Defend Queer and Trans Rights!

Dear Resister, 

The cornerstone of Pride is resistance and since its inception, Resist has funded and uplifted the voices of Queer and Trans people organizing against human and state violence. 

Our transformative vision — and the grassroots work it takes to manifest change and justice — is only possible because of Resist supporters like you. 

From 1981 to 1990, over 100,000 AIDS-related deaths — decimating Queer and Trans communities — were reported to the CDC, and the U.S. government did nothing. In response, a coalition of organizers in New York, California, and across the United States emerged. AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, also known as ACT UP, was dedicated to building healthy, safe, and just spaces for all Queer people. 

In 1988, Resist gave its first $450 grant to ACT UP which they used to print and publish their first newsletter. This newsletter spread critical information about sexual health and education, how to prevent the transmission of HIV, and many calls to action to combat the AIDS crisis. ACT Up was a central reason the AIDS crisis came to an end when it did by staging actions such as “Storm the National Institute of Health (NIH),” where they urged the NIH to accelerate the pace of AIDS medication research in 1990. 

Queer people showed up to take care of each other and reduce the massive toll of the AIDS epidemic, even when the state refused to do so. In 2023, because of grassroots efforts, life-saving medicine is now accessible to HIV-positive people, allowing them to live longer without transmission.   

These wins were only made possible by the fearless, dedicated, principled organizing of Queer elders and the unbelievably generous support of you, our donors. 

[Image description: Three members of the Trans Asylum Seekers Support Network pose for a picture behind a table displaying a large banner that reads: "La Red de Apoyo Para Trans Asylum Seekers."]

The legacy of ACT UP is alive in a number of our grantees today…

Over 533 anti-Trans legislations are up for debate and fifty-four have passed this year alone — some of which make providing gender-affirming care to youth a felony. While this paints a bleak image of what could come, your donations have funded hundreds of Queer-led, Black and Brown movements struggling for true Queer liberation — many of which were formed from the legacy of ACT UP.

The Trans Asylum Seekers Support Network (TASSN) is an all-volunteer revolutionary group dedicated to freeing Transgender and Queer asylum seekers from ICE detention. They currently support more than 30 people seeking asylum through (1) letter writing and commissary funding while in detention, (2) direct actions/phone banking calling for their freedom, (3) rent and monthly expenses support, (4) legal support, and so much more, so that they may lead thriving and joyful lives. 

This small organization is doing crucial work for Trans people to access safety. Their work is only made possible because of generous donors like you.

Inside prison walls, information is often withheld from prisoners. Resist grantee, Prison Health News (PHN), is a network of people disseminating medical information to incarcerated people. PHN responds to letters from Queer and Trans prisoners who cannot get their questions answered through the system. 

There has never been a greater time to act up and support our communities. When the government refuses to act, our grantees step up. Will you join in their fight and make a generous gift today?

With love,

Jasmine Gomez,Esq.

Co-Director and Director of Radical Philanthropy



P.S. To learn how your gift will make a difference, check out Resist’s Pride Giving Guide, which highlights the Queer and Trans-led organizations working on the front lines with your support. Please be generous.