The Black Trans Travel Fund is continuing to support Black trans women with their transportation amid the onset of the Trump administration’s policies targeting the transgender community.
Devin Michael Lowe founded the grassroots organization in 2019. The Black Trans Travel Fund’s goal is to supplement the lives of Black trans women by providing them with the financial means and “material resources” to take agency regarding how they travel, so that they can prioritize their safety when they do.
“Self-determination” is a significant value of the organization, as its leaders aim to empower its global community to be decision-makers with dominion over their own lives and whereabouts. Helping Black trans women safely travel is at the forefront, as the population comprises “the vast majority of victims of fatal violence against trans and gender-expansive people,” according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
Over the past several years, the Black Trans Travel Fund has embodied its mission by sponsoring the costs of flights, passports, TSA PreCheck, and ground transportation for those in need. Additionally, the organization has previously fostered its community by hosting events, such as a New York City-based cookout that took place in August. The Black Trans Travel Fund also has a book sponsorship program providing free reading materials that promote political education. Donations and proceeds from merch purchases are what support the organization’s work.
What Else Is There To Know About The Black Trans Travel Fund And Its Impact?
In addition to being the organization’s founder, Lowe serves as its co-director. In an August piece that the Guardian published, he noted that the Black Trans Travel Fund has been struggling to continue its work since Trump began his second presidential term. Back in January, the administration cracked down on passport policies for trans and non-binary Americans. Trump declared that the government would only recognize two sexes — male and female — and that passport applicants would no longer have the option of an “X” as their sex identifier.
“With the political climate that we’re in, the cost of food is skyrocketing, housing costs have skyrocketed,” reflected Lowe on the decrease in donations to his organization. “And there’s been so much backlash against trans people all across the country.”
Lowe noted that many Black trans women’s concerns have risen regarding their ability to travel. Worries include how they’ll be treated at the airport, or the risk of officials misgendering them on travel documents and identification. In addition to impacting the community’s abilities to travel for personal and professional reasons, the toll also influences mental health.
“People have had some really serious concerns about their capacity to travel lately,” he noted, later adding, “People are stressed out about what the continued effects are going to be.”
“One of the core values of Black Trans Travel Fund is autonomy over what they’re doing,” Lowe, who’s based in the Bronx, added. “I can’t tell you the amount of times that a woman has told me her experience of getting assaulted or harassed on the metro. So I wanted to ensure that when people are receiving support, they’re able to utilize it in a way that feels safest for them.”
How Can You Help?
The Black Trans Travel Fund is currently gathering money as part of a $500,000 fundraiser to extend its efforts. Since its inception, the organization has dispersed hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of the cause and its community.
Visit the organization’s website and social media accounts to learn how to donate or volunteer.
