“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”—Audre Lorde, A Burst of Light

To those in the Black trans community, please take care of yourself in these precarious times. Care, as per Lorde’s mantra above, becomes essential to survival, a means of grounding the self in histories of resiliency. Care takes on many forms, becoming a verb in itself, one necessarily used in an active tense. Care allows for one to (somewhat) navigate a world entangled with inequalities, and a current atmosphere rife with distress. 

It’s OK if you can’t focus.
It’s OK if you can’t be “productive.”
It’s OK if you feel overwhelmed.
It’s OK if you’re exhausted.
It’s OK if you’re confused.

You’re human, and these are unparalleled times. Take care of yourself. The world needs you for the fight ahead.

— Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) June 2, 2020

Certainly, current events have reinforced a need for acts of care, a need gone unheard and unseen for far too long. 

As organizer/activist Raquel Willis reminds us, care often starts with self-care—and not the form marketed through corporate emails. For those exhausted from the current moment, compounded by centuries of institutional violence and trauma, steps forward necessitate more encompassing, sustainable change.

For the Black trans community, having faced the loss of Nina Pop, Tony McDade, and so many others (in addition to non-fatal violence inflicted continually), a part of any ‘change’ requires resources for intra-community healing. Below we list a few mental health initiatives, artistic spaces, and monetary funds, all of which are by the Black trans community and for the Black trans community.

To those looking to further their allyship; solidarity requires working with communities and amplifying their voices, as opposed to making paternalistic assumptions of one’s own. Consider donating to the following organizations, taking tangible actions, and further educating yourself on harm faced at the intersection of various marginalized identities. Perhaps most importantly, listen. 

• The Emergency Release Fund helps to keep trans people safe and out of prisons.
• For those in NY and NJ, access safer travel alternatives with the Black Trans Travel Fund.
• Trans Women of Color Collective, offering various community funds and the Black Trans Health Initiative.
• For artists, Black Trans Femmes in the Arts connects Black trans women and non-binary folks in the arts, “building power among ourselves”.
• For the Gworls Party, an organization raising funds to assist Black trans folks with rent, medical expenses, unemployment, and more. 
• Trans in Color, a safe space for trans masculine POC which raises funds for housing, rent, clothes, and more.
• For more pressing mental health concerns, access the Trevor Project’s crisis center (not exclusively for BIPOC). 
• The Marsha P. Johnson Institute elevates, supports, and nourishes the voices of Black trans people, stating “Our space is intended for the sole purpose of bettering the BLACK trans community across the diaspora.