We want you to be part of the largest transgender event in history: The San Francisco Trans March!
A powerful, grassroots gender movement is underway and the Trans March is the most visible statement of our community's demand for equality, recognition and respect as human beings. In 2005, the Trans March brought together 6,000 transgender people and allies, and featured a 3-hour performance stage with over 20 different gender-variant musicians, political speakers, and live bands. We are working to make this year's Trans March even bigger!
The Trans March is designed to bring together all the fabulous diversity of the transgender and gender-variant community along with our allies, in a celebration of our mutual support and our political struggles. We have now reached a critical mass as a gender movement, capable of standing up against the patterns of violence, hate, discrimination and systematic oppression directed against our community. We need your crucial financial support to enable us to reach over 15,000 trans people and allies this year!
2005's Trans March stage in Dolores Park showcased the artistic brilliance of the trans community, featuring the legendary trans/dyke punk rock band Tribe 8, the Transformers drag king ensemble, solo performance poet Sini Anderson, celebrated transman hip-hop artist Katastrophe, punk/glam-rockers Shawna Virago and the Deadly Nightshade Family, the all-transwoman rock band Lipstick Conspiracy, intersex activist and performance writer Thea Hillman, and many more, including speeches by numerous transgender activists and by elected officials such as State Assemblyman Mark Leno and District Attorney Kamala Harris who have championed Transgender rights issues. That night, starting off the weekend of LGBT Pride, 6,000 people marched from Dolores Park to Civic Center, with at least 12 different TV and media sources covering our event.
And each year, since our beginning in 2004, the Trans March has tripled in size! Your donation of will allow us to advertise, produce, grow, and ensure the safety of the 2007 Trans March celebration. We need this funding for our stage, insurance, sound system, and ASL interpretation -- we want our community to know they have your support!
For those of us who are socially isolated and endure daily harassment, discrimination, and threats of violence, the Trans March fosters genuine connection and empowerment by providing a unique opportunity for us to come together, celebrate our lives and support each other. At the same time, our respected speakers and performers raise awareness of our struggles to help educate the greater public. Please lend your sponsorship to this historic, life-changing event.
The Trans March is organized by a grassroots Steering Committee representing a wide spectrum of Trans and gender variant identities and respected community organizations. If you have any questions, you can reach our steering committee via e-mail at: info@transmarch.org.
The Trans March is fiscally sponsored by the Queer Cultural Center/ National Queer Arts Festival. All contributions are tax-deductible. The tax id # is 94-322-7839. Please make checks out to the Queer Cultural Center, with Trans March clearly visible in the memo line. The mailing address is:
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Lavette Virden
SomArts
934 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
We recognize you as an important resource and respected member of our community, and will be proud to have your support.
Much respect,
Sam Davis
Director, Trans March Stage
P.S. We hope you will also attend the Trans March on Friday June 28, 2008 -- performances in Dolores Park begin at 3 pm, and the March starts at 7:00!