By Jo Yurcaba and Jay Valle -
NBC News
President Joe Biden marked Transgender Awareness Day Thursday as state Congresses across the country have considered a record number of anti-transgender bills in the last two years, and deadly violence against the community is also on the horizon. its highest point.
The Administration on Thursday announced new measures aimed at making the federal government more inclusive of transgender people, including the use of a new “X” gender marker on US passport applications, effective April 11. and new scanners from the Transportation Security Administration that are gender-neutral.
A federal judge in Texas stops the investigation of parents who allow therapies for transgender children
March 12, 202201:57
News about the trans community is often dominated by these trends, but across the country, transgender-led nonprofits are creating spaces for trans people to find safety and joy in their communities.
Transgender Awareness Day, held on Thursday, is an annual awareness day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of transgender people, while acknowledging the violence and discrimination they continue to face.
We rounded up 11 groups that do just that: provide their communities with home-cooked food, healthcare, creative spaces, and other services.
bklyn boyhood—Brooklyn, New York
Members of brooklyn boyhood.MARS
The group has created spaces for safer gatherings and parties, storytelling, intergenerational connections, fashion, body movement work, and reconnecting with nature.
Van Bailey, a member of the bklyn boihood, said the organization is excited to partner with groups like NYC Pride this year to provide a social space for Pride season.
Youth Empowerment Performance Project—Chicago
the 2014 production of 'Faces' with performers from the Youth Empowerment Performance Project.Sarah-Ji Rhee
Bonsai Bermudez, executive and artistic director of the Youth Empowerment Performance Project, said the group's goal is to end homelessness for LGBTQ youth in Chicago "and beyond!"
The project supports LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness by connecting them to resources such as housing, employment, education, health care, and other basic needs.
It strives to create a "courageous environment" that allows young people to "explore their history, investigate new ways to address their struggles, and celebrate their strengths through personal, leadership, and community development programs that incorporate different forms of artistic expression." Bermudez said.
Society of Gentlemen and Orchids—Selma, Alabama
Members of the Knights and Orchids Society.TC Caldwell
“Gender non-conforming Black trans people have been systematically denied access to the resources they need to survive and thrive, so The Knights and Orchids Society strives to strengthen the power of these people by providing them with a spectrum of support services. health and wellness throughout the South,” said Christina Nicholson, director of communications for the group.
Nicholson added that the organization is looking forward to expanding its feed and nutrition program through its new Black Sheep Farm and Innovation Center.
“This program is dedicated to increasing our clients' access to nutritious food by maintaining a community garden that teaches youth and other members of the community farming techniques,” he said.
Texas Transgender Education Network — Austin, Texas
The Transgender Education Network at a protest, in 2021. Gin Pham
The Transgender Education Network of Texas, or TENT, is the state's largest political organization run by Black trans people, according to Gin Pham, the group's communications and outreach manager.
TENT provides training on gender inclusion for state leaders and engages in policy advocacy.
"This year, regardless of the attacks on trans and gender-expansive communities, we will continue to work to deepen our network and provide our communities with relevant and accurate resources and information throughout the state of Texas," Pham said. .
Transgender Awareness Day "means different things to different members of our community, as we all have our own personal relationships with being visible, but at its heart it's a celebration of each other," Pham added.
The Okra Project—Brooklyn, New York
Directors of The Okra Project.Alex Webster Photography
The Okra Project is a mutual aid organization that provides home-cooked meals to black trans people in New York, Philadelphia, and parts of New Jersey.
“There is a special place that The Okra Project stands: a mission to invest in the most incredible manifestation of life that a black trans or gender-expansive person can dream of,” said Dominique Morgan, executive director of the group.
“The approach can be diverse: eliminating food insecurity, naming and addressing health disparities, whole person health, or maybe just a space to dance and feel free;
it's all about manifesting a life for Black trans and gender-expansive people filled with joy and radical liberation."
Phoenix Transition Program — Atlanta
Founders of the Phoenix Transition Program.Jamil-Jack Abreu
Lupa Brandt and her husband, Jamil-Jack Abreu, founded the Phoenix Transition Program in June 2020 to provide services and support to trans people across the country, although they are primarily focused on supporting transmasculine people, who, according to Brandt, are often overlooked.
The group provides free chest compression shirts to transmasculine people across the country and Thanksgiving meals to those in need.
It also helps trans people start businesses by paying for their websites and state registrations, and supports those who have recently been incarcerated.
"We're just trying to adapt and continue to keep our community safe, free, housed and fed," Brandt said.
Baltimore Safe Haven—Maryland
Baltimore Safe Haven members hold up the photos and names of trans people who were killed in 2020.Baltimore Safe Haven
Baltimore Safe Haven provides at-risk trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, intersex and asexual people in Baltimore “opportunities to transform their lives,” said Iya Dammons, the organization's founder and executive director.
The LGBTQ organization, run by black trans people, offers shelter to the homeless, middle-aged and elderly.
It also offers social services, such as HIV testing, access to food and clothing pantries, and a drop-in center with day and night services.
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“The accumulation of these allows us to serve a wide range of members of the community that are not only LGBTQ, but also everyone who crosses our threshold,” said Ja'Nae Tyler, the director of operations.
Translatinx Alliance — Orange County, California
Members of Alianza Translatinx.Alianza Translatinx
Alianza Translatinx, the first and only trans-led organization in Orange County, “has become a community cornerstone” for trans and gender non-conforming people living in the largely conservative area, said Khloe Rios-Wyatt, the group's president and CEO.
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“Through education, community empowerment and social justice, Alianza Translatinx uplifts the TGNC community to eradicate stigma and hatred against TGNC people, while at the same time fulfilling our mission to protect, defend and advocating for the needs and rights of the TGNC community, especially people of color,” Rios-Wyatt said, using an initialism for trans and gender nonconforming people.
The TransLatin@ Coalition — Los Angeles, California
Members of The TransLatina@ Coalition.Courtesy the TransLatina Coalition
The TransLatin@ Coalition was founded in 2009 by a group of transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex immigrant women from Los Angeles.
The group offers legal services such as name and gender changes, reentry assistance for people in detention centers and jails, violence response, HIV prevention services, transitional and emergency housing, clothing, and daily lunches. free.
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“The mission of The TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC) is to advocate for the specific needs of the Trans Latin@ community residing in the US and to plan strategies that improve our quality of life,” said Steve Landaverde, one of the directors. of the group.
Intransitive—Little Rock, Arkansas
Intransitive supporters are protesting the death of Roxsana Hernández, a transgender woman from Honduras who died in ICE custody in 2018. Rumba Yambú
Intransitive is a trans migrant-led organization in Arkansas that supports the trans community through advocacy, organizing, art, education and culture, said Rumba Yambú, the group's director.
“Late last year we opened the first Trans Community Center in Arkansas, and this year we will spend creating spaces for trans joy, supporting trans youth, and growing and building with trans Arkansas,” Yambú said in an email. .
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The group was heavily involved in advocating for anti-trans legislation in the state, which was the first to ban certain gender-affirming health care procedures for minors last year.
A judge prevented the law from going into effect in July.
Transinclusive Group — Wilton Manors, Florida
Tatiana Williams at a Black Trans Lives Matter rally to honor the memory of Tony McDade, who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2020. Nic Zantop
The Transinclusive Group is a trans-led group with a special focus on racial justice, accessibility, and ensuring that social, political, and economic systems treat LGBTQ people equally.
"We envision a community where all transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer+ people can equally and equitably reach their human potential through education, healthy living and financial stability, free from stigma and discrimination," he said. Tatiana Williams, co-founder and CEO of the group, in an email.
“Our work in the community is dedicated to ensuring that trans joy, well-being and opportunity are not out of reach for any of our siblings.”
The Transinclusive Group's focus region is South Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
