Clarice Carter

Before graduating at Texas Tech, I left Texas in a Greyhound bus at 23 for the New York/New Jersey region and never returned. It wasn't easy. Although I attended the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, I only had enough money for 6 months. I had met my Ex during that summer, who was also a singer.

I knew from an early age that I had to translate everyday backwards, to appear normal to everyone around me. Back then there was no name for my problem, but I was clearly born transgender before medical treatments and legal options became possible. Those who remember me from my school days, would never know how complicated my inner life was. This is one of the reasons I was very focused on the Arts, and in High School even led a workcamp to Soldatna, Alaska. If you are trans or transgender, your brain and body are reversed, so until you transition everything you attempt to do, requires you to translate in order to keep being what you are not. I experienced events that traumatized me. It was an awful experience.

I learned one can't pray it away, and most people can't imagine it. I learned it isn't a curse but a blessing. I see the suffering in others first. Everyone is broken in one way or another. I still believe in raising all boats. I am grateful even when faced with the mendacity of others.

I am grateful to my AHS Friends who have connected with me. Some haven't. They may not understand why I wouldn't talk about it back then, or even years later. Trauma and PTSD took me decades to overcome.

It is not possible for me to understand how anyone who has any version of "faith" can now act out of fear and willful self-interest to hurt young people who suffer, such as I have. I would rather be known for the people in this world I include, rather than the people I exclude.

People are not broken, different or facts. People are reasons. We are all the product of childhood fears and rewards. People wear a mask. People say they don't, but everyone does. We try to hide our reasons, but the Mask shows us the things others fear or value. I hope when you all get together, peace and joy will be yours.

I love you all even when life has allowed me to move away to work and live in Germany for the last 32 years. I think seeing you would do me a world of good, because I still love you all.

On the work side, I have had 2 careers: Software Sales and Opera. Opera was only 15 years, but today I teach mastery courses and neurocognitive intelligence skills to help people live a life above the common.

I am at peace and hope you find happiness too.

My favorite story was hiking with Cragg Eubanks, Manning Holland, and Jeff Quinlan. Getting stuck on Mt Crestone in Colorado, jumping on to snowpacks, and stinking to hell and back. When we got to a restaurant, we smelled so bad, were served a big meal at warp speed, and laughed till we nearly died.

Singing in Vienna with the Golden Sandstorm Choir was amazing. Winning first place in the Youth in Wien Vocal Competition and hearing our choir cheering and screaming when I shared 1st Place made my struggle against deafness (and my secret pains) worth the loneliness to achieve that goal.

Here is to our Golden Sandstorm!!!

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