Meet Our Executive Director

Trans United In Elevation was born from the fire of survival, the depths of despair, and the fierce determination to transform pain into purpose. As Black, Brown, Trans, and Nonbinary people navigating a world that neither saw us nor celebrated us, we faced daily assaults on our dignity. Our identity was politicized. Our existence was criminalized. And still—we rose.

I remember the moment I hit rock bottom. It wasn’t a failure of character—it was the cost of choosing authenticity in a society that punished me for it. When I transitioned, the rejection came swift and brutal. I lost my home not because I had no value, but because I dared to live in my truth. Like too many of my sisters, siblings, and kin, I ended up on the streets. I watched Trans women I loved be locked out of work and pushed into survival sex trades—just to stay alive.

When I finally emerged from homelessness, I thought the worst had passed. But systemic discrimination was waiting. Bureaucracy became my next adversary: mismatched names, incorrect gender markers, and institutional red tape at every turn. It wasn’t just me—countless Trans and Gender Diverse people were living this reality. We weren’t failing the system. The system was failing us.

I sought change the only way I knew how: by betting on myself. I enrolled in college, chasing stability, hoping a degree would crack open doors that had always been slammed shut. And in those classrooms, during long nights of studying and quiet moments of reflection, the vision for Trans United In Elevation took root.

I saw how many of us were trying to rebuild without a blueprint. Not just without resources—but without access to basic life tools: resume writing, interviewing, dressing for success, understanding credit, knowing our worth. These weren’t just “nice-to-haves”—they were lifelines. Skills often passed down generationally or learned through opportunity—things systematically denied to us.

That realization became our rallying cry.

Trans United In Elevation is a Black Trans-led, grassroots uprising. We equip Trans and Gender Diverse people from urban communities with the resources, life skills, and unapologetic empowerment we never received. Through workshops, mentorship, advocacy, and job training, we aren’t just filling gaps—we’re tearing down the systems that created them.

This isn’t just an organization. This is a movement. A declaration. A home for the defiant, the visionary, the survivors who refuse to be statistics. We rise, together, with our heads held high and our fists clenched in purpose.

 

If this story moves you, to activate.  Your support—whether financial, organizational, or collaborative—can help us continue this mission. We’re actively fundraising to sustain our work while seeking long-term funding streams. In a climate where Trans lives are politicized and under attack, your unrestricted donation helps us keep fighting back. To contribute, please Email me @ Transunitedinelevation@gmail.com for options. Every dollar, every ally, every shared post makes a difference