The Achieving Together community stands with our transgender friends, colleagues, and community in Dallas, and across the state. The long and unacceptable history of violence against transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color, must be actively called out and challenged.
While hate crimes against transgender individuals are gaining much needed attention across the country, we in Texas must acknowledge, speak out against, and raise awareness of those crimes happening in our own state. We must, as a community, stand against the ignorance and hate.
While our thoughts are with our friends in Dallas as they work to support one another and bring justice to the young women who were killed, we must all also move beyond thoughts to action. Below are some suggested ways that people and organizations can stand as allies with transgender communities.
Support your colleagues in Dallas
- Reach out to friends and colleagues in Dallas in support and ask how you can help. Organizations may need financial or other resources that you may be able to provide.
- Support Black Transwomen Inc. through Stop Killing Black Transgender People
*If there are other efforts to raise awareness, raise funds, or gather resources in Dallas please contact us at joinus@achievingtogethertx.org to be included in this post.
Support transgender communities in your area
- Educate yourself about your local transgender community and find ways that you can support them.
- Examine your organizations policies to ensure that your organization is affirming of transgender identities and a safe space for community.
- Support and elevate the voices of transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color, in your community.
Advocate
- Speak out, use your voice to support the rights of transgender people.
- Educate family and colleagues about transgender inclusion.
- Advocate against hate legislation that seeks to de-humanize transgender people.
- Speak out against violence and hate crimes against transgender people.
Hold our community and our organizations accountable.
- Four Black transgender women have been killed in Dallas and theses hate crimes continue to go unsolved. As a community we must hold local and state organizations accountable for speaking out and drawing attention to this crisis.
For more information on how you can support transgender communities read :
DISMANTLING A CULTURE OF VIOLENCE: Understanding Anti-Transgender Violence and Ending the Crisis