PGH Trans Defense Fund
Donation protected
The Pittsburgh Trans Defense Fund is a mutual aid project working to equip BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) TGNC (Transgender, Gender-Non-Conforming) community members with the self-defense tools they need to protect themselves from transphobic white supremacist violence in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
Organized by volunteers with TransYOUniting (TY), this project is situated within TY's broader mission to provide life saving housing and food assistance, youth mentorship, and transportation to trans Pittsburghers thru radical resource distribution and direct action. In 2019, the City of Pittsburgh's Gender Equity Commission released a 96 page white paper revealing Pittsburgh to be "the least livable city in America for Black people". Last year, 44 known trans people were murdered in the US: one of the deadliest years on record for our community. The existing apartheid conditions of our city are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of anti-Black, transphobic hate violence. Having access to self-defense materials is vital for the survival of our chosen trans family: WE KEEP US SAFE.
OUR SHORT TERM GOAL is to raise $5,000 between JAN 25 and FEB 25, providing up to 65 Black and brown trans individuals in the Pittsburgh region (*Black trans women and sex workers prioritized) with FREE self-defense kits (1 kit includes: 1 stun gun, 1 pepper pray, 1 personal alarm, and 1 kit guide). Funds raised thru this GoFundMe campaign go directly towards purchasing, shipping, and distribution costs associated with kits. Excess funds raised will go into a second round of self-defense kits pending capacity and community need or distributed to Pittsburgh BIPOC TGNC community members seeking housing assistance. *Between Aug 2020 and Jan 2021, TransYOUniting helped 250 trans people secure housing in western PA.
To learn more visit our website ; to request a kit, send a DM to TransYOUniting on Instagram (@transyouniting).
ABOUT THE BENEFICIARIES
Project communications, funds, kits supplies, and distribution, are co-managed by local Pittsburgh community organizers. The CEO/Founder of TransYOUniting will oversee the withdrawal of funds into TransYOUniting’s bank account to spend on purchasing of self-defense items. Organizers manage the kit-creation, kit requests, and distribution to eligible recipients.
Organized by volunteers with TransYOUniting (TY), this project is situated within TY's broader mission to provide life saving housing and food assistance, youth mentorship, and transportation to trans Pittsburghers thru radical resource distribution and direct action. In 2019, the City of Pittsburgh's Gender Equity Commission released a 96 page white paper revealing Pittsburgh to be "the least livable city in America for Black people". Last year, 44 known trans people were murdered in the US: one of the deadliest years on record for our community. The existing apartheid conditions of our city are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of anti-Black, transphobic hate violence. Having access to self-defense materials is vital for the survival of our chosen trans family: WE KEEP US SAFE.
OUR SHORT TERM GOAL is to raise $5,000 between JAN 25 and FEB 25, providing up to 65 Black and brown trans individuals in the Pittsburgh region (*Black trans women and sex workers prioritized) with FREE self-defense kits (1 kit includes: 1 stun gun, 1 pepper pray, 1 personal alarm, and 1 kit guide). Funds raised thru this GoFundMe campaign go directly towards purchasing, shipping, and distribution costs associated with kits. Excess funds raised will go into a second round of self-defense kits pending capacity and community need or distributed to Pittsburgh BIPOC TGNC community members seeking housing assistance. *Between Aug 2020 and Jan 2021, TransYOUniting helped 250 trans people secure housing in western PA.
To learn more visit our website ; to request a kit, send a DM to TransYOUniting on Instagram (@transyouniting).
ABOUT THE BENEFICIARIES
Project communications, funds, kits supplies, and distribution, are co-managed by local Pittsburgh community organizers. The CEO/Founder of TransYOUniting will oversee the withdrawal of funds into TransYOUniting’s bank account to spend on purchasing of self-defense items. Organizers manage the kit-creation, kit requests, and distribution to eligible recipients.
Organizer and beneficiary
William Lukas
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation
Beneficiary