SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT

2013 Annual Report

The mission of SRLP is to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. SRLP is a collective organization founded on the understanding that gender self-determination is inextricably intertwined with racial, social and economic justice. Therefore, we seek to increase the political voice and visibility of low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming. SRLP works to improve access to respectful and affirming social, health, and legal services for our communities. We believe that in order to create meaningful political participation and leadership, we must have access to basic means of survival and safety from violence.

2013 Annual Report Published in May 2014

SRLP 147 W 24th St, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10011212.337.8550 info@srlp.org www.srlp.org

SRLP Collective Members 2013Gabriel Arkles, Naomi Clark, Katherine Cross, Lucas Cuellar, Avi Cummings, Gabriel Foster,

Pooja Gehi, Reina Gossett, Rage Kidvai, Mik Kinkead, Alysan McCann, Daniel McGee, Ola Osaze, Elana Redfield, Dean Spade, Helen Stillman, and Alisha Williams.

The Sylvia Rivera Law Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. On request, a copy of SRLP’s latest financial report may be obtained from us or from the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271

Dear SRLP Community,

What an inspiring year for the Sylvia Rivera Law Project! Our Prisoner Advisory Committee, made up of transgender people in prison, collaborated with SRLP staff and volunteers to launch Blogging from the Inside: Writings by Transgender People in Prison. In collaboration with partner organizations, we also launched a public education, media, and organizing campaign to win safe and affordable healthcare for low-income transgender New Yorkers. The pressure is building and the time is now!

SRLP also continued to provide free, respectful, and affirming legal services, advice, and referrals to over 380 community members. We provided 30 trainings and speaking engagements across the country, reaching over 2,000 service providers, attorneys, judges, students, and activists, to reduce discrimination and violence. We offered 10 community events for over 200 community members to self-advocate and share skills. Working with SRLP members and allied organizations, we also won victories protecting the rights of transgender prisoners and immigrants.

During this time, we also witnessed an unprecedented increase in transgender representation in the media. Chelsea Manning, the former U.S. Army intelligence analyst who was convicted of leaking military information, and Laverne Cox, who plays a transgender character on Netflix’s critically acclaimed series, Orange is the New Black, have pushed the public’s attention to issues impacting transgender people, particularly transgender people in prison.

But our work is far from over. We are still fighting to survive, to build trans resistance, and to push LGBT movements to center the issues that disproportionately affect low-income trans people and trans people of color. Thank you for joining us in the struggle to transform systemic poverty, racism, and transphobia while we build our community’s strength, leadership and resilience.

In Solidarity,

SRLP Collective

SRLP conducted a three-part training for the New York State Judicial Institute. “Transgender Litigants in the Court System: Providing Equal Access and Impartial Justice” educated 100 judges, court officers, and attorneys about transgender and gender non conforming people in the judicial system. Trainings like this help reduce the transphobia that people can experience in the courts. These influential trainings were even cited in the landmark New York State Supreme Court (Kings County) decision in Wilson v. Pheonix House.

One of SRLP’s main goals is to lift the barriers preventing transgender people from fully participating in economic, social and political life. Having identity documents with a name or gender that is perceived as different from the way one appears or identifies can increase harassment and discrimination. However, in order to access gender affirming ID, most transgender people have to rely on medical providers to certify their gender identity. At the same time, trans-affirming medical care is often inaccessible for low-income people due to discriminatory Medicaid regulations. Our Survival & Self-Determination project increases access to gender-affirming identification, healthcare, benefits and services so that our communities can self-determine their gender identity and expression and have access to employment and housing, safe travel, and public and private institutions and services without facing discrimination. We believe that all people should be allowed to self-determine their gender regardless of medical intervention, so we work to ensure that low-income TGNC people and TGNC people of color can access services and entitlements in accordance with their gender identity and expression using existing medical standards while simultaneously working towards making those standards more accessible and less restrictive.

