Marchers demand 'Trans justice, now!'

Close to 1,000 people marched in the third annual Trans Day of Action for Social and Economic Justice here on June 22. The event was organized by TransJustice of the Audre Lorde Project, an organizing center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit, transgender, and gender non-conforming people of color.

WW photo: John Catalinotto

Elizabeth Marie Rivera, organizing coordinator of TransJustice, told Workers World that a wide variety of organizations and individuals endorsed the march, many of whom have not participated in the last two actions.

Marchers demanded accountability from city agencies for homeless trans youths and adults. The protest also, Rivera said, “brought visibility to ongoing issues that continue to impact on the lives of trans and gender nonconforming people.

“We need to be able to continue to create a movement for voices to be heard,” she continued, “to bring visibility to our community and the discrimination that we face on a daily basis, to let people know we’re here, we’re human and we won’t allow our community to be silenced.”

Rivera said “there was new energy this year, the leadership is very strong this year, and a lot of people are looking to see what’s going to come out of TransJustice in the upcoming year.”

Elizabeth Marie Rivera concluded, “My goal next year is 2,000!”