MILWAUKEE — She's one of Milwaukee's most legendary entertainers whose performances gained national recognition over the years. But Janice Toy wasn't always the powerhouse of the woman that she is today.
"In the beginning, I kind of felt like I was the only one and I thought that there wasn't anybody else like me," said Janice.
When she was younger, Janice struggled with her identity. After graduating high school she came out as transgender, but it wasn't until she went away to college that she realized that she was not alone.
"When I found other people like myself I was able to gain more confidence and I exceeded in my career as an entertainer," said Janice.
Now, Janice is looking to pay tribute to other black trans women who helped her become her most authentic self.
"I've met a lot of people along the way who died and a lot of their stories never got told. And when they died it was kind of like their stories died."
She's since connected with the creators of the LGBT milWALKee app to help share more stories about the Black LGBTQ community.
"That's primarily my goal," said Janice. "To keep those memories alive and to share those stories and some of the pioneers who paved the way for a lot of us."
The app allows users to take a guided walking tour of the city. At each location they go to, a video can be played that recounts the site's historical significance, including a building along West North Ave in Milwaukee, which was a former Black-owned lesbian bar. The owner, Tina Terry, was shot to death inside back in 1993
"The night she was murdered, I was here that night," said Janice. "I was heartbroken when it happened. It was almost like losing a best friend."
But, Janice says it's through sharing stories like Tina's, that keep the legacies of those that came before alive.
"It allows a lot of those girls that are deceased to get their glory."
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