We worked with the Trans Latina Group at the AIDS Center of Queens County to provide a “Know Your Rights” training on how to legally change your name for 30 transgender women.

SRLP has been meeting with a coalition of attorneys and advocates working to push NYC’s Human Resources Administration to issue a policy to allow for changing gender markers on benefit cards. We advocated for them to drop the surgical requirement explaining that these requirements are an onerous and outdated practice. We are now meeting with the DeBlasio Administration to continue pressuring HRA.

SURVIVAL & SELF-DETERMINATION

In 2013, SRLP launched a new public education and organizing campaign to support our ongoing work to repeal the transgender healthcare exclusion in New York State’s Medicaid policy. In coalition with GLAAD, we developed a petition that thousands of people have signed and created three public service announcements that have had over 100,000 views. We also led a direct action at New York’s Population Health Summit to demand safe and affordable healthcare for trans people and have engaged hundreds of community members in the campaign. These new tactics have raised awareness about the necessity of transgender healthcare and are putting increased pressure on the Department of Health to repeal the regulation.

SRLP’s Alisha Williams joined Cece McDonald, Laverne Cox and Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! to talk about CeCe’s case and the work our communities are doing to end criminalization and create trans liberation!

SRLP volunteer Kim Juszczak and Board Member Alysan McCann developed a new blog, featuring letters from our Prisoner Advisory Committee (PAC) members. Our collective model prioritizes the voices of the people most affected by the systems of violence and oppression we fight daily. This model of community involvement led to the creation of PAC--a committee of trans, intersex, gender non-conforming people and allies who are currently incarcerated in New York State. PAC members provide insightful analysis that informs the direction of our legal movement building work. Our PAC Blog is a platform where we share stories from our incarcerated and formerly incarcerated community members to build community and inspire readers to join the fight against the isolating effects of our prison system. You can read more about PAC and check out the blog at: http://srlp.org/prisoner-advisory-committee.

The United States has the highest per-capita incarceration rate in the world, placing millions of people, most of them people of color, behind bars. Because transgender and gender non-conforming people are disproportionately profiled and targeted by police for arrest, our communities are also overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Once inside, trans people, as well as people with intersex conditions, are often targeted for terrible violence, abuse, and mistreatment.

Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black, highlights In Solidarity,

the newsletter of SRLP’s Prisoner Advisory Committee.

Supporting trans, gender non-conforming, and intersex people in detention is one of SRLP’s top priorities. In addition to providing direct legal services to improve conditions of confinement and decrease the number of individuals held in prison and jail, SRLP works to improve conditions for transgender and gender nonconforming people in prison by reducing isolation, and supporting the leadership of incarcerated community members who inform our work and help shape prison policy changes that directly affect their lives. Together we push local, state and federal facilities to require safer classification and affirming medical and mental health care for trans individuals.

In 2013 we worked with the NY Civil Liberties Union and Cornell Law School, to successfully push the New York State’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to release a new policy to provide access to gender-affirming healthcare for transgender prisoners! Under the prior DOCCS policy, prisoners who requested gender-affirming medical care such as hormone therapy were told they were not eligible unless they had a diagnosis and a doctor’s prescription before entering prison. The new policy makes clear that neither a prior diagnosis nor a pre-existing prescription for hormones is necessary in order to obtain treatment. The policy also clarifies the procedure for transgender women prisoners to receive state-issued bras.

In collaboration with the Peter Cicchino Youth Project and our Prisoner Advisory Committee (PAC), we worked to increase access to services by developing a comprehensive guide for pro bono attorneys to represent transgender prisoners in name change proceedings. We used this new guide to train 4 outside attorneys to provide name changes for trans and gender nonconforming people in prison, which they are now providing on a pro bono basis!

We raised awareness about the criminalization of queer and trans lives and our disproportionate representation in the prison system at 10 conferences and presentations across the country. We reached over 700 students, activists, attorneys and service providers! Highlights include improving conditions for trans people in courts and prisons by providing Trans 101 trainings for prison employees at the Federal Bureau of Prisons and for criminal court judges at the New York StateJudicial Institute.

