CALEXICO, CA — The TransLatin@ Coalition, one of the largest transgender-led nonprofit service providers in the United States, released the following statement from President and CEO Bamby Salcedo in response to the recall of former Mayor Raúl Ureña (she/they), the first openly transgender person to serve in political office in the history of the city:
“It is unfortunate that there are people in our society who do not want to see the progress that we as a community are making. This blatant attack on the first openly out trans person as the Mayor of Calexico Raúl Ureña is a despicable act to eliminate the great work that she has been doing on behalf of the great people of Calexico. It's the hate from extremist right-wing conservatives who are coming from outside our beautiful state that is poisoning the minds of people. We must uplift the livelihood of trans people and support the progress that we are making. We must understand that if we believe in social justice, we must believe that an attack on one of us, is an attack on all of us. Let's stand in solidarity and fight back! We must support Raul Ureña!”
– Bamby Salcedo, President/CEO, The TransLatin@ Coalition.
The TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC) is a national organization that advocates for the rights, empowerment, and well-being of Transgender, Gender nonconforming, and Intersex (TGI) Latinx in the United States. Through advocacy, education, and community organizing, TLC works to address the unique challenges and systemic injustices faced by TGI individuals, with a focus on race and economics. www.translatinacoalition.org