trans travel fund

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Black Trans Travel Fund

• LOCATION: BRONX, NY
• WEBSITE: https://devinmichaellowe.com/black-trans-travel-fund

BTTF is an initiative to help Black trans women self determine safer options for travel in NYC/NJ, a direct response to the heightened relentless & unacceptable violence Black trans women across the country experience.

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How The Black Trans Travel Fund Is Taking A Creative Approach To Addressing A National Epidemic

January 24, 2020

After attending multiple vigils for various Black trans women who had been murdered in 2019, Devin Lowe was overcome with anger. The 27-year-old heard a lot of talk about the need to protect Black trans women as violence increased, but also noticed that people didn't actually do much to solve the problem.

Lowe, who is a Black, queer, transgender man desperately searched for solutions and started thinking about the conversations he has had with Black trans women through the years. As he remembered those conversations, Lowe realized that many trans individuals had expressed the need for housing, employment and transportation.

Although he didn't have the resources to provide people with homes or jobs, the New York resident found a unique way to help with 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.

In June, the 27-year-old launched The Black Trans Travel Fund (BTTF), raising over $50,000 in donations.

"We have currently redistributed over $35,000, paying for over 700 car rides between more than 300 women in the last 6 months," Lowe said.

Women have already provided glowing testimonials about the program.

"What they're doing for the girls in our community is a great help to our daily survival and is greatly appreciated," one woman wrote on Facebook.

Another person said "I'm glad there's somewhere I and other Black trans can feel safe asking for help. Thanks for giving back to the community."

Lowe said the program collects funds through apps such as CashApp and Venmo, making the process simple for younger donors and minimizing the fees that must be paid to larger fundraising platforms.

"We also provide folks with the option to donate via PayPal, and if direct deposit is easiest people can contact us via email to set it up," he said.

BTTF is currently a three-person team, including Lowe as the executive director, Eli Berry St. John as social media manager and Morticia Godiva as applications manager. The organization is also in the process of bringing on more staff members. Lowe said the program plans to expand to other cities where it's most needed, such as Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

The killings of trans women of color are being considered an epidemic. At least 22 trans people were killed in 2019, and many of them were women of color, the Human Rights Coalition reported .

Lowe hopes to end the epidemic by providing safe transportation.

"The overall mission of the Black Trans Travel Fund is to help allies leverage their resources, and provide Black transgender women with the financial resources needed to be able to self-determine safer alternatives to travel, where they will be less likely to experience verbal harassment or physical violence," he said.

The 27-year-old moved from Texas to New York in 2013 to find a community that would help him navigate his transition as a Black, queer, transgender man. He started doing advocacy work after moving to New York, then began producing films to uplift the narratives of trans people. In 2017, Lowe began "running Trans-masculine support groups that focus on redefining and centering masculinity."

"I am 100% invested in helping my community to divest ourselves from the cis-hetero-patriarchal ideologies we’ve been taught that ultimately lead different forms of violence against us all," he said.

The New York resident said he plans to launch a newsletter for BTTF, which would highlight the work of Black trans women internationally, including art, music, literature, entertainment and policy work.

"I’m also helping to organize an intergenerational convening of 25 Black trans-masculine community leaders across the country to build solidarity across regions, and strategize ways to address the violence Black trans communities are facing, with a strong emphasis on how we as trans masculine folks can be in solidarity with Black trans women," Lowe said.

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About the zine:

Launched in New York City on June 18th, 2019, BTTF was created as a direct response to the relentless and unacceptable transphobic violence Black transgender women across the country have been continuously experiencing.

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Episode 2 - The Black Trans Travel Fund with Devin Lowe

In this episode, Dame and Daniel talk with Black Trans Travel Fund Founder & Executive Director Devin Lowe. Devin breaks down how the experiment emerged out of the needs of his loved ones, the surprising and gratifying ways that the work has expanded, and the relationship of freedom of personal movement to collective liberatory social movement.

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The Black Trans Travel Fund

Contact influencewatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles., founding and history, donor organizations.

The Black Trans Travel Fund is a fund operated by transgender actor and activist Devin Lowe to pay for car rides and alternate means of transportation for Black transgender women in New York and New Jersey.

