This year's Pride month lands during a global pandemic and a national uprising to defend Black lives, which means the LGBTQ community of color is on the frontlines, as always. Maria and Julio speak with Elle Hearns, the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and Nala Simone Toussaint, founder of R.O.A.D, the Reuniting of African Descendants. They talk about the history of struggle and leadership from Black transgender women, and the importance of centering Black trans lives in the movement for justice, and in the media. This episode was reported and produced by In the Thick's New York Women’s Foundation IGNITE! Fellow, Harsha Nahata. ITT Staff Picks: - Sessi Kuwabara Blanchard writes for Vice about the history and current revival of the STAR House, created by Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera as a home and sanctuary for trans people in NYC. - Nonbinary artist and activist Joshua Allen reflects in this piece for Vox on their journey as an organizer in the fight for Black trans lives, and their participation in the Brooklyn Liberation march on June 14th, which drew out over 10,000 people. - Latino Rebels spoke with Fran Tirado and Eliel Cruz, who helped organize the historic Brooklyn march for Black Trans Lives, in this piece by Ana Lucía Murillo.  Photo Credit: Nicholas Ortiz  



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