PRISONER JUSTICE

While the U.S. is deporting people at a record pace—close to 400,000 people every year!—SRLP and our allies are mobilizing in historic demonstrations for immigrant justice! Increased deportation efforts and growing cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) have led to increased violence, detention and deportation for transgender immigrants. In response, SRLP works with transgender immigrants seeking gender-affirming immigration documents, legally-recognized immigration status, adjusting to a different immigration status, or who are in danger of losing their immigration status and facing deportation. We also work in coalition with community members and immigrant rights organizations, anti-violence advocates, community organizing groups, and legal advocates on policy strategies to combat xenophobic laws and conditions that criminalize transgender immigrants. Together, we are pushing back against the implementation of laws that mandate collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE and working to decrease the number of trans individuals held in detention.

In 2013, SRLP worked in coalition with the Immigrant Defense Project, Sex Workers Project, Make the Road NY, the New York Civil Liberties Union, and the Peter Cicchino Youth Project to decrease the impact of Secure Communities on trans people and reduce cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE. We successfully pushed for a new law that prevents the NYPD from involving ICE in loitering or prostitution arrests. Our community members are commonly profiled and targeted by the NYPD, and many have these prior convictions. While this law is a step forward and will prevent many undocumented transgender immigrants from being placed in immigration detention centers and removal proceedings, the bill does not apply to people with other misdemeanors. We are continuing to work with the coalition to limit the NYPD’s role in enforcing immigration law.

With the Immigrant Defense Project and the Sex Workers Project, we are working to increase public education on this issue by developing a graphic novel. Presented in a “Choose Your Own Adventure” format, “DANGER! Police Involvement in Mass Deportation” is a political education tool for immigrant communities, activists, advocates, and educators that will contextualize the politics and implications of local law and immigration enforcement collaboration.

IMMIGRANT JUSTICE

Healthcare11%

Identity Documents25%

Immigration33%

Name Change48%

Prisoner’s Rights24%

Other7%

SRLP SERVICES ACCESSED BY CLIENTS IN 2013(Many of our clients seek legal services on multiple issues)

Number of Clients

We are proud to report that we provided free, respectful and affirming legal services to over 380 people in 2013! For most clients, the opportunity to access legal services in an environment where gender self-determination is valued and respected is a new and often transforming experience.

0 50 100 150 200

Other7%

Prisoner's Rights24%

Name Change48%

Immigration33%

Identity Documents25%

Health Care11%

Number of Clients

SRLP SERVICES ACCESSED BY CLIENTS IN 2013(Many of our clients seek legal services on multiple issues)

LEGAL SERVICES

In 2013, our Movement Building Team (MBT) hosted 10 community building events, empowering over 200 community members to self-advocate and share knowledge and skills! We presented Know Your Rights trainings on how to handle police interactions and how to access healthcare, and held 4 membership orientations for over 60 new members. MBT also organized a sign making party and marched with community members in the 2013 Trans Day of Action. To support our community members who are locked up, we held two Prisoner Postcard Project Gatherings, including one at Brooklyn Friends High School, and sent out nearly150 postcards. MBT also partnered with the Audre Lorde Project, FIERCE, Queers for Economic Jutice, and Streetwise and Safe (our allied organizations in the Miss Major-Jay Toole Building for Social Justice) to host a special community event to honor legendary activists Miss Major and Jay Toole.

