Data from Everytown for Gun Safety shows 63% of all transgender gun homicide victims in the U.S. were Black women. Advocacy groups also report disproportionate acts of discrimination and incarceration against the trans community, especially Black trans individuals. And with the trans community now at the center of many political attacks by conservative lawmakers, The Williams Institute found 45% want to leave the country, or have already made plans to.
“We are experiencing the equivalent of an LGBT refugee crisis within the United States, where people are either feeling compelled to flee their communities, flee their states, or in some cases, flee the country,” said Professor Abbie Goldberg of the Williams Institute at UCLA in a previous interview on “Closer Look.”
Research from the National Library of Medicine also showed how racism and transphobia contributed to 38.5% of Black transgender people living below the poverty line. With many struggling to meet their basic needs, The Okra Project steps in to offer nationwide support to the Black and brown trans community.
Executive Director Gabrielle Inès Souza says the organization was founded in 2018 with a mission for provision and sustenance to Black and brown trans and queer individuals. They provide medical care, including mental health treatment, food, safe housing and transportation.
And with America marking 250 years, she’s reflecting on the country and her work from a place of deep resilience and fighting the good fight. Souza says that good fight is coming up against several barriers.
“I think of the lack of access to gender-affirming care,” Souza told “Closer Look.” “There’s not a lot of conversations that are being had, and when we do try to have those conversations about gender-affirming care, we are met with resistance and people, our government officials telling us that we are not being truthful, that we don’t know who we are, that we don’t know what we need.”
She also points to a lack of insurance, a lack of housing support, and statistics that show high unemployment among Black and brown trans people. To meet the many needs of the community across the country, Souza says The Okra Project collaborates with multiple community and corporate partners to deepen their support and resources.
“We have great support from BetterHelp. We provide three to six months of free mental health and therapy to Black and brown trans individuals,” Souza said. “We have GoodRx that is helping us provide coupons for individuals’ medical needs and helping them connect with providers that actually know what they need and can provide the medical care and necessities that they need.”
The Okra Project operates at an annual budget of $233,000 and serves about 2,600 individuals per year. The nonprofit has assisted people as young as 16 and as old as 45.
“Our motto is that we reach Black and brown trans and queer people wherever we can reach them,” said Souza.
However, she notes serving her community has become more challenging under the Trump Administration.
“It has made it easier for people to not need to check that box off of supporting LGBTQ+ issues, especially Black and brown trans and queer people’s issues,” Souza added. “And so we’ve definitely seen the well dry up. Last year we lost quite a few partnerships that we had.”
Despite the hurdles, Souza says she’s heard from people about the lives The Okra Project has saved. She says the community they serve is the guiding point of what they do.
“They tell us what it is that they need, and we then build programs around that need,” Souza said. “We do hear a lot of moving and touching stories about what they were able to do, what they were able to accomplish.”
