushback from folks who think that giving equal rights to an oppressed group somehow takes away their unearned-liberties. I must let these setbacks drive me to advocate harder, write more letters, march, stay on top of the movement. I must accept the pain of loss and not allow it to discourage me.

10. Practice Proper Self Care to Recharge

If my battery is dead, I am of no use. I cannot be an effective change maker. I must pause to rest, ask for help, and do what is needed to take care of my mental health. A daily self-care routine will prevent burnout and provide the headspace for more impactful work.

11. Never Be Afraid to Ask For Help

There will be many times when I cannot personally take on what is needed or asked of me. Recognizing those times, being honest about my abilities, and not fearing to ask for assistance from peers or even strangers always needs to remain a possibility.

Activism movements always require help. A one-person march is not as powerful as a march with hundreds or thousands of people. Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called on faith leaders from across the Nation for the Selma march. There is no shame in asking for help. There is strength in asking for help.

12. Recognize and Acknowledge my Privilege

I must recognize my privileges and acknowledge them always. I must remain aware of my social location and the contexts that I am in. I must always know that being part of a marginalized group does not erase my white privilege and my middle-class privilege. I must use my privilege to educate other people that also hold privilege. I must stay aware of how much space I am taking up and be willing to give up space to make room for others that are more marginalized than me.

13. Know When To Pass The Mic

There will be times where I will be part of a movement, and I am not destined to be part of the frontlines. There are times when the voice that needs to be heard will not be mine. There will be times when I must only listen so I can learn. I must stay aware enough to understand the difference between knowing when my voice is needed and when only my ears are needed. I must know when to pass the mic.  

Citations:

The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millennium, by Walter Wink, Galilee Doubleday, 1999.

A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., by Martin Luther King Jr., HarperOne, 2003.

American Prophets: Seven Religious Radicals and Their Struggle for Social and Political Justice, by Albert J. Raboteau, Princetown University Press, 2016.

For Seven Generations. Dir(s). Bruce Hart, Carole Hart. 2009. Film.

Our Trans Bodies Are Not The Problem

WRITTEN SPEECH: Hi everyone. It is great to be with you here today. My name is Ryan Cassata. I use he/him pronouns. I am in graduate school at Pacific School of Religion studying for my Master in Divinity and Master of Arts in Social Transformation. I’ve been out for half of my life as queer and trans. I grew up in a conservative town on Long Island, NY which is Secatogue land and now live in Los Angeles, CA which is Tongva Land. In Los Angeles it feels mostly safe to be trans.

I am a trans person, who has had the privilege of having top surgery, and who is not on hormones. I don’t pass as cis frequently. Cis means someone who’s gender and sex are congruent with each other. I have always had white privilege and class privilege which has guaranteed me with some essential resources and care that weren’t available to other trans people (and not available to some cis people).

Acknowledging and recognizing my privileges is very important in the fight for equality and justice. Understanding my contexts, where I am taking up space, and where I am struggling to have my voice heard is important for me as a trans activist.

I need to start my talk with a content warning. This talk will contain sensitive topics that some may find triggering, including sexual and physical violence. There will be stories about discrimination and oppression that may be triggering for some. I will also be using some language that the queer community may find offensive or derogatory.

I realized I was queer when I was 12 years old, and trans soon after that. I started coming out to my select friend group and my mom when I was a young teenager. By the time I was 15, I was was called to go on International TV to talk about being trans. 2009 was a very different time for trans people. Not many people were out. Especially not young people. There were very little resources when I came out. Trans YouTube had only just begun and there were just a  handful of videos from just a few trans guys. I joined them. It took weeks to get a chest binder that had to be shipped across the country. When I said I am transgender people would ask me what that meant? There was not even a basic understanding of the term back then. As far as surgery went, there were 6 surgeons in the entire country to pick from. I’m sure many of you know now that there are thousands of trans YouTubers, and probably hundreds if not thousands of surgeons. Some insurances even cover trans related care now.

At that time that I was coming out, I felt very alone in my experience. I felt isolated. Has anyone ever related to that feeling of being alone? That’s a devastating feeling.

That call to go on Larry King changed my life and it altered that feeling of being alone. I now had an opportunity to find others like me. Maybe I wasn’t actually alone? Maybe if I went on this TV show I would find other people like me? Maybe that feeling of isolation would go away. Maybe they longed to feel a sense of belonging too.

Before the call I thought I was better off staying in the closet. I figured it was too much to come out. It would be too much change for the people around me. Their happiness meant more than mine. But that’s NOT true.

My happiness matters. My truth matters. My queerness is NOT a burden. My authenticity is NOT a burden. These are beliefs I had to learn and I am still learning.

Coming out is a daily practice of authenticity. Practicing authenticity daily is not just for queer people through. It’s a practice that every individual can adopt. I’m sure that there are ways that all of us here could be more authentic.

