QTPOC Advocacy

Queer, transgender people of color (QTPOC) are among the most marginalized people in our country. In the last 10 months alone, 22 trans women of color have been murdered in the United States due to hate crimes. Each year, this number increases. The average life expectancy of women in the United states is 78 years. The average life expectancy of a trans woman of color is 31.

Housing instability, job insecurity, lack of medical care and violent hate crimes all increase with the intersectionality of race and gender nonconformity. We just saw the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The riot was started by three transgender women of color and is credited with beginning the PRIDE movement. Yet here we are, still watching our sisters die in the streets.

Tranzmission is committed to making the lives of QTPOC better by offering support to the community, advocacy for those who need it, and education to allies who are trying to make their workplaces safer for trans people of color.  We collaborate with other non-profit organizations so that we can undergo anti-racism training. This is a huge expense for us, but it allows us to best serve our community.  If we can't see the mistakes we've made, we can't begin to fix them, and the systemic racism and violence continues. We must fix ourselves before we can help to fix anyone else. We send delegates to BTAC, the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition convention each year in Dallas so that they can network,  learn leadership skills, and celebrate each others accomplishments. The skills they learn are invaluable to them in their personal lives, and to us as an organization. Together, we all grow and benefit.