Win for the TGI community addresses need during vulnerable time

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The Trans, Gender Nonconforming and Intersex Wellness and Equity initiative has now been approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The TransLatin@ Coalition’s Policy Team advocated for the motion for two years to get the Board of Supervisors to invest $7 million dollars to fund TGI resources in Los Angeles.

The organization hosted a press conference in both English and Spanish outside of the Kenneth Hall of Administration last Tuesday, calling for city council to approve item 23 on the Board of Supervisors agenda, stating the urgency for local government responses during a particularly vulnerable time for the TGI community. 

The motion was put on the table by Board Chair Supervisor Lindsay Horvath and later approved by the Board of Supervisors to support TGI and immigrant residents with housing, mental health and immigration assistance. 

“This is kind of a follow-up from the initial legislation that we introduced through Assembly Bill 2218, where the State of California invested $13 million dollars to support TGI-led organizations across the state,” said TransLatin@ Coalition CEO and co-founder, Bamby Salcedo. 

AB-2218 was passed in 2020 to establish a Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund, with the goal of supporting health and housing assistance and educational resources.

Now, TGI WE will secure funds for nine TGI-led organizations across Los Angeles.

The TransLatin@ Coalition said in an Instagram post following the win, that this marks a significant milestone in the support of TGI and immigrant lives coming from the city. 

“With the passage of the TGI WE initiative, we’re seeing the county invest in transgender, nonconforming, and intersex communities at a level they’ve never done before. With that investment, we’re going to see nine organizations go through incubation, helping them become contractors in the future and addressing the necessities of our community during a very vulnerable time,” said the organization’s IG post.

Salcedo also took the stage to mention that this initiative is a response to the neglect that the TGI community has dealt with historically and this marks a true milestone in the progress toward achieving equitable healthcare and resources for all through local government action. 

“Allocate resources to our people,” chanted Salcedo along with the crowd.

Community organizers, activists and leaders took turns speaking about the importance of allocating resources to the TGI community at the press conference. 

“Together we are not only creating spaces where [TGI] youth can not only survive, but thrive,” said Youth Organizer Fellow at the Young Woman’s Freedom Center, Trinity Rutherford. 

Though this is a win, organizations like the TransLatin@ Coalition fear that the incoming administration will deter funds meant for equitable access to resources. 

Earlier this year, GLAAD published a fact sheet pointing out Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ agenda against workplace rights, youth privacy, healthcare, housing, discrimination laws and many others.

Organizations like the Trans Latin@ Coalition will face backlash as they continue to fight for access to funding and resources for the TGI community.