Are you in New York City? I regularly co-host a “Queer Travel Social” event with my friend Ashton (@gayographer) for LGBTQ travelers. Learn more about the Meetup group here.
It’s the season of giving! Sure, it’s a great time to save on deals with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but if you’re looking for an alternative way to spread joy this holiday, don’t forget about Giving Tuesday.
With the number of legal injustices still in place here in the United States—and an enemy in the White House—for Giving Tuesday this year, we’re highlighting three local trans organizations that are changing lives directly here at home in the New York City area.
With my friend Ashton, we’ve found three local organizations worth sharing and giving to.
3 Trans Rights Organizations to Support
Black Trans Travel Fund
Where are trans Black women most vulnerable? Often times, it’s simply on the streets traveling from point A to B. Trans travelers often can’t afford transportation. The Black Trans Travel Fund is a project developed in order to help provide Black transgender women with the financial resources needed to be able to self-determine safer alternatives to travel—especially where women feel less likely to experience verbal harassment or physical harm.
This project was created out of direct response to the relentless and unacceptable violence Black transgender women across the country have been experiencing. Donated funds are distributed directly to Black trans women in need, who can then purchase private car ride services from companies such as Uber, Lyft, or other alternatives of their choosing that best suit their feelings and needs.
To donate, you can send funds directly through the following options:
- Cashapp: $BlackTransTravelFund
- Venmo: @BlackTransTravelFund
- Paypal: [email protected]
- Twitter: @blcktranstravel
- Facebook: Black Trans Travel Fund
Learn more about the Black Trans Travel Fund here.
The Okra Project
The Okra Project hopes to extend free, delicious, and nutritious meals to Black trans people experiencing hunger. The Okra Project pays Black trans chefs to go into the homes of Black trans people to cook them a healthy and home-cooked meal at no cost to Black TGNC siblings.
Recently, the group was featured on Inside Edition and them.com.
Check out the Okra Project through the following options:
- Twitter: @theokraproject
- Facebook: The Okra Project
Learn more about The Okra Project on their website here.
Sylvia Rivera Law Project
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides direct representation for low-income transgender people and transgender people of color in three main areas: survival & self-determination, immigration status, and New York City jails and New York State Prisons.
The Survival & Self-Determination Project is aimed at helping low-income trans, gender non-conforming, and intersex (TGNCI) people and TGNCI people of color access critical services and benefits needed for gender self-determination.
Addressing needs specific to TGNCI communities, such as gender-affirming identification and access to sex-segregated programs or benefits, the S&S Project aims to help TGNCI people obtain these benefits and improve their quality of living, while also fundamentally changing the institutions that provide them.
The Immigrant Justice Project at SRLP works with low-income people and people of color who are TGNCI and either seeking legally recognized immigration status or are adjusting to a different immigration status. The Prisoner Justice Project provides assistance in civil matters to people held in New York City jails and in New York State Prisons.
Check out the SRLP through the following options:
- Twitter: @srlp
- Facebook: Sylvia Rivera Law Project
Learn more about the Sylvia Rivera Law Project on their website here.
Please consider donating to one of these groups for Giving Tuesday to support trans rights. Do you know of other local NYC trans groups or organizations? Please let us know in the comments or reach out directly as I hope to regularly update this page with new recommendations regularly.
Queer Travel Social
And don’t forget to join our Queer Travel Social event this Tuesday. You can RSVP below on Meetup.com or the official Facebook invite. Ashton and I have been organizing these events for the past year and it’s a great way to connect with other LGBTQ+ travelers in New York City. If you’re ever looking for help planning a vacation, check out Ashton’s work as a gay travel expert & gaycation specialist!
