Audre Lorde Project highlights Trans Justice and Trans Day of Action

Audre Lorde Project is FBB's Q4 2016 Human Rights beneficiary. Audre Lorde Project's programs are fundamentally intersectional, as this spotlight on the TransJustice program demonstrates.

TransJustice (TJ), an organizing program of the Audre Lorde Project, centers the leadership of Trans & Gender Non-Conforming People of Color (TGNC POC) to resist oppressive conditions and inequities that are barriers to living their lives with dignity. This includes receiving quality and dignified employment, housing, healthcare and other critical survival needs. TransJustice was the first program of the Audre Lorde Project, and one of the few in New York City twenty years ago to make sure TGNC POC would not be left behind and would continue to be seen for their vision in prioritizing racial justice, economic justice, sexuality and gender liberation. TransJustice is responsible for producing the Audre Lorde Project’s Trans Justice Community School (TJCS.) Trans Justice also launched the annual Trans Day of Action and the Trans Day of Remembrance, two critical events transforming the visibility and awareness of critical issues impacting TGNC POC lives in New York City and beyond.

The Trans Justice Community School focuses on building the leadership of Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color while participating in a larger multi-racial, multi-gender community that fights injustice facing those who are most historically targeted in the U.S. 

Through eight consecutive weeks of classes with special speakers and visiting other TGNC POC led organizations participants can accomplish six main goals. (1). Gain self-confidence and awareness of their relationships to their bodies and the world at large; (2). Learn to analyze, and engage with how power, privilege, and oppression impact their lives and their relationship to their communities; (3). Learn the history of Trans Liberation movements and campaigns in Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Communities of Color; (4) Identify Strategies and Tactics for how to build a campaign; (5) Gain skills and tools for public speaking and workshop facilitation; and (6) Learn skills and tools for practicing self-care, community care, resiliency and survival.

The Trans Day Of Action (TDOA) is an annual march and rally commemorating the Stonewall Uprising, led by TGNC POC, and honoring their leadership and legacy in our local and global movements. Each year TDOA Points of Unity are presented to uplift the critical issues and conditions impacting the TGNC POC community and highlighting demands to ensure collective survival. Over 1,000 TGNC POC and allies attend this powerful occasion to celebrate the vision and legacy of TGNC POC.

Trans Day Of Remembrance is an annual national event during which TGNC POC come together to honor and lift up the lives of TGNC folks lost to violence.  During this remembrance, they also celebrate the resiliency of TGNC POC communities committed to struggling for our shared liberation.

Also central to Trans Justice is their political organizing campaigns, the Welfare Justice Campaign and the Medicaid Campaign.

Trans Justice co-led and won the Welfare Justice Campaign (2009- 2011) in coalition with Queers for Economic Justice, Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP), and Housing Works. This campaign led to a non-discriminatory policy for all LGBTSTGNC communities seeking advocacy from the Human Resource Administration.

Currently, Trans Justice leadership sits on an Advisory LGBTQ Working Group at the Human Resource Administration to ensure the policy is upheld. The entire campaign was designed, implemented and led by TGNC members of TransJustice.

In 2015, Trans Justice partnered with the Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP), the Make the Road NY, NY American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other citywide agencies/organizations, to win the Medicaid Campaign, an unprecedented battle for trans-inclusive healthcare from NY Medicaid. Over 50 members, led by core Trans Women of Color leadership, mobilized actions and a media campaign which highlighted stories of the abusive tactics of Medicaid and their shameful transphobic practices. These actions and media campaign led to a win.