Black trans social justice leaders have always been changemakers. Unfortunately, they have received the support they deserve when moving the needle on issues that matter.
This is something that Grantmakers for Girls of Color is aiming to change. They’ve recently partnered with the Groundswell Fund and the Black Trans Fund to launch Holding a Sister Initiative, the first-ever national fund explicitly dedicated to trans girls and gender-expansive youth of color.
Per a news release, the organizations joined forces to bring attention and resources to organizations supporting trans girls of color, normalize concern and investment in their success, and create learning opportunities for cis and trans girls of color to move in deeper community with one another. Holding a Sister will award $1 million in grants in the first year, and will ultimately engage trans girls and gender-expansive youth of color in the decision-making process for selecting grantees on an ongoing basis.
“History has shown that trans girls of color are catalysts for health equity as well as racial and social justice,” Dr. Morris said in a release. “They deserve to be heard, to have joy, to be safe and free, and to grow up healthy and thrive without fear. It is our duty to love, support, and resource the youngest of those who are most overlooked and have the least support.”
The initiative merges existing funding intermediaries who have been leading the work to resource trans communities and engage trans people in the direction and distribution of resources, including the Third Wave Fund, the Black Trans Travel Fund, and Fund for Trans Generations. As funding partners, the Black Trans Fund and Grantmakers for Girls of Color aim to expand and transform philanthropy’s investments in trans and gender-nonconforming youth. The initiative will move resources to organizations serving and led by trans girls and young women of color. It will also amplify narratives that elevate the humanity, dignity and leadership of trans and gender-expansive youth of color, as well as the ways their experiences and contributions have been overlooked, minimized and targeted by oppositional and systemic forces, and larger social justice movements.
“The reality is transgender and gender-expansive youth of color require more attention, and resources to interrupt the staggering intersections of trauma and crises they experience.” said Bré Rivera. “The Holding a Sister Initiative will shine a light on a community that is often excluded in the national discourse of gender equity, and create a container for important conversations between and among cis and trans girls and gender expansive youth of of color about how to move in deeper solidarity with one another.”
The post This New Fund Was Created To Support Black Trans Youth Social Justice Leaders appeared first on Essence.
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