Today is Trans Day of Resilience. Here's why it matters:

Growing up, I couldn’t tell you the definition of “transgender.” I just knew I was a girl, even though I didn’t know what that meant.

It was painful for me. I remember not having any answers and not knowing where to get answers from. But mostly, I remember dreaming – dreaming of being free, dreaming of being alive, dreaming of living without any restrictions.

Dreaming was the one thing I had complete control over as a child, and I’ve been able to see a little bit of my dreams come true through the work I do with GetEQUAL,#BlackLivesMatter, and The Movement for Black Lives.

But to create the world I dreamed of as a little girl – a world where Black trans folks are alive, thriving, and full of joy – it’s going to take a lot more than just me. Because little boys like Tamir Rice are gunned down by police on the playground, just for being black. Because my trans sisters like Zella Ziona and Kiesha Jenkins are murdered for living their truths.

Over 300,000 people have seen eight revolutionary visions for a better world for trans women and femmes of color. Are you one of them? Check out the Trans Day of Resilience art project – then SHARE it with your community >>

It’s not enough to just commemorate folks today, during the Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience, or Tamir, Zella, and Kiesha’s lives on the anniversary of their deaths. It’s about what we do the other 364 days of the year - the opportunities we create for trans folks like me to have resources to support our lives and our work, the ways we critique and dismantle systems of oppression and power.

It’s a commitment we must make daily – not once a year. And that’s the beauty of the Trans Day of Resilience art project – you can come back to it as often as you need to reflect, remember, and reinvigorate yourself.

Take another look at the Trans Day of Resilience art project…then make a commitment to yourself, and to our communities. What will you do to stand in solidarity with trans women and femmes of color this year?

In solidarity,

Elle Hearns, GetEQUAL and #BlackLivesMatter                         

What I want young trans girls to know

My name is Riley and I work for Young Women United, a Strong Families partner. As a trans woman of color, I’m incredibly proud to be a part of an organization that’s building a world where all of us – including trans women and femmes of color – have access to the information and resources they need to make real decisions about their own bodies and their lives.

But it’s hard to think about the future when I hear news reports that women like me are being murdered. And it’s hard to teach the trans women I mentor about self-worth and self-love when the only time we see our lives reflected in the media is when another trans woman is murdered.

It’s time to acknowledge, affirm, and uplift the identities and talents trans women and femmes of color. That’s why Strong Families partnered with eight trans and gender non-conforming artists and eight organizations centering trans justice to create The Trans Day of Resilience Art Project. Today, we’re excited to unveil eight powerful images highlighting the stories and experiences of trans and gender non-conforming people of color.

Take a look for yourself – and then please SHARE. The more widely these images are shared, the more people they will reach with their powerful messages of strength and resiliency:

Hozho Baa'na'sha'doo is a Diné (Navajo) concept meaning 'walk in beauty and balance.'

YWU and the New Mexico Trans Women of Colour Coalition partnered with the talented Adelina Cruz to create an image that captures the power, strength, and beauty of trans women and femmes of color.

The collaboration was inspiring – and so is the image itself. It shares the struggles trans folks have faced in the past – as well as the work we’re doing now to unite, organize, and fight for a better future.

Check out Adelina’s piece, and the other seven images, at TDOR.co – and then SHARE widely on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

I hope that years from now, long after I’m gone, young trans girls can see themselves in this piece of art and say, “My trans ancestors fought so I could live freely.” Thank you for fighting alongside me.

In solidarity,


Riley Golightly Summer Youth Leader, Young Women United & co-founder, New Mexico Trans Women of Colour Coalition

Artists and Activists Re-Imagine "Trans Day of Remembrance"

Eight transgender artists and organizations release original art highlighting trans resilience, power and leadership

November 16, 2015 — Today the Strong Families movement launched the Trans Day of Resilience campaign, an art and activism project that supports trans women and femmes of color in their lives and leadership. It is an extension and re-imagining of Transgender Day of Remembrance, the annual event memorializing people (mostly trans women of color) killed by anti-trans violence. Trans Day of Resilience goes beyond remembrance, and uplifts the resilience and power of trans and gender non-conforming communities of color.

Forward Together, which houses Strong Families, and visual artist Micah Bazant joined together to create this project. It paired eight trans and gender non-conforming artists with eight organizations across the country doing trans justice work. Although trans and gender non-conforming people of color face disproportionate rates of violence and poverty, they are also thriving and leading movements for social justice. The shareable art created for Trans Day of Resilience tells those stories of trans power, vision and leadership.

“Too often we’re only fighting the things we don’t want, like violence and poverty. Its just as important to imagine and build the world we do want,” explains Micah Bazant, founding artist. “I partnered with Forward Together because we are committed to modeling the change we want to see. For example, by hiring trans and gender non-conforming artists and leaders, especially from communities of color, to lift up their visions for a different world.”

“A lot of people don’t have the language or capacity to understand a trans woman if they haven’t met or spoken to one,” said Wriply Bennet, an artist who created art for Black Lives Matter through this campaign. “This project provides a platform to introduce people to trans women and trans life. It’s important for trans women to be able to mediate that conversation, mediation through art is a beautiful way to transmit our lives.”

This year’s “Trans Day of Resilience” project is an expansion of the collaboration between Micah Bazant and the Audre Lorde Project in 2014. They received overwhelming feedback about last year’s collaborative Trans Day of Remembrance artwork that lifted up trans women of color so Micah wanted to build the project to include more organizations and artists. There was also a conscious shift toward “resilience” as opposed to only “remembrance” to also highlight the important trans justice organizing work that is happening in communities of color around the country.

Elle Hearns from Black Lives Matter and GetEQUAL notes, “It’s not enough to just commemorate folks on Trans Day of Remembrance. It’s important to uplift all of the trans folks who are determining the ways that they want to be seen in the world as their true selves. The call to action is to affirm us every day by creating opportunities for trans people to have resources, especially in a world that has denied us opportunities at every corner.”

Trans Day of Resilience also encourages people to not only share this powerful art, but to take action and support with local and national trans justice groups. Visit the “Get Involved” page to learn more about Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience actions and how to participate online and offline.

Participating organizations and artists:

Audre Lorde Project of New York City is matched with artist Micah Bazant.

BreakOUT! of New Orleans is matched with artist B. Parker

Trans Women of Colour Coalition of Albuquerque, New Mexico is matched with artist Adelina Cruz.

Transgender Law Center, a national organization, is matched with artist Mojuicy.

Buried Seedz of Denver, Colorado is matched with artist Bishakh Som.

SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW of Atlanta is matched with artist Ebin Lee.

TransLatin@ Coalition, a national organization, is matched with artist Rommy Torrico.

Black Lives Matter, a national organization, is matched with artist Wriply Bennet.

Forward Together builds relationships across lines of race, gender, and sexuality to connect marginalized people and catalyze social change. Our work influences culture and policy to ensure that every person, family and community has the power and resources they need to reach their full potential. For more info visit: www.ForwardTogether.org  and  www.StrongFamiliesMovement.org.

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