Black, transgender individuals have long been targets of violence and discrimination. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), at least 27 transgender or gender-nonconforming people were killed in the U.S. in 2019. In that same year, the American Medical Association declared the killings of trans women of color an epidemic. 

Some were killed by acquaintances, while others' lives were taken at the hands of partners or strangers. Black transgender women in particular have been targeted by these heinous crimes, which have continued on into 2020. At least 15 transgender or gender-nonconforming people have already been killed in the first six months of the year, the HRC reported

The most recent trans women to be killed are Riah Milton of Liberty Township, Ohio, and Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells of Philadelphia, who were killed within 24 hours of each other earlier this month, USA Today reported

The fight for Black trans lives is a crucial component of the fight for Black liberation. To support Black trans lives, check out the following organizations and funds.

Black Trans Advocacy Coalition Providing Help During The Pandemic

The Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, a Dallas-based organization, advocates for transgender individuals. Led by founder Carter Brown, the group is especially stepping up its efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The organization has been supporting Black trans people who need help amid the COVID-19 crisis, providing necessities such as food, money, health care and transportation.

Brown said the struggles of Black transgender communities are now magnified because of the coronavirus.

"We're seeing levels of just the despair that our community is in right now," Brown told NBC News. "It's completely magnified and amplified during this time."

"Largely, a lot of people are, even in these times, experiencing direct discrimination because they are Black and trans, in employment and in housing," Brown said. "Those who are in a situation where they may find it more difficult to find another place are being pretty much refused housing because they are Black and trans, as well as the same scenario for employment."

Save Our Sisters United Provides Legal Help And More

Save Our Sisters United (SOSU) provides legal assistance for name and gender marker changes on government documents, support groups and financial assistance to Houston's transgender community, among other services, according to Houstonia.

Founded by Atlantis Narcisse, SOSU also works with other organizations to prevent discrimination against transgender individuals. 

"It is truly an honor to see that Black Trans Women’s concerns are being heard in the community," the organization wrote on Facebook. "Though the battle is in progress it … feels good to have allies in along the way. This is not Black Trans Women’s fight alone. It is all our fight as a community."


Audre Lorde Project Works For Safety of LGBTQ+ People

The Audre Lorde Project in New York City is focused on the wellness and safety of LGBTQ+ people. 

"Through mobilization, education and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice," the organization states on its website. "Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities."

The organization's programs include an anti-violence initiative known as the Safe OUTside the System Collective. The goal of the initiative is to replace law enforcement protection with community-based strategies in order to combat police violence.

The Audre Lorde Project also supports TransJustice, a political group that urges communities and allies to take political action on issues affecting trans and gender-nonconforming people of color. 

LGBTQ Freedom Fund Fights Mass Incarceration

The LGBTQ Freedom Fund helps people detained in jail and immigrant detention centers and raises awareness about the issue of over-incarceration. With donations from the community, the organization posts bail to assist "low-income individuals in U.S. jails and immigration facilities, focusing on queer individuals."

"We work to build a critical mass against the mass detention of LGBTQ individuals — a tangle of discrimination and poverty disproportionately puts them behind bars," the organization stated on its website. 

According to the LGBTQ Freedom Fund, "LGBTQ youth in detention are 12 times more likely to be sexually assaulted."

Donations to the organization can be made here

Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative Strives For Liberation

Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative in Atlanta also aims to end the mass incarceration of Black trans women and to hold the government accountable. 

"The Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative is a Black, Trans-led, broad based collaborative to restore an Atlanta where every person has the opportunity to grow and thrive without facing unfair barriers, especially from the criminal legal system," the organization stated on its website. 

SnaPCo raises funds to support the trans community during emergencies and leads initiatives in education and politics. The organization offers an internship program to help members of the community become leaders in the fight against mass incarceration. 

"Our leaders have grown into bad a*s organizers and advocates for Trans Liberation in Atlanta and around the country,"  SnaPCo stated. 

Black Trans Travel Fund Provides Safe Transportation

The Black Trans Travel Fund is a program designed to protect Black trans women in their commutes. Launched in 2019, the organization raises money and provides safe transportation to help curb the ongoing acts of violence against trans women. 

Devin Lowe came up with the idea after attending multiple vigils for Black trans women who were killed in 2019, as Blavity previously reported. Lowe, who is a Black, queer, transgender man, believed he could make a difference by providing safe transportation.

"I did know that I could certainly crowdfund in order to get some women car rides paid for so that they weren't having to take the train home late at night, a small thing that could make a big difference," Lowe told Blavity.

The service is currently available in New York and New Jersey, but organizers expect to expand to more regions.

You can learn more about the Black Trans Travel Fund and donate here

Marsha P. Johnson Institute

Named after the iconic Black trans activist and drag queen who played a pivotal role in the Stonewall Riots, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute works to advocate for and elevate Black trans people. The organization was founded in 2015 as a response to the violence taking place against trans women of color.