In 2020, the fund was among 30 other local organizations selected by the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation to receive a COVID-19 response grant worth over “six figures.” https://blacklivesmatter.com/2020-impact-report/ ."> 1

The Black Trans Travel Fund was founded in June 2019 by actor and activist Devin Lowe. According to an interview with media company Blavity , the Black Trans Travel Fund raised over $50,000 in its first 6 months of existence. https://blavity.com/blavity-original/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-taking-a-creative-approach-to-addressing-a-national-epidemic?category1=LGBT&category2=news ."> 2 Of that amount, Lowe dispensed $35,000 to Black transgender applicants, paying for more than 700 car rides for over 300 black transgender women. The remaining $15,000 was ostensibly used by the fund to pay for “labor, operations, and administrative costs.” https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/donate ."> 3

In 2020, the fund received a COVID-19 response grant from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation worth over “six figures.” This grant coincided with public statements from the fund that announced an increase in the monthly number of supported Black transgender women from 50 to 100. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollysprayregen/2020/06/23/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-working-to-keep-black-trans-women-safe/?sh=2100fd3935f4 ."> 4

As of June 2021, the Black Trans Travel Fund claims to have given out over $150,000 to Black transgender women. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/about-us ."> 5

The Black Trans Travel Fund accepts donations through CashApp, Venmo, PayPal, and bank wires, directly to accounts owned by Devin Lowe. According to the fund’s donation page, the Black Trans Travel Fund gives out 80% of the donations received to Black transgender women. The rest goes to Lowe and his two-person team. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/donate . ; Kassahun, Tomas. “How The Black Trans Travel Fund Is Taking A Creative Approach To Addressing A National Epidemic – Blavity.” Blavity News & Politics, January 25, 2020. https://blavity.com/blavity-original/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-taking-a-creative-approach-to-addressing-a-national-epidemic?category1=LGBT&category2=news ."> 6

As of June 2021, the Black Trans Travel Fund has a biweekly cap of 75 Black transgender women applicants. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1TInLRDWkxVjcnpiHqx9XhO2U2B11yK9IOv0uLLJBtis/closedform ."> 7 The fund also financially supports transgender women attempting to obtain TSA pre-check status and renew their passports. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/apply-for-funding ."> 8

The fund has plans to expand out of the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, such as to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. It is also preparing to launch a Black Trans Travel Fund newsletter, which would cover the art, politics, music, and entertainment of black transgender women. https://blavity.com/blavity-original/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-taking-a-creative-approach-to-addressing-a-national-epidemic?category1=LGBT&category2=news ."> 9

The Black Trans Travel Fund is not a nonprofit nor is it fiscally sponsored by another organization. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/donate ."> 10 As a result, there is no publicly available financial information on the fund’s donors and recipients. During 2020’s “Pride Month,” Spin, a bicycle and scooter-sharing company owned by the Ford Motor Company, donated $5,000 to the Black Trans Travel Fund. https://blog.spin.pm/pride-month-at-spin-30e33bd47ad6 ."> 11

The Black Trans Travel Fund is led by actor and activist Devin Lowe. A transgender man, Lowe is best known for his work on “The Garden Left Behind,” a film following an undocumented-immigrant Latina trans woman. https://devinmichaellowe.com/bio ."> 12 Lowe also works as a community media organizer for Black Trans Media , a left-of-center Black transgender activism organization based in New York.

Eli Berry-St John and Morticia Godiva, themselves activists, make up the rest of the Black Trans Travel Fund’s team. https://blavity.com/blavity-original/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-taking-a-creative-approach-to-addressing-a-national-epidemic?category1=LGBT&category2=news ."> 13

• Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. “BLACK LIVES MATTER 2020 IMPACT REPORT.” Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, 2021. https://blacklivesmatter.com/2020-impact-report/ .
• Kassahun, Tomas. “How The Black Trans Travel Fund Is Taking A Creative Approach To Addressing A National Epidemic – Blavity.” Blavity News & Politics, January 25, 2020. https://blavity.com/blavity-original/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-taking-a-creative-approach-to-addressing-a-national-epidemic?category1=LGBT&category2=news .
• “Donate.” Black Trans Travel Fund. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/donate .
• Sprayregen, Molly. “How The Black Trans Travel Fund Is Working To Keep Black Trans Women Safe.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, June 23, 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollysprayregen/2020/06/23/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-working-to-keep-black-trans-women-safe/?sh=2100fd3935f4 .
• “About Us.” Black Trans Travel Fund. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/about-us .
• “Donate.” Black Trans Travel Fund. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/donate . ; Kassahun, Tomas. “How The Black Trans Travel Fund Is Taking A Creative Approach To Addressing A National Epidemic – Blavity.” Blavity News & Politics, January 25, 2020. https://blavity.com/blavity-original/how-the-black-trans-travel-fund-is-taking-a-creative-approach-to-addressing-a-national-epidemic?category1=LGBT&category2=news .
• “Black Trans Travel Fund.” Google. Google. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1TInLRDWkxVjcnpiHqx9XhO2U2B11yK9IOv0uLLJBtis/closedform .
• “Apply for Funding.” Black Trans Travel Fund. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/apply-for-funding .
• “Pride Month at Spin.” Medium. The Spin Blog, June 25, 2020. https://blog.spin.pm/pride-month-at-spin-30e33bd47ad6 .
• “Biography.” Devin Michael Lowe. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://devinmichaellowe.com/bio .

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (Non-profit)

• https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/

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Women You Should Meet (W.Y.S.M.): Anne Ross

Gc2b teams up with black trans travel fund to support trans futures.

• Black Trans Travel Fund
• Marli Washington
• Safe Travels Collection
• transitional clothing

(Photo by Maeva Komenan)

Company launches Safe Travels! capsule collection for Black History Month

In celebration of Black History Month, during the month of February gc2b has partnered with the Black Trans Travel Fund (BTTF) to launch their capsule collection, “Safe Travels”. This limited-edition apparel collection not only seeks to support trans futures, but also promote and center BTTF’s call to action that is dedicated to ensuring Black trans women’s safety. 100% of the proceeds raised through the “Safe Travels” capsule collection will be donated to the Black Trans Travel Fund.

The Black Trans Travel Fund is a mutual-aid project developed by Devin Michael Lowe with the aim to provide Black Trans women with the financial resources necessary to self-determine the safest travel alternative for them where they are less likely to experience verbal harassment or physical harm. Launching only this past June, BTTF has already raised and redistributed over $35,000 in funds, financing 700+ car rides to over 300 Black trans women! Donated funds are distributed directly to Black trans women in need, who can then purchase private car ride services from companies such as Lyft or other alternatives of their choosing that best suit their needs and comfort. While their exponential growth has had a major impact on Black trans women in New York and New Jersey, they are currently focused on expanding to other states and hope to extend these services to as many women as possible.

Founded by Marli Washington , gc2b is a Black, Latinx and trans owned brand, that aims to celebrate the vast spectrum of humanity through their gender affirming chest binders and apparel. Beginning last year, gc2b has launched a few limited-edition capsule collections to support organizations that center, support, and promote equitable futures for Black trans women.

As 100% of the proceeds from the “Safe Travels” collection will benefit BTTF, gc2b not only intends to support this organization by raising funds and promoting their organization, but also seeks to further cultivate community amongst the LGBTQ identifying folks. More importantly, the “Safe Travels” campaign will underscore our community’s inherent collective responsibility that prioritizes a safer and more equitable future for Black trans women.

While BTTF is acting in real time with protection and support as a direct response to the current reality Black trans women face, the hope of both organizations is that in working together they are able to encourage community by uplifting one another. Gc2b is so proud to support the work of BTTF, as it is essential to the dismantling of the oppressive systems that have fostered the violent and demanding reality that Black trans women face on a daily basis. The company believes that through community, we are all able to create not only a safer reality for trans women, but a more sustainable, inclusive, and affirming community for Black trans women and society in general.

For more information on the “Safe Travels” collection, you can visit gc2b’s website throughout the month of February. To learn more about the Black Trans Travel Fund, be sure to follow on them on their Instagram page.

