Juneteenth in 2020: a Toast to the Afro Future; a Celebration Dripped in Blood

Jun 19. 2020

To most, Juneteenth is known as an African-American day of celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It occurs annually on June 19th. “Juneteenth” is a joyful portmanteau signifying that day.  It’s also known as “Freedom Day,” and some have called it the second Independence Day. But is it, really?

The World-Widening Power of Pronouns

Jun 18. 2020

For most of my life, I’d felt, at best, reduced by the label “male,” and at worst, misgendered. All around me, it seemed people were having the same conversations with themselves that I’d been having for years. Rather than hide any aspect of myself, I decided to honor every part of myself, every layer of my identity. I’m a human being; my existence is reason enough for affirmation. 

Trans Women of Color Were and Are Leaders in the Fight for Human Rights

Jun 09. 2020

Trans women of color have a legacy of claiming space in social movements and holding that space for anyone who needs it, even when the people who need it are the people who marginalize them. 

Living with HIV and Riding to End It

May 11. 2020

In the first few years after diagnosis, I focused so much on fixing myself, and that was okay. Now, though, it is time for me to help other people, and that’s why I decided to participate in the AIDS Lifecycle Ride, a seven day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.