Editor’s note: Activist/newly elected Pride St. Louis president Jordan Braxton is obsessed with doing the most. We asked her to describe a typical day for us.
So you want to know what a day in the life of Jordan Elizabeth Braxton is like. Why stop at a day? Let’s look at a few days, that will paint a better picture.
Let’s start with Friday, July 31 and go from there.
I wake up almost every morning at 5:30 a.m. like clockwork. I don’t even have to set an alarm most mornings. This happens when you get to a certain age. I arrive at work at Vivent Health at 8:30 a.m. and grab a cup of coffee. Most of my coworkers know not to talk to me until I’ve had at least three good sips of coffee. Over the years, I have slowly regressed into not being a morning person.
The day starts with a meeting with committee members of the Ryan White HIV Planning Council’s Minority AIDS Initiative, where we focus on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities within our marginalized Black, Brown, Transgender, Intersex, and Gender Expansive communities. This is extremely hard to navigate given all the recent ludicrous anti-“Gender Ideology” federal restrictions that have been passed.
Following this two-hour meeting, I join a meeting with Nokie Rae, executive director of MTUG, and Aubrey Lay, intersex activist and educator, to discuss partnering on activities for October’s Intersex Awareness Month. Intersex Awareness Month encompasses grassroots action, human rights advocacy and community celebration to highlight the human rights challenges faced by intersex individuals, specifically opposing non-consensual cosmetic surgeries on infants and promoting bodily autonomy.
Later, after the business day is over, Vivent is honored to host PrideSTL’s Board Development Committee as they conduct board interviews for the selection of new board members for the upcoming year. I’m a member of the committee. As if that isn’t enough hanging out with members of PrideSTL, I head straight down to the Grey Fox to attend “Pride 365,” a PrideSTL benefit. The show is absolutely phenomenal, and the performers bring their A game.
Photo credit: Geoff Story
Saturday morning, I wake at my usual time and get camera-ready because I’m going to be on Today in St. Louis – Weekend Edition with my good Judy, Travis Cummings, to talk about the events of Black Pride St. Louis weekend. Black Pride St. Louis Weekend is August 13-16 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand downtown. Black Pride St. Louis Weekend is dedicated to making a lasting impact, with a weekend full of special events and activities for the St. Louis Black LGBTQIA+ community, by members of that community. Basically: For us, by us.
Following my stint as a TV spokesmodel, I head to Schnucks on the Hill, better known as the gay Schnucks, to pick up a few items so I can make some baked turkey wings. Now, I’ve baked hundreds of whole turkeys and even use the wing sections to season my award-winning collard greens, but I’ve never tried baking just the wings. Even at this age, there’s a first time for everything. Of course I run into several of the local gays, who seemed shocked that I would be shopping for my own groceries. Well yes, even Miss Trans USA 2026 has to do her own shopping. Being a pageant diva doesn’t come with minions.
After I get home and clean and season my turkey wings, it’s time to head over to The Drip Community Coffeehouse to meet Keith Rose, community activist for Transform the Vote Missouri, an early voting event specifically for our STL Trans Community and Allies. Vivent Health, The Safe Voting Project, and Queers for Change are all collaborating on this event to make space for members of our Trans community to have a buddy accompany them to a voting location. Together, about a dozen queer community members walk down Grand to the St. Louis Public Library Carpenter Branch and make our voices heard at the ballot box. Our vote is our voice. We let our voices be heard!
After casting our votes and walking back to The Drip, I break off from the group and head to South City Schnucks at Grand and Gravois, affectionately known as the Shoot ’Em Up Schnucks, to grab a few more items that I forgot from my previous shopping excursion. After collecting my items, I’m standing in the self-checkout line minding my own business like I always do, when I catch a man undressing me with his eyes. I say hello to him, and he asks me if I needed a hand with carrying all that big, sexy ass around. I politely decline his offer by telling him that I prefer to carry all this ass around alone and proceed to checkout station No. 75.
Safely back home for the rest of the day, I do chores around my apartment and start packing for my trip to Amsterdam for WorldPride 2026. I’m doing a presentation on the use of Trans and Intersex stories in global advocacy. She’s international now!
Sunday I’m off to Amsterdam. This is the first time I’ve traveled out of the U.S. and used my passport with my legal name and gender marker. I’m excited and nervous at the same time. With today’s political climate and the constant attacks on Trans people, who knows if I’ll be able to get back into the U.S. or if I’ll be refused? I know some of you all would probably like that!
Just because I’m going to Amsterdam doesn’t mean the work back here in the States grinds to a halt — especially with all the cuts to HIV funding across federal, state and local levels. Nope, my meetings and advocacy work continue. Thank God for Zoom and Teams, or I’d be out of luck.
This is just a snippet of the days in the life of Jordan Elizabeth Braxton. I love my life. I love my job. I love my community. I’m living my Trans Joy!
