Transgender people of color face unique challenges when it comes to growing their professional career. Disturbing levels of discrimination due to anti-transgender bias and the reality of racism, has left the community unemployed at 4x the national unemployment rate, no matter their level of professional credentials.
At the same time, many organizations dedicated to issues of social justice lack the perspectives of our most vulnerable transgender of color citizens, despite the growing necessity of programs and initiatives based on the reality of their lives. Who We Know provides a solution to this.
We work to build alliances between the trans of color community and progressive organizations in the bay area through a 10-month living wage paid fellowship. We recruit talented transgender professionals of color with a demonstrated ability to launch and lead conceptually driven social justice projects.
We then connect them with the resources and networks of progressive organizations to produce innovative products, campaigns, or business models that seek to dissolve barriers to economic access for all trans people of color.
Our mission rests on the simple belief that all trans people deserve the right to be leaders and strategic employment across sectors can amplify their voices in transformative ways. The added benefits of financial stability and professional advancement, underscore our leaders ability to create meaningful change.