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3 Trans Rights Organizations to Donate to this Giving Tuesday

Posted on Last updated: 21 November 2022

Home » Travel Tips » 3 Trans Rights Organizations to Donate to this Giving Tuesday

Are you in New York City? I regularly co-host a “Queer Travel Social” event with my friend Ashton ( @gayographer ) for LGBTQ travelers. Learn more about the Meetup group here .

It’s the season of giving! Sure, it’s a great time to save on deals with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but if you’re looking for an alternative way to spread joy this holiday, don’t forget about Giving Tuesday .

With the number of legal injustices still in place here in the United States—and an enemy in the White House—for Giving Tuesday this year, we’re highlighting three local trans organizations that are changing lives directly here at home in the New York City area.

With my friend Ashton, we’ve found three local organizations worth sharing and giving to.

3 Trans Rights Organizations to Support

Black trans travel fund.

Where are trans Black women most vulnerable? Often times, it’s simply on the streets traveling from point A to B. Trans travelers often can’t afford transportation. The Black Trans Travel Fund is a project developed in order to help provide Black transgender women with the financial resources needed to be able to self-determine safer alternatives to travel—especially where women feel less likely to experience verbal harassment or physical harm.

This project was created out of direct response to the relentless and unacceptable violence Black transgender women across the country have been experiencing. Donated funds are distributed directly to Black trans women in need, who can then purchase private car ride services from companies such as Uber, Lyft, or other alternatives of their choosing that best suit their feelings and needs.

To donate, you can send funds directly through the following options:

• Cashapp: $BlackTransTravelFund
• Venmo: @BlackTransTravelFund
• Paypal: [email protected]
• Twitter: @blcktranstravel
• Facebook: Black Trans Travel Fund

Learn more about the Black Trans Travel Fund here.

The Okra Project

The Okra Project hopes to extend free, delicious, and nutritious meals to Black trans people experiencing hunger. The Okra Project pays Black trans chefs to go into the homes of Black trans people to cook them a healthy and home-cooked meal at no cost to Black TGNC siblings.

Recently, the group was featured on Inside Edition and them.com .

Check out the Okra Project through the following options:

• Twitter: @theokraproject
• Facebook: The Okra Project

Learn more about The Okra Project on their website here.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project

The Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides direct representation for low-income transgender people and transgender people of color in three main areas: survival & self-determination, immigration status, and New York City jails and New York State Prisons.

The Survival & Self-Determination Project is aimed at helping low-income trans, gender non-conforming, and intersex (TGNCI) people and TGNCI people of color access critical services and benefits needed for gender self-determination.

Addressing needs specific to TGNCI communities, such as gender-affirming identification and access to sex-segregated programs or benefits, the S&S Project aims to help TGNCI people obtain these benefits and improve their quality of living, while also fundamentally changing the institutions that provide them.

The Immigrant Justice Project at SRLP works with low-income people and people of color who are TGNCI and either seeking legally recognized immigration status or are adjusting to a different immigration status. The Prisoner Justice Project provides assistance in civil matters to people held in New York City jails and in New York State Prisons.

Check out the SRLP through the following options:

• Twitter: @srlp
• Facebook: Sylvia Rivera Law Project

Learn more about the Sylvia Rivera Law Project on their website here.

Please consider donating to one of these groups for Giving Tuesday to support trans rights. Do you know of other local NYC trans groups or organizations? Please let us know in the comments or reach out directly as I hope to regularly update this page with new recommendations regularly.

Queer Travel Social

And don’t forget to join our Queer Travel Social event this Tuesday. You can RSVP below on Meetup.com or the official Facebook invite . Ashton and I have been organizing these events for the past year and it’s a great way to connect with other LGBTQ+ travelers in New York City. If you’re ever looking for help planning a vacation, check out Ashton’s work as a gay travel expert & gaycation specialist !

Where to Donate to Support the Black Trans Community

This Sunday, as Black Lives Matter protests continued across the country, thousands gathered outside the Brooklyn Museum in New York City. The protestors dressed in white, the group so large it stretched out into the streets, all there to rally in support of Black trans lives.

