black trans lives matter
-
On Transgender Day of Remembrance, Activists Center the Grief, Joy and Humanity of the Black Trans Community
It remains one of the most striking demonstrations from a year defined by protest: tens of thousands of people dressed in white t-shirts, wearing white face masks and white head wraps, from all backgrounds, all marching the streets in defense of Black trans lives. The summer march in Brooklyn, N.Y. was one of the largest,…
-
Tre'vell Anderson Honors TransGriot Creator and Activist Monica Roberts
“I’m glad to be sharing a spot on this list with so many other Black queer and trans folks who are doing the work and committed to our liberation.” — Tre’vell Anderson, Journalist, 2020 The Root 100 Honoree text Tre’vell Anderson is booked, busy and a bad bitch who isn’t afraid to let you know…
-
Raquel Willis Pays Homage to Black Transgender Ancestors and Urges Us All to Elevate the Work of Current Black Queer and Trans Trailblazers
“We would not be where we are culturally and socially, as a whole Black community, without the contributions of Black trans folks of yesteryear.” — Raquel Willis, Director of Communications for the Ms. Foundation for Women, 2020 The Root 100 Honoree text Raquel Willis is proud to sit “in such amazing company” alongside the members…
-
TransGriot Blogger and Advocate Monica Roberts, 'a Pioneer and an Essential North Star' Has Died
A pioneering advocate for the trans community who was instrumental in changing the way much of the media regards and reports on trans lives has died. Houston-based journalist-activist Monica Roberts, founder of the TransGriot blog and host of the TransGriot with Monica Roberts YouTube series, “was called home to glory on Monday,” according to a…
-
Angelica Ross Embodies the Power of Transformation for October's Self Magazine
The concept of a “makeover” gets new meaning this October, as Pose and American Horror Story star (and member of the 2019 and 2020 classes of The Root 100) Angelica Ross gives Self magazine the ultimate “before and after,” buzzing and bleaching her hair during their October cover shoot. Followers of the actress/entrepreneur/advocate got a…
-
Philadelphia Black Trans Woman’s Death Called Part of an ‘Epidemic of Violence’ Against the Trans Community
On Monday, a 29-year-old Black trans woman was fatally shot in Philadelphia, and city officials have called the killing an “epidemic of violence” committed against the city’s trans community. At the very least, it’s evidence that the movement to protect Black lives needs to be more inclusive of Black trans people and the Black LGBTQ…
-
Family of Layleen Polanco Reaches History-Making $5.9 Million Settlement Over Solitary Confinement Death
The family of Layleen Polanco, a trans-Afro-Latina who died while in solitary confinement at Rikers Island jail last year, will receive a historic $5.9 million settlement—the largest New York City has ever paid out for a death in one of its city jails. In a statement to The City, family attorney David Shanies said the…
-
GQ's September Issue Features the 'Godmother of the Movement,' Trans Activist Ceyenne Doroshow
There was a time in the not-too-distant past that seeing women in GQ was simply a signifier of who cis-hetero, mostly white men had deemed the “sexiest women alive.” It was a ranking that proved problematic—particularly when it occasionally zeroed in on race and age—and unsurprisingly, has seemed to fade away in recent years (at…
-
As Pride Month Comes to a Close, Google Honors Pioneering Activist Marsha P. Johnson With Her Own Doodle
If you happened to venture to Google this morning, no doubt you caught a glimpse of an American hero—one who is largely responsible for instigating the LGBTQ+ liberation movement as we know it today. Marsha P. Johnson was one of the leaders of the Stonewall uprising in 1969—50 years later on June 30, 2019, she…
-
Ms. Foundation Names Trans Writer and Activist Raquel Willis as New Director of Communications
Just as the fight for racial justice isn’t complete without centering the experiences of queer and trans black folks, the movement for gender equality is similarly inadequate if it doesn’t directly address the concerns of Black and transgender people. Recognizing this fact, the Ms. Foundation for Women has named trans activist and writer Raquel Willis…