MOVEMENT BUILDING

A Canelli, Abigail Graber, Adam Stein, Adrian Coman, Adrienne Hill, Agnes Gund, Ahouva Steinhaus, Akki Mackay, Alex Kapitan, Alex Weintraub, Alexandra Kolod, Alexandra Rosin, Alexandra Teixeira, Aleza Summit, Ali Kronley, Alisha Williams, Allison Palmer, Alok Vaid-Menon, Amanda Mora, Amelia Kirby, Amy Elmgren, Amy Laura Cahn, An Owomoyela, Anabel Evora, Andrea Herrera, Andrew Esposito, Andrew Gaubatz, Anna Rose Wilson, Anne Cohen, Anne Jonas, Anne Kochman, Anniessa Antar, Anold H Grossman, Anonymous , Anthony Maglione, Antony Hegarty, ARIA Foundation, Ashley Miller, Ashton Lindhorst, Avi Cummings, Avory Agony, B Aultman, Barbara Rachlin, Bari Zahn, Barry Skwiersky & Catherine Guido, Barry Weinberg, Becca Palmer, Belkys Garcia, Benjamin Gerdes, Beverly Weber, Bill Hibsher, Brian Chelcun, Brian Healey, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Inc., Bruce Green, Burke Stansbury, Caitlin Barry, Carl Micarelli, Carrie Davis, Casey Ratliff, Cass Adair, Catherine Farrell, Cathleen Bonner, CD Brown, Celeste Frey, Chandhok Charitable Trust, Charity Buzz, Charles Ihlenfeld, Cherie Seise, Chiemi Suzuki, Chris Kann, Chris Cary, Chris Hughes, Christa Orth, Christy Pardew and Josh Raisler Cohn, Cindi Creager, Claire Harlan Orsi, Conrad Heiney, Craig Bowman, Cris Green, Cynthia Degnan, Daniel Gillmor, Daniel Moore & Jocelyn Harmon , Daniel Swezey, Danni Michaeli, David Dechman, David Glasser, David Serlin, Dean Spade, Deanna Croce, Debevoise and Plimpton LLP, Demoya Gordon, Dennis Woodward, Derek Attig, Desma Holcomb, Diana Knox, Diane Meghna, Elise Gardella, Elise Schuster, Elizabeth Bruch, Elizabeth Budnitz, Elizabeth Leonard, Elizabeth Phillips, Elspeth Gilmore, Elvis Bakaitis, Emil Rudicell, Emily Anne Drabinski, Erica Meiners, Erica Weinstein, Ethan Lin, Ev Evnen, Ezra Nepon, Flavio Risech, Gabriel Arkles, Gabriel Foster, Gail Curry, Gary Zagon, GE United Way Campaign, Geoffrey Hendricks, Geoffrey Hill, George Hoffman & Ms. E. T. Marquez, Gita Gulati-Partee, Glenys Lobban, Google, Harper Keenan, Hasan Shafiqullah, Helen Stillman, Henry Robin, HEY QUEEN Party, Hillary Exter, Holly Blume, Holly Hatfield, Ian Hinonangan, Ignatius Bau, Indigo Girls, Ipas Mobilization Committee, Isabel Goldberg, Isla Leaver-Yap, J. L. Enterprises Inc., Jack Aponte, Jack Skelton, Jackie Weinstock, James Flynn, James Pultz, Jan Sobieraj, Jane Nevins & Sarah Jeruss, Janet Mock, Janis Walworth, Jasmina Nogo, Jason Jacobs, Jean Shepard, Jean Simons, Jeff Arnstein, Jenna Capeci, Jenna Jerman, Jennifer Gann, Jennifer Harrison, Jennifer Skidmore, Jessica M. Xavier, Jessie Spector, Jillian Johnson, Joanna Cole, Joe Keady, Joe Kiefer, Johanna Brenner, John Lewis, John Osborn, John Torma, John, Susan & Darin Kwock, Jon Stryker, Jonah Wacholder, Jonathan Lewis, Joy Tomchin, Joymala Hajra, Julie Goldscheid, Julie Hollar, Karen Pittelman, Kat Herrera, Kate Clinton, Kate McCullough, Kate Mitchell, Katherine Wolf, Kathryn Madison, Katrina Schaffer, Katrina, Rania, Rye & Kale Spade, Keith Edmonds, Kenneth Monteiro, Kerri Kline, Kim Emery, Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, Kris Haberman, Kristen Cox, Kwock Family Fund , Laura Wadden, Lauren O’Laughlin, Lee Strock, Lee Wasserman & Melissa Dubroff, Leigha Cohen, Leila Hessini, Lena Solow, Leonard Kolins & Faye Goldman, Leslie Batz, Lillian Cox-Richard, Linda Netsch, Lisa Duggan, Lissa Gundlach, Louisa Santos, Louise Motel, Lucia Znamirowski , Lynn Loacker, Lynnea Domienik, Magdalen Kadel, Mairi Hunter, Makiko Kasai, Malori Maloney, Marcel Casenave, Maria Lugones, Marilyn Rosskam, Marilyn Neimark, Marilyn Rosskam, Marina Stasenko, Mark Covey, Martyn Thompson, Mary

