To our friends in philanthropy ---
In this time of crisis, everyone is being called upon to step up and help each other. And we need your help. In the past few years, issues involving Trans, Gender Non-Conforming and Intersex (TGI) people have gotten more visibility than ever before. But we are here every day, when the spotlight is not on us, dealing with the discrimination, the inequities, and the inefficiencies of programs that are supposed to help us but fall short of seriously identifying and addressing our needs.
Five years ago, we felt so left behind by the LGB community; we disrupted the Creating Change Conference in Denver. We called for progressive leaders and foundations to help develop our TGI leadership so we could create our own organizations to better serve the unique needs of our community. Part of that 2015 protest, was a response to a report detailing the inequity of foundation money directed to the TGI community. “Only one penny to every one hundred dollars was invested into Trans led work and organizations,” the TransFormational Impact report said. And here we are again.
On March 30, 2020 -- right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic -- Funders for LGBTQ issues released the 2018 Tracking LGBTQ Funding Report stating there was “an increase in investment for Trans populations of four pennies for every one hundred dollars.” This is in LGBTQ philanthropy. In the overall philanthropic world, TGI people are non-existent. We need to change that because our people are literally dying – not just murdered for being Trans folks of color but also in ICE detention where Trans asylum seekers are often abused and tortured or denied adequate counsel. But the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt even more. TGI people are not part of discussions on how to address LGBTQ needs. For instance, we provide shelter to members of our community in our own places (if we have one) and we feed our people even when we do not have food to feed ourselves.
Those four pennies out of every $100 are inadequate to meet our growing needs. Many TGI people who could once support themselves have become homeless and are not able to make enough money to pay for rent or buy food. Many members of our community who work in service industries like beauty salons and sex work are forced further into poverty. The TGI-led organizations that have been funded in the last five years are trying to provide whatever support we can without new funding because we know what it is to be on the streets.
COVID-19 is a setback to all LGBTQ organizations but it’s a disaster for us. While people are talking about how funders are going to support communities in the midst of this pandemic, the truth is that most people in philanthropy are not even thinking about TGI people or considering funding TGI-led organizations. But if philanthropy is driven by principles of human rights and social and economic justice to uplift the most marginalized in society, philanthropists who care about LGBTQ people and causes have a moral responsibility to help your TGI siblings in this time of crisis. You can literally help save lives and help to change the course of our destiny.
This letter is a request for help and a call to action to our philanthropic siblings. We ask you to act — not just to tell us that you understand and you support us — but rather to use your power to intentionally invest in TGI lives. Here are some grant-making suggestions to consider when preparing your next funding docket during COVID-19 and beyond — with at least 20% of all funding for LGBTQ issues allocated towards TGI- led organizations:
· A rapid response allocation about COVID-19. Funding needs to be specifically to support TGI individuals with basic needs like: rental assistance, paying bills, food and grocery gift cards, open emergency shelters specifically for TGI people led by TGI people and transitional living housing that will support TGI people with a path to permanent housing
· Support TGI-led organizations to build safe spaces for the community. Many members of the TGI community continue to be discriminated against trying to rent spaces where they can provide multi-social supportive services including the arts. Helping these organizations with paying rent for a minimum of five years will provide a sense of security. In addition, helping TGI- led organizations with money for them to be able to put a down payment on a property is an investment in these organizations. This is part of supporting to build the infrastructure of TGI-led organizations and leaders. We know that no one is doing the work that we are doing and only we can do this work because we understand our own struggles.
· Support initiatives that are dedicated for workforce development but not necessarily initiatives that are like the traditional resume-building. Many members of our community have not even held a job and need skills building and training. Fund paid internships at these TGI- led organizations so other members of our community can gain administrative and office skills. Fund paid internship opportunities that will placed TGI people in other industries, but the internships are administered and paid by the TGI-led organization. · Support initiatives that enable TGI individuals to develop our political power. Fund initiatives that will teach TGI communities to understand how policy works, how they can become part of the political process and understand the system so that our community can hold elected officials responsible and accountable to invest in TGI people specifically.
· It is important that in funding announcements you specify that funding is specifically for TGI-led organizations and not programs within cisgender groups. We are not saying do not fund other groups, but rather we are asking that you dedicate specific moneys exclusively to TGI- led organizations. · Ensure that funding is intersectional and at the center are the most marginalized within the TGI population. These may include: Black, Brown, Indigenous, disabled, immigrant, incarcerated and post-incarcerated, the poor and undocumented individuals.
· Design your docket specifically to TGI communities. Do not use the same approach that you have used for cis gay men because our experiences and level of nuanced knowledge is much different. The funding announcement must be specific, tailored to our community and mindful of region and/or country.
We believe that the new COVID-19 saying, “We are in this together” could become true. We believe that if we hold each other accountable with love and sincerity, we can change the landscape of TGI people. But we need for our siblings in philanthropy to step up to the plate and demonstrate that the principles of humanity and equity are a real driving factor in funding decisions. TGI people want to believe that “we are in this together” building a world that we all want to live in.
Signed,
TGI-Led Organizations