This violence, which when tracked results in horrifying statistics , has been followed by disturbing regulation changes. On June 12th, the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, the Trump administration removed healthcare protections for transgender people. The announcement came in the middle of Pride month—and in the middle of a global pandemic. As Adam Serwer wrote in The Atlantic back in 2018: The cruelty is the point .

If you're looking for ways to support the fight for equality for Black trans men and women, this month and always, consider donating to one of the organizations below. It's not a comprehensive list by any means, but it's a place to start. (All descriptions via an organization's website and social media platforms.)

Where to donate:

• The Okra Project is a collective that provides resources and meals to Black trans people. The Okra Project has also set up The Nina Pop Mental Health Recovery Fund and The Tony McDade Mental Health Recovery Fund , emergency mutual aid funds that raise money for mental health therapy.
• Emergency Release Fund is a member of the National Bail Fund Network, which was established following the death of Layleen Polanco. The mutual aid fund raises money to post bail for trans people, though in light of COVID-19, the fund has expanded its mission to post bail for medically-vulnerable individuals and those who identify as LGBTQ.
• Black Visions Collective aims to organize Black communities and dismantle systems of violence while centering queer and trans people.
• LGBTQ Freedom Fund posts bail for low-income individuals in jails and immigration detention.
• Transgender Law Center is a trans-led organization that works to change policy and law in order protect and advance the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming people.
• Marsha P. Johnson Institute works to protect and defend the rights of Black transgender people.
• Lavender Rights Project provides low-cost civil legal services and community programming to LGBTQ+ people as well as other marginalized communities.
• For the Gworls raises money for Black trans people's gender-affirming procedures and rent.
• Trans Women of Color Collective provides opportunities for and uplifts the narratives of trans people of color.
• SNaP Co. (Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative) is a Black trans- and queer-led abolitionist organization based in Atlanta.
• INCITE! works to end violence against women of color and trans people of color.
• Black Trans Travel Fund is an organization working to provide Black trans women with the financial resources needed to access safe transportation alternatives.
• Black Trans Femmes in the Arts is a collective that connects Black trans women and non-binary femmes in the arts.
• The National Black Justice Coalition is a civil rights organization dedicated to Black LGTBQ+ people.
• G.L.I.T.S. (Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society) is a grassroots organization supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.
• BreakOUT! is a New Orleans-based organization working to end the criminalization of LGBTQ youth.

This post will continue to be updated.

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Black Trans Fund

Our Annual Community Care Grant Application is closed.

The Black Trans Fund  is the first US-based national fund in the country dedicated to uplifting, resourcing, and building the capacity of Black trans social justice leaders.

It’s about joy and resilience

Launched in 2020, Black Trans Fund (BTF) seeks to change culture by shifting the narrative about Black trans communities towards joy and resilience, and away from violence and despair.

During its inaugural year, the Black Trans Fund awarded $209,000 in grants and paid fiscal sponsor fees for 10 Black trans-led organizations.

In response to the pandemic, BTF partnered with Groundswell’s Rapid Response Fund to move an additional $200,000 to 29 Black trans-led organizations.

Meet the Black Trans Fund Advisors

Read Black Trans Fund’s Inaugural 2020 Docket 

Our 5-Year Plan

You can review Black Trans Fund’s five-year plan and how we plan to change culture through grantmaking, capacity building, and philanthropic organizing. This work will contribute towards significantly shifting the narrative about Black trans communities towards more joy and resilience and away from violence and despair.

Black Trans Leadership Visions A Way Forward

Directed by Bré Rivera, Incubated by Groundswell

The Black Trans Fund is a groundbreaking endeavor: the first national fund in the country dedicated to uplifting and resourcing Black trans social justice leaders.

BTF seeks to address the lack of funding for Black trans communities in the U.S. through direct grantmaking, capacity building support, and funder organizing to transform philanthropy.

Bré’s vision for the Black Trans Fund is rooted in her experience as a former executive director of an under-resourced grassroots organization and her commitment to supporting abundance within Black trans movements.