The American LGBTQ+ Museum

Program Details

Join us for a compelling virtual teach-in that delves into the rich and complex history of Trans justice in the United States. This event aims to illuminate significant milestones, pivotal movements, and the enduring struggles faced by the Transgender community in their quest for wellness, dignity, and prosperity.

Three expert panelists will deliver 15-minute presentations on themes such as Trans legacies of care, local and national collaborations, evolutions in law, policy, and advocacy from the 1990s to the present day, and access to healthcare at the intersection of race, gender, and other societal “isms.” Following these presentations, participants will engage in a facilitated panel conversation, allowing for a deeper discussion of the issues raised, before opening the floor to a Q&A session with the virtual audience.

Participants include:

• Shelby Chestnut – Executive Director, Transgender Law Center
• Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen – Executive Director, Advocates for Trans Equality
• Yoseñio V. Lewis – Trans Activist, Educator, and Artist
• Imara Jones (Moderator) – Moderator, Journalist and CEO of TransLash Media

This event is a valuable opportunity for attendees to gain a deeper understanding of Trans history in the U.S., the ongoing fight for justice, and the paths forward in the movement for equality. Don’t miss this chance to engage with thought leaders and advocates who are shaping the future of Trans rights in America.

Photo Credit: Sylvia Rivera, a trans activist, sits between her partner Julia Murray (right) and Christina Hayworth at the 2000 Pride Parade in New York City. Luis Carle/National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Accessibility

This program will be presented via Zoom webinar with live captioning in English. We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. Please reach out with any questions, requests or needs to info@americanlgbtqmuseum.org.

Bios

Imara Jones | Imara, whose work has won Emmy and Peabody Awards, is the Founder and CEO of TransLash Media, a cross-platform, non-profit journalism and narrative organization, which produces content to shift the current culture of hostility towards transgender people in the US. She was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People on the planet in 2023. As part of her work at TransLash, Imara hosts the TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones, which received the 2023 Outstanding Podcast Award from GLAAD ; as well as the investigative, limited series, The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality which received the Excellence in Podcasting Award from the National LGBTQ+ Journalists Association. Imara is also the first trans person to