Watch the entire Transcending We Survive event here https://vimeo.com/643643298

Host Grace Detrevarah, Osborne’s LGBT Liaison, and the TDoR event organizer welcomed more than 80 friends, partners, colleagues, and allies to celebrate this year’s event, titled, “Transcending as We Survive”. Among the speakers from the trans community were LaTravious Collins, Tabytha Gonzalez-Revlon, Mimi Shelton, Jevon Martin, and Tahtianna Fermin. Cecilia Gentili served as the keynote speaker.

Grace opened the event by reminding viewers that though we are honoring the lives lost to anti-transgender violence, we must also celebrate steps forward earned by the trans community. Grace mentioned annual events like the Trans Day of Visibility, and policy advancements like the New York State Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the repeal of the “Walking While Trans” law, which disproportionally affected Trans People of Color, as victories we should celebrate.

Grace introduced the first speaker, Mimi Shelton, of the Bronx LGBT Center - Destination Tomorrow. Mimi reflected on her vision for the trans community, saying she “would like to see trans people living and being celebrated” in more diverse ways, and “not just for our work that we do for the community, but for living our lives honestly.” Mimi implored organizations and agencies that are doing the grassroot work to continue pushing forward for those “most vulnerable” in the trans community.

LaTravious Collins, Executive Director at Brooklyn Ghost Project, followed Mimi. Collins observed the 44 total murders of transgender individuals to this point in the year meant that we are losing “one sibling a week”. Collins shared words of hope for the future of TDoR where they envision a time where the “R” in TDoR can stand for a more optimistic word, a future where TDoR can celebrate the accomplishments of trans individuals, rather than mourning them. Collins continued by imagining a more hopeful future where trans individuals, “can feel safe inside [their] skin and be anywhere and everywhere and not have to worry about being attacked, being judged, or murdered.”

Housing Works outreach specialist Tabytha Revlon Gonzalez spoke about how Black and Brown trans women are resilient, despite the ongoing violence faced by the community, and added that “our mere existence is resistance.” Tabytha asked agencies to look within their organization and ask how they plan to continue supporting the trans community on the other 364 days of the year.

Jevon Martin of Princess Janae Place implored leaders at organizations “to open up your community and all of your events and have trans non conforming, trans masculine at the table.” He continued by saying that is what “inclusivity looks like, that’s what diversity looks like and that’s how you build equity. Don’t bring us to the table if you are not ready to hear the truth.” He reminded listeners to uplift the names of those who have been murdered, and the need to “stand up and let people know that this is not okay and we have had enough.”

Tahtianna Fermin, Executive Director of Briges4Life, spoke about the urgency of helping the trans community in a loving manner. “The transgender community is a community that is put to the side and we go unseen no matter what. The visibility is there and we’re getting better, but there is a lot of work that needs to get done.

“We can all do that by trying to lead with love,” Tahitanna said. “Stop giving us stipends, and hire them. Help her, educate her, train her, get her a resume, get her hired,” she added.

Keynote speaker Cecilia Gentili of Trans Equity Consulting noted that the number of reported killings of trans people is underreported, due to gender discrimination, a lack of recognition of trans identity, and the fact that many transgender people have legal names that do not reflect their gender. Cecilia continued by urging the overhaul of systems that deny trans people the support they need to live healthy lives -- the same systems that continue to criminalize their survival. “Criminalizing sex work has been killing us for years, and this can lead to family and community rejection,” Cecilia said. Sex work “is prevelant in our community and [criminalization of that work] creates barriers to accessing government support and other forms of employment,” she added.

Cecilia also discussed how structural inequities in healthcare and other systems harm trans people, particularly Black trans individuals. “We cannot forget that systems are violent to us. Systems are killing us little by little…yes, forty-four people have been killed due to violence from another human, but it is these systems that oppress us and sometimes end up killing us. It is important to know that we all have a responsibility and to our allies, I’m just asking, we need you to get behind our work.”

Osborne’s CEO Elizabeth Gaynes shared a few words at the end, “You live bravely and honestly. I want to thank everyone for sharing their lives, not your words, not your thoughts, not your time, I appreciate that, but you actually share your lives and that is not something we take lightly,” she said. “If everyone isn’t in our organizations then we are not going to get there.”

Grace closed by recounting a question Ms. Gaynes asked: “What would you like your community to have?” Grace knew she didn’t want a “special program”, instead she wanted “Osborne to be safe and welcoming in all of its programs.” Grace continued by saying that “there are now LBGTQ people applying to jobs in accounting and custodial. They are in our programs for our Youth Program. This community is now welcomed not only in Wellness and Prevention but also in all of our programs.”