FWM: Tell us about TransNewYork.
It all starts with a Mission statement: TransNewYork’s mission is to educate, empower, and enhance the lives of Transgender, Gender Non-conforming, and Non-binary Individuals globally through advocacy, community visibility, human and social services, advance knowledge, and lifelong learning development of self.
Followed by our Vision and Core Values: TransNewYork’s Vision seeks to be acknowledge as the organization of choice for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary communities in the City of New York and the surrounding Metropolitan area.
TransNewYork’ s Core Values speak to the butterfly in our logo. The butterfly represents how a caterpillar that comes out of a tiny egg, metamorphose into a butterfly with magnificently artistic designs on its wings. We use the butterfly and its life cycle as a universal symbol to empower our transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary sisters, and brothers in/on their journey of transitioning into wholeness, oneness, and authenticity.
FWM: What are you most proud of this year?
Wow! there are so many areas in which I am proud of if I need to pick one out I would say our Digital Mental Health Platform. Individuals within the Transgender/Non –Binary/Non-Conforming Community can reach out to our Mental Health professional via Text, Chat, Phone or our Tele-health platform. These mental health services are free to our Community although we do ask that individuals donate what they can if possible. Our Digital Health Platform technology was donated by Zendesk.
FWM: Share some of the needs you are seeing and how TransNewYork is helping others.
There really are so many needs one of the major needs is getting mental health and support groups to our community. A good portion of our community is marginalized many are not working or are doing Sex Work to support themselves and cannot even afford food for example. In terms of mental health, we are helping in providing that free of charge. In addition, we have created the Sisters helping Sisters initiative in which people of the community in need of food can sign-up for our food delivery and we will deliver 30 to 40 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to them. Lastly, we are working diligently on rolling out our workforce development program that offers resume writing assistance, interview preparation, and dressing for success!
FWM: TransNewYork provides Transgender Non-Conforming educational training seminars for Organizations. Tell us more.
This is perhaps one of the most exciting and impactful programs for our community. Firstly educating organizations on Transgender, Non-Binary, and Non-Conforming community cannot be understated! When people or organizations are not educated about our community stereotyping begins which inevitability leads to discrimination in the workplace! Secondly by training organizations that opens the door for TransNewYork to discuss with each organization on diversifying their workforce to include members of the on Transgender, Non-Binary, and Non-Conforming community. We are working with originations such as HIS Markit Financial (who were just acquired by S & P Global, Zendesk, and Northwell Hospital
FWM: How are you helping to raise awareness on transgender issues?
TransNewYork advocates to local government and organizations on behalf of the Transgender, Non-Binary and Non-Conforming community. In addition, we hold events such as the Transgender Day of Remembrance to raise awareness on transgender issues. We also just created the first on Transgender, Non-Binary, and Non-Conforming Speakers Bureau that will deliver speeches to organizations on their expertise within the community. It is extremely exciting as we have speakers from all over the world in our speakers Bureau.
FWM: Share some of the changing needs of the LGBTQ Community.
What has really changed the needs of the LGBTQ community has been the Coronavirus (COVID-19) it has put a dramatic strain on all LGBTQ Organizations. In particular, serving more individuals within the community that need assistance with less funding to do so! Governments and Corporations need to step up and help non-profit organizations reverse this course. What has gone from bad to worse is the need of persons of color COVID-19 has been devastating within the most marginalized within the LGBTQ community. These communities, in particular, are suffering the most and TransNewYork and many other non-profit organizations are doing all they can do to help the community!
FWM: You organized the first transgender Conference in New York City, New York Coming Out in 2019. Do you plan on any virtual events in 2021?
Yes, we are planning a virtual jobs fair for 2021 the Transgender, Non-Binary and Non-Conforming community needs access to good paying jobs. We have a lot of corporate interest to have this Virtual jobs fair
FWM: Share your upcoming initiatives.
The Sisters Helping Sisters Initiative (S.H.S.I.) seeks to bring immediate change around food inequality for Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Non-binary sisters in the County of Queens, and the surrounding Metropolitan Area. We will do this by packing boxes of 30 to 40 pounds of fresh produce, other groceries items, hygiene products, and PPE weekly and delivering to consumers who apply for S.H.S.I. We will also provide free case management, counseling services, workforce development services, housing assistance, educational services, and referral services to all consumers.
Our Speakers Bureau– TransNewYork is pleased to announce that we have started a Speakers Bureau, featuring prominent members of the Transgender, Gender Non-conforming, and Non-binary Community. Our speakers are available for you to hire for any speaking engagement for your organization. For example, Transgender Awareness Week begins on November 12th through November 19th with The Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th this year. This month – and quite frankly, any month – is an excellent opportunity to bring visibility to the Transgender Non-Conforming community.
We find ourselves – as individuals, organizations, and companies – at a unique intersection in the evolution of corporate America and the LGBTQIA+ movement. Our speakers all believe that we have been brought to this point in our history with a clear and specific objective: to educate, inform, and inspire. This produces an energy that creates the power to change minds and, more importantly, to change hearts.
We offer in-person speeches (60-90 minutes) and panels (90-120 minutes). The topic for each speech is specifically tailored to the needs of the client and/or event. We believe that there is strength in numbers; bringing together a consortium of professionals with different skill sets will provide corporations with a variety of options in selecting a speaker that fits their audience.
Organizational Training– The complexity of understanding gender identity within a workplace setting cannot be understated; in our society, Gender impacts individuals in the workplace in a multitude of ways such as power, privilege, leadership, employment opportunities, productivity, and much more. Our goal is to help instill the importance of diversity and acceptance in the workplace. This training provides strategies and the best practices in building and communicating in an inclusive environment. TransNewYork delivers impactful, informative and compelling programs by using a three-stage model that delivers relevant content through the lens of personal stories of transition in Corporate America:
- The education of our audiences is at its foundation.
- This foundation, in turn, leads to a better level of understanding
- It is this understanding that ultimately sows the seeds of acceptance. We cater to teams, leaders, human resource personnel, hiring authorities, new hires, and any group or individual that would benefit from an increased exposure to the concept of creating transgender inclusive workplaces.
www.transnewyork.org
