By Angel Patterson, they/them
Development Associate

Hey, Angel here! It's been almost one year since I began my journey with Lavender Rights Project, and there is so much to reflect on. Much has changed since I became the Development Associate….and a few things have not changed at all. I recall my excitement of finally moving to the Pacific Northwest and starting my new role. That excitement  has not wavered at all; being in Seattle has been such a wonderful experience, and becoming a part of LRP has changed my life for the better. If I could travel back in time and tell myself just how much I would accomplish in one year, how much impact I would make on the community, how much I would grow, and how happy I would be, I might not believe it!

As for the things that haven't changed, we are still in the fight for Black Trans Liberation. I think about all of the legislation in the news that is nothing short of violent attacks on trans and gender diverse bodies. I think about the comedians who are still getting booked even after they have been blatantly, repeatedly transphobic. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a battle that I expected to be won immediately. I can acknowledge our accomplishments in the year. But in doing that, I need to also think about our mission, our program, and how much more work needs to be done. When I think about why our work is important, I think about who I was before joining LRP, and how the services we provide quite literally save lives. 

That being said, our mission remains just as important today as it did when I started last year. To see how far we have come as an organization is inspiring, and to know what work needs to be done is just as motivating. Being the Development Associate puts me in a unique position in that I can see what our individual departments are doing, and then strategize how to expand that work through fundraising! Our staff frequently talks about what it means to put ourselves out of business. Realistically, what would that even look like? To me, that looks like Black trans folks having safe and affordable housing, access to gender affirming care, enough financial resources to support themselves, and simply living their lives without fear of violence.

There is no way for me to say this lightly: it is so important for YOU to donate! I wish I could say that one time donations get us closer to our mission goal (and they do help in their own way), but that is simply not the case anymore. What it really takes is recurring gifts, and for the folks that have the means, increasing your recurring donations. I know we cannot solve these issues overnight, but with your generous support  our housing program gets closer to providing stable housing, our GBVP and legal departments can help folks live without fear of violence, and we are overall closer to winning our collective liberation.

Angel Patterson (they/them) is a trans, non-binary, sunny Southern California transplant. Angels' hospitality mindset, love for community work, and passion for creating events have brought them to LRP. Angel’s vision for all of their projects is to create experiences that are inclusive, impactful, educational, and memorable.