I felt anxiety, excitement, and readiness all at once. I knew that I had to go on that show. I went from 10 people who were close to me knowing I’m trans, to the entire world knowing at once. I am believed to be the youngest trans guy on International TV at the time. That’s both a burden and a blessing.

A miracle happened following that appearance and I received letters from all over the world, from other trans people, proof that none of us were actually alone. We just thought we were. Those letters said things like: “before I saw you, I thought it was just me who felt like this….” “I’m so relieved to know I’m not the only one…” “I have never seen another trans guy before..”

My TV appearance also brought on more struggles for me. Now my school knew and they didn’t want me using the public bathrooms or going to gym class, which lead to me being thrown into the role of an activist, a young activist. As I organized petitions and led solo walkouts, I remembered that I had to do this in order to be authentic and in order to survive. I didn’t realize that what I was doing was impacting my school for the better. When I graduated school, all of those changes that I made, all of those battles that I had fought, they added up, And I won the 1st ever Harvey Milk Memorial Award. Politician and activist, Harvey Milk also graduated from my High School and he taught me to never blend in.

I was called to speak to other high schools and colleges all over the country, so I honored those calls too, and for a decade I’ve been doing this work and have seen many great changes happen for my community.

And while I was so young doing all of this activism work, my coping skills were bad because I wasn’t taught how to self care. I wish I had the coping skills I have now, back then, it would have saved me a lot of pain. I wish that I knew to take breaks and recharge. To be able to be a long term activist means to take breaks, practicing self care, and loving yourself. Because if we don’t, we can’t last. Activism work requires so much energy. So be sure charge up.

Activist and Author Audre Lorde says “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.”

Young activists and change makers need to practice self care, including healing, and the practicing of self love, to avoid burnout. It’s the only way the revolution can continue. Caring for yourself in a world that doesn’t care for you is an act of radical self love. Through the writings of activist and author Sonya Renee Taylor I learned about radical self love. She asks “will we use our bodies to uphold system of oppression or defy them?” And I continuously remind myself of that question so I could become a better activist. Am I blending in for the comfort of cis people? Or am I being myself for my own comfort?

Those self-love practices are often hard to adopt when you are marginalized and oppressed. Our bodies are politicalized. Trans bodies are politicalized. Any body that doesn’t fit the white cis straight able-bodied Christian model that is dominant in our society is politicalized. That includes trans bodies. Growing up as a young trans guy I was taught that my body was the problem. I came to believe that my trans body called violence upon me.

I was conditioned to believe that any violence happening to me was part of being trans. And if I wanted to live my truth I had to pay for it. I was taught that my difference was too much for people so if they wanted to ask me insensitive questions or make rude, harmful comments  that was okay. And I kept listening to these dehumanizing statements and they sunk in. I internalized transphobia from the cis people around me, and I came to the believe that “these bad things happening to me are my own fault” Why? Because I am trans. And I learned this, how? When I walk into a doctors office sick with a high fever and infection, and am turned away for being trans. And It didn’t even matter that I had insurance and a copay. When I’m bleeding from my skull on the floor, concussed at a concert in my hometown and the last words I remember hearing before I passed out are “faggot faggot faggot.” When my family member sends me to therapy to “change me back” because “she needs to be fixed, this is not normal.”

I was being taught that something is wrong with me. I was being taught that the violence is my fault. I was being taught that my body is the problem.

Trans people often internalize and adopt the cis-normative and transphobic values of cis people. We do this not only to be accepted, but also for our own safety. It’s survival. Many of us do this without even recognizing that we are doing it. We have to recognize this, and unlearn this exclusionary belief system, in order to be authentic and free, in order to be happy, in order to live without shame, in order to radically love ourselves one day, in order to challenge the powers that be and change the system. Unlearning an old belief system is one step towards radical self-love and many steps aways from self-hate.

I internalized that being trans was the reason I’ve been beaten, raped, assaulted, discarded, kicked out, disregarded. And those feelings weighed heavily on me for over a decade. Until eventually I became empowered enough to realize: These attacks on my body and psyche are not my fault. My body is not the problem. My trans body is not the problem. Your trans body is not the problem. Their trans body is not the problem. Her trans body is not the problem. His trans body is not the problem. Trans bodies are not the problem.

The broken system is the problem, the broken system that devalues trans and queer bodies, devalues people of color, the broken system that upholds racism and sexism, and capitalism, the broken system that is there to keep the white cis straight able-bodied christian male in power and control. Trans bodies are not the problem. Cis-normativity and the lack of care for trans bodies is the problem. Trans bodies are beautiful.

We are filled with Love. Hope. Dreams. Visions. Authenticity.

