Racial & Economic Justice

Combating racism and poverty and uplifting the voices of marginalized transgender people across the US is key to the work of NCTE. When the results of the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey were analyzed, transgender people of color faced greatly elevated negative outcomes in every area of life. African American and American Indian transgender people reported some of the worst outcomes regarding discrimination in obtaining a job, violence both in the streets and by law enforcement, accessing health care, and homelessness. Transgender people in rural communities also reported significant shortcomings in quality of life. NCTE recognizes that racial and economic justice requires an intersectional approach and sensitivity to race and class, understanding historical and present systems of oppression. NCTE’s policy and advocacy work seeks to address issues critical to transgender people and those who live in poverty including: accessing affordable health care; preventing housing discrimination, evictions and homelessness; ensuring social service providers are transgender competent; addressing the school-to-prison pipeline from a transgender perspective; focusing on sustainable economic development for transgender communities in urban and rural areas; supporting the work of grassroots organizations especially those run by and for transgender people of color; and working on immigration reform policy to ensure a meaningful impact is felt by transgender immigrants. The Racial and Economic Justice Initiative at NCTE, started in 2014, is designed to address these areas and enhance the organization’s commitment and output for transgender people of color and those of low or no income.