Thank you to our generous donors!

Ann Lee, Marysol Asencio, Matias Pelenur, Matty Burns, Max Scales, Maxx Sizeler, May Baldwin & Elliot Kronstein, Mckenzie River Gathering Foundation, Megan Bigelow, Megan Johnson, Meredith Slopen, Merril Cousin, Micah Wissinger, Michael Chameides, Michael Harrell, Michael Pastroff, Michael Waldman, Michelle Billies, Michelle Riley, Mika Albright, Mollie McFee, Naa Hammond, Nana N Yoshida, Nancy Polikoff, Naomi Sobel & Diana Doty, Natasha Holloway, NGLTF Foundation, Nicholas Sung, Nick Gorton, Nicole Sanchez, Outten & Golden LLP, Patrick Adams, Patrick Hayden, Paul Rodel, Pete Dorogoff, Peter Frankland, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, Priya Kandaswamy, Rachel Tiven, Rafael Robles, Rajeev Babbar, Randall Ehrbar, Raymond Wofsy, Rebecca Widom, Renuka Gupta, Rev. Miller Jen Hoffman , Richard Blum, Richard Pleak, Robby Browne, Robert Edwards, Robert Eichler, Robert Levithan, Robert Newman, Robin Hayes, Robin Rosenbluth, Roderick Ferguson, Rona Mark, Roo Khan, Roy Perez, Ryan Cooper, Ryan Thoreson, S. Sonjia Smith, Sam Biederman, Sandor Katz, Sarah Donnell, Sarah Flynn, Sarah Roberts, Sarah Workneh, Sarinya Srisakul, Sasha Perigo, Sasha Solomonov, Shana Goldin-Perschbacher, Sherry Cushing, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Sneha Narayan, Sonrisa Alter, Sonya Bishop, Sophie Hagen, Sophie Schoen, Stephanie Hsu, Stephen Futrell, Stephni Layne, Suneela Mubayi, Susan Kwock, Susan Rosenberg, T. Cooper, T.J. Jourian, Tabitha Emo, Tamiko Beyer & Kian Goh, Tema Okun, Ten Thousand Things Fine Jewelry, Terrence McCafferty, Terry Schuster, Thomas Goldsworthy, Thomas Hammer, Timothy Colman, Timothy Johnston, Toby Beauchamp, Urvashi Vaid, Val Kung, Virginia Knox, Walter Cain, Wes Ruiz, Wesley Garson, Wilbur Zimmerman, William Zwart, William Kapfer, William Sturman, Yarrow & Margaret Durbin, and Zacharias Arthurs. We make every effort to correctly list every donor’s name. Our heartfelt apologies for any mistakes. Please contact Avi Cummings for corrections (avi@srlp.org).

Your support makes our work possible!