We are human. And we all deserve love. We deserve equal opportunity. We deserve kindness and respect. We deserve safety. We deserve to be able to walk into public spaces without fearing for our lives. We deserve to be treated by doctors and not turned away. We deserve to be in public spaces like pubic bathrooms without being kicked out and harassed. We deserve for the police to listen to us and for the justice system to actually provide us with justice. We deserve to have our needs met, our basic needs, and beyond our basic needs. We deserve to have the same care that the oppressor gets so easily and freely just because of their privilege and power and dominance. Trans bodies deserve care.

Trans bodies are not the problem. And I didn’t know that for so long. I walked around thinking I deserved violence. I walked around thinking I was the problem. I’ve spent the last half of a decade trying to unlearn internalized transphobia. I’ve spent years and years trying to heal from self-hatred. I’ve come along way and still have a long way to go. Healing is a life-long journey. But that healing starts with the letting go of shame and letting go of the idea that my body is a “bad” body. Because every body is a good body, and every body deserves care and love. I had to heal enough to believe that my body is valuable and loved. That my body is a good body, a deserving body, a worthy of love body. I had to heal enough to know that I am NOT broken because I am trans. I had to heal enough to become empowered.

I have had to learn that self-love is a radical act and that radical act is a mode of activism. So…I will no longer apologize for my trans body. I will no longer apologize for existing. I will not apologize for making cis-folks uncomfortable while I challenge the system that oppresses me by being visibly trans, by being authentically me, by being outspoken, by waving my flag - light blue, white and light pink, with pride. I will not apologize for challenging the beliefs that keep the oppressors in power, and the oppressed oppressed. I will not apologize for correcting pronouns over and over again. I will not apologize for my scars on my chest. I will not apologize for changing my name. I will not apologize for the way my voice sounds without testosterone. I will not apologize for calling out transphobia publicly.

We are taught to hate our bodies, to blame our bodies, to demonize trans bodies, to adapt to the standards of cis bodies and to adopt cis ideals and beliefs, to blend in with the cis-tem, or as I like to call it the C space, I space, S space, system.

I invite and encourage all of you to challenge those systems. I invite and encourage you to resist the urge to blend in. I encourage you to love yourself unconditionally, to be  authentically you, to love your body, to love what is different about you. I invite you to challenge the system of oppression that is holding us back and to challenge that system with love and education. And to start doing that by radically loving yourself and realizing that you belong here, just as much as they belong here.

I’ve seen real changes happen for the trans community in my lifetime. I’ve been doing this for 15 years now. I’ve seen change. Change is happening. More change is coming. I have 100% faith in that. We are becoming more visible. We are becoming louder and stronger. We will not sit down. We will only stand up. Stand up. Stand up. Please stand up. For your sake. For our sake. Keep marching forward, loving your trans body, and the trans bodies around you. Speak up. Speak out. Use your voice. Lift the voices of those living on the margins. This means ally’s too, we need cis-people to challenge these systems too. Challenge those systems of oppression. One way to do this is to introduce yourself with your name and pronouns. This shows trans people that they are safe with you. I invite you to join me. Because we are meant to thrive, not just survive.

Harvey Milk says "Freedom is too enormous to be slipped under a closet door.” One act of being vocal when faced with transphobia, one act of radical self-love at a time, we change the system…we march towards that freedom. The trans community needs all of you, all of us. As anti-trans legislation is being introduced all over the country, as trans people struggle to have basic rights, and to have our basic needs met, we need you to rise up, stand up, speak out, challenge the system. Together we can make change. And it starts with radical self love. Thank you.

DAUGHTER COVER CONTEST WINNER: Wit Rukus (@witrukus)

Hi Everyone! Lots of amazing things have been happening and I’m working every day to finish my memoir and new album of music! I’m very excited to get this out into the world. Daughter has been doing so well and streams haven’t slowed down! The video has over 150,000 views on YouTube and almost 90,000 streams on Spotify! Thank you to everyone who bought the song on iTunes as well! I really appreciate all of your support!

Last month I announced the Daughter cover song contest, which was ultimately an opportunity for anyone who liked the song to cover it or make it their own! I allowed people to change the lyrics and give it their own twist! There were so many great entries!

The winner of the contest is Wit Rukus. He definitely made the track his own with rap verses and different chorus lyrics! I enjoyed this very much! Great job Wit Rukus! I will be doing more contests soon! Thanks to everyone who participated! All of them were sooooo good!
- Ryan Cassata

I got my first writeup in Billboard Magazine

After turning American Idol down for transgender exploitation the press came at me in a way I never have experienced before. Most of it was a really positive experience. I was in the car with my mom on the way to the recording studio when I got the call. My mom said "Who is it?" I said "It's Billboard." I was as shocked and excited as my mom was. Thank you, Billboard!!!! 

You can read the writeup here: 'American Idol' Accused of Exploiting Transgender Singer: 'Every Show is Trying to Get a Trans Person.'