En Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA) condemns the violence instigated by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and other aggressors during the Trans March on Friday, June 26. At the end of the march, SFPD officers in riot gear pointed their weapons at the crowd, threw members of the community to the ground, and pepper-sprayed participants. The march also faced several drivers who attempted to steer their vehicles into the crowd. The SFPD failed to intervene to stop and protect the community on this day of pride and dignity.
The Trans March is an annual event in San Francisco that celebrates the lives, dignity, and leadership of transgender people, and raises awareness of the ongoing struggles they face to live safely and without discrimination. It is unacceptable that a space created to empower the community continues to be a site of violence and harassment.
As an organization of immigrant women, we've identified a pattern we know all too well: fear, misinformation, and violence are used to divide our communities and justify attacks against communities that have been excluded and criminalized for years. Many people live at the intersection of these struggles: they are immigrants and also part of the trans community.
Therefore, today and always, we embrace the trans community and express our solidarity with their right to live with respect and self-determination. When violence against a community is normalized, we are all at greater risk. Hate speech, criminalization, and attacks against any trans person also affect immigrants and other communities who continue to fight for freedom and safety.
Solidarity is shown every day. We invite our community and our allies to join and strengthen the work of trans-led organizations, support their efforts, amplify their voices, and demand that those in positions of power respond with concrete actions to protect trans people.
At MUA we will continue organizing, because we know that our struggles are connected!!
Here are some suggestions from our dear colleagues at El/La para Translatinas on how to show your solidarity with the trans community:
- Directly support organizations led by the trans community. We suggest donating to El/La para Translatinas, an organization of trans immigrant women.
- Donate Here: https://give.communityin.org/profiles/ella-para-translatinas
- Website: https://www.ellasf.org/
- Political impact: Contact local and federal representatives to demand policies that protect our rights and reject criminalization.
- Add your name to the letter of solidarity from Bay Resistance
- Amplify voices: Share verified information and make visible the testimonies of transgender people.
- Practical support: Offer accompaniment to medical or legal appointments and strengthen mutual care and economic support networks.
- Institutional requirement: Request that employers and organizations take concrete steps to protect transgender people.