SRLP thanks our generous in-kind donors

Azucar, Brooklyn Open Acupuncture, Bureau of General Services: Queer Division, Dori Midnight, The Feminist Press at CUNY, GLAAD, Gotham Wines & Liquors, Grown-Up Soda, HERE, Institute of Contemproary Art-University of Pennsylvania,

Jack Studios, Janet Mock, Joe Coffee, Martyn Thompson, Michale Harrell, NYC Books Through Bars, Public Theater, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Sky Frame, Smokey Belles Catskills, Swordfish Screenprinting, Third Root Community

Health Center, Tinker Coalescing, and Tuff Chicks Painting

In Honor of Ben KnoxLee Wasserman & Melissa Dubroff

In Honor of Donna Pinto and Anna MoodyCarrie Davis

In Honor of Eric, Lisa, Sam, and Max DavisCarrie Davis

In Honor of Erin SmallAnonymous

In Honor of Flor BermudezSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

In Honor of Gabriel ArklesAnonymous

In Honor of Herbert DavisCarrie Davis

In Honor of Jonah GroeneboerSarah Workneh

In Honor of Kendall BillsS. Sonjia Smith

In Honor of Kimberly RollaCherie Seise

In Honor of Rev. Alicia FordeBeverly Weber

In Honor of Rev. Miller Jen HoffmanDaniel Moore & Jocelyn Harmon

In Honor of Steven Keith and Roscoe BetsillCarrie Davis

In Honor of Vassar WBC ProtestLauren O’Laughlin

In the name of Jonathan Ostrowsky and Kathleen Wright and in memory of

Donna OstrowskyCathleen Bonner

In Memory of Barbara AultmanB Aultman

In Memory of Donna OstrowskyCathleen Bonner & Rob Almoney

In Memory of Isaac C. KwockJohn, Susan & Darin Kwock

In Memory of Jack Lee YoungLucia Znamirowski

Wesley Garson

In Memory of Katie ZnamirowskiLucia Znamirowski

In recognition of pro bono work by Alexandra Kolod

Kirkland & Ellis Foundation

In recognition of pro bono work by Leopoldo Yanez

Kirkland & Ellis Foundation

SPECIAL GIFTS

FOUNDATION SUPPORT FY 2013

Thank you to the foundations that support our work: Anonymous, Arcus Foundation, ARIA Foundation, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Groundswell’s Catalyst Fund, Equal Justice Works, Gill Foundation, The Keith Haring Foundation, Kicking

Assets Fund of Tides Foundation, The Miller-Wehrle Family Foundation, New Prospect Foundation, New Venture Fund, New York Women’s Foundation, New York City AIDS Fund in the New York Community Trust and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Foundation to Promote Open Society, The Paul Rapoport Foundation, Stonewall Community Foundation, Third Wave

Foundation, and Union Square Awards, a project of the Tides Center.

FISCAL YEAR 2013 FINANCIAL REPORTING TemporarilyPublic Support & Revenue Unrestricted Restricted Total

Individuals $ 56,165 $ 56,165

Corporations $ 1,250 $ 1,250

Events $ 39,238 $ 39,238

Family Foundations $ 31,000 $ 31,000

Foundation grants $ 53,850 $ 411,478 $ 465,328

Program revenue $ 4,505 $ 4,505

Honoraria $ 10,434 $ 10,434

Interest income $ 1,529 $ 1,529

In-kind contributions $ 2,350 $ 2,350

Other Income $ 268 $ 268

Net assets released from restriction $ 380,019 $ (380,019) $ -

Total Public Support & Revenue $ 580,608 $ 31,459 $ 612,067

Expenses

Program services $ 450,725 $ 450,725

Administrative $ 65,034 $ 64,034

Fundraising $ 71,325 $ 71,325

Total Expenses $ 587,084 $ 587,084

Change in Net Assets $ (6,476) $ 31,459 $ 24,983

Net Assets as of June 30, 2012 $ 437,193 $ 326,211 $ 763,404

Net Assets as of June 30, 2013 $ 430,717 $ 357,760 $ 788,387

From July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013, 78% of our expenses went to

programs and services.

EXPENSES

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING INCOME

For generations, our communities have donated money and resources to support the people and organizations

that give us hope and make our lives possible.

Join SRLP in continuing this tradition. Make a tax-deductible donation online at

srlp.org/donate

Our movement is powered, in every sense, by you.

Photos by Tinker Coalescing