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June Donation Spotlight: Black Trans Lives

20% of net profits in the month of June will be donated to the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC)

For the last month I have dedicated myself to learning, educating, and being uncomfortable facing my privilege and delving deeper into the black lives matter movement. I believe their are really two avenues to pursue to make an impact: At the individual level and the systemic level. I’m doing everything I can at the individual level to learn and I want to make this a lifelong mission for me, but at a systemic level two aspects I can pursue are voting and donating. So for the month of June, I am donating 20% of proceeds I researched MANY trans and black nonprofits, all with incredible missions. I landed on BTAC because of their focus specifically on black trans lives. Given that June is Pride month, I really wanted to focus specifically on an LGBTQ+ organization, but I did not want to disregard the current climate and support of the Black Lives Matter movement. And upon further research and recent news stories, the number of trans women and men killed (not only by police, but by others as well) is staggering. In honor of these individuals, I feel compelled to bring their stories to light and help in any small way I can to bring justice for transgender individuals.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), black transgender women are at the highest risk of fatal violence in the United States.

“Transgender women of color are living in crisis, especially Black transgender women,” HRC President Alphonso David said in the Annual Report on Epidemic of Anti-Trangender Violence. “While the details of the cases documented in this report differ, the toxic intersection of racism, sexism, transphobia and easy access to guns conspire to deny so many members of the transgender and gender non-conforming community access to housing, employment and other necessities to survive and thrive. Every one of these lives cut tragically short reinforces the urgent need for action on all fronts to end this epidemic — from lawmakers and law enforcement, to the media and our communities.”

Tony McDade was shot and killed in Florida on May 27, 2020.

Nina Pop was stabbed to death in Missouri on May 3, 2020.

Riah Milton was shot and killed in Ohio on June 9, 2020.

Dominique “Rem’Mie“ Fells was murdered on June 8, 2020.

These are just four transgender people of color that did not have to die in the last SIX weeks. The HRC indicated that at least 14 transgender or gender non-comforming people have been killed in 2020 thus far, and that number could be even higher due to chronic under- and mis-reporting.

Since 2013, more than 150 transgender and gender non-comforming people have been victims of fatal violence, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Shockingly, 127 of these victims are people of color.

Upon learning and researching these stories and the fatal statistics and risks living as a transgender person, I feel incredibly moved to support organizations that support transgender people and who work to bring them fairness and safety. This is on top of the June 15 Supreme Court ruling that prohibits discrimination against gay and transgender people in the workplace, which is a promising start, but more still needs to be done. With all of this new-to-me information, I feel confident supporting the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition and I hope you feel excited and proud to support their initiatives as well. I’d love it if you’d donate with me. To donate directly, here is the link.

A little background on BTAC from their website:

“Established in 2011, The Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC) is the only national organization led by black trans people to collectively address the inequities faced in the black transgender human experience.

BTAC, through our national advocacy center and affiliate state chapters work daily to end discrimination and inequities faced in health, employment, housing and education to improve the lived experience of transgender people. BTAC’s work is based in peace building, community education, public policy initiatives, empowerment programs and direct services.

Black Trans Advocacy Coalition works with communities in the U.S. and across the globe to foster diversity, inclusion and equality for all people.”

Also right now, in the face of COVID-19, BTAC is focused on providing community relief, which is likely what our donation will go towards:

“Black Trans COVID-19 Community Response Grant Program provides the transgender community rapid response funds for emergency food, shelter, utilities, transportation and health care, also free care packages that include life saving PPE, personal hygiene and safe sex supplies and referral to resources for our most vulnerable populations at their point of need during the coronavirus pandemic.”

Other resources for transgender rights activists and supporters:

GLAAD Transgender Resources

Where to Donate

Online Transgender Support Groups

This will most definitely not be the final time EB Knits spotlights important causes and donates a portion of proceeds to a nonprofit. In fact, I already had a couple of other plans in the works, but really wanted to pause and focus on what is happening right now in today’s society in regards to anti-racism, black lives matter and pride month.

For more information on EB Knits’ stance on anti-racism and the Black Lives Matter movement, you can read the EB Knits Anti-Racist Statement here.

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