Unearthing: A new year's direction for LRP's GBVP Manager
Hi there, my name is Mahkyra Gaines (They/Them or No Pronouns). In December of 2021, I began work as Lavender Rights Projects Gender-Based Violence Community Engagement Manager. In June of 2021, I graduated from The Evergreen State College (Go Geoducks!) with my B.A. in Cultural Studies and Political Eco. I was so excited to be brought on to the LRP team and interweave my previous experiences, advocacy, and education towards the liberation of Black Trans Women.
In 2022, my work plans include:
Creating an advocacy team composed of BIPOC community members to help direct and contribute to legislative projects involving housing/shelter discrimination and mental health resources.
Start building county relationships for and mapping out locations to construct a Transgender Cultural District in King County, Washington.
Implement Bystander Training in local organizations, businesses, and policies to further the education on safety practices that will protect Black Trans Women in King County, Washington.
Further develop the work on the King County Jail Advocacy project started by Danny Waxwing and Catherine West by doing a report back to the community on progress, convening meetings, and constructing a community value system that holds abolition at the forefront while supporting trans folks who face high-levels of discrimination in carceral systems.
My intentions and overall goal with these projects are to find out what protections and rights exist for Black Trans Women, identify gaps, and start pushing enforcement of safety policies and sanctuary spaces for our community members. This work is critical to disrupting the systemic structures of transmisogyny and the violence against Black Trans Women.
Black trans women exist at multiple levels of oppression and experience disproportionately high rates of inequities due to their perceived race and gender. There is an urgent need to end the epidemic against Black Trans Women & Black Trans Femmes because once our community is free to live and prosper, ultimately, all people will live sustaining lives.
Mahkyra Gaines (They/Them or No Pronouns) is a Black, nonbinary community organizer with experience in education, programming, social justice activism and managing Gender-Based Violence advocacy. Mahkyra weaves a critical pedagogy into their working lifestyle and will be often heard gushing over bell hooks. Healing, joy, and post-traumatic growth are integral values to Mahkyra in working for and with black trans people. Mahkyra's interest outside of work include: poetry, portrait painting, watching black led and directed films, napping, and being in community with loved ones.