Trans Day of Remembrance/Resilience

This month several activists from YouthResource, our LGBTQ Youth Leadership Program, have written pieces reflecting on TDOR and what it means to them. Read what Jorian has to say:

Black Trans women paved and marked their way through the streets we walk today…

From Marsha P. Johnson, an activist, performer, model, and a mother to so many young trans women in New York during her lifetime, to Miss Major, known as the guiding elder of the transgender community and one of most significant pioneers of today’s trans right movement. Black trans women have shown up for us in more ways than we can count on our ten fingers; Stonewall (1969) riots between the police and the LGBTQ community because police set Stonewall Inn on fire. However, we easily forget where our history comes, why we are fighting, and why we must continue to create the history that a lot of inspirational black trans women started for us.

In the news and on social media there is often little uproar when black trans women are found dead (especially from the gay community). What would it take to give black trans women the rights and justice they deserve? They are beautiful, spiritual women who fight and hustle everyday for what they believe in, but continue to deal with anti -blackness, transphobia, and if HIV positive, stigma in the work space and more so in the community. From personal experience, as a queer gay Latinx man living with HIV, have been a victim of stigma in the community. Looked at as if I was different than everyone else. Like I had a stamp on my forehead saying HIV positive. Being marginalized in spaces that I thought I was going to be comfortable in.

So how can the world show up? Simple. SHOW UP! Show up in solidarity. Show up in movement. Show up in spaces. Show up when these women need a shoulder to cry on and while at the same time…start creating safe spaces for black trans woman. One that gives them the right to express themselves and talk freely with their sisters and other members of the community. Creating movement in those spaces that will push the boundaries, like Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera when they co-founded S.T.A.R. Further, stand up and support the movement. Stand up alongside those marginalized Black Trans Women. When we all show up and support with our bodies, our time and our resources, we are creating a future for black trans woman to succeed and accomplish greatness. A world where Andrea Jenkins can become the first openly transgender black woman elected to public office in the United States, but we know she will not be the last. Like Andrea Jenkins said, “ Transgender people have been here forever, and black transgender people have been here forever…” Black trans women’s greatness and brilliancy will continue to walk down the runway with originality, aesthetics, movements, justice, and love.

In my few years I have learned from and been influenced by so many colleagues, friends, and mentors. However, these women created that special fire that is burning in me. They were able to provide me a stomping ground, a foundation on which I am able to create movement and safe spaces with my fellow queers. In the fight for our future, I will push and tear down the images that society made of us because society has failed to realize we are human beings with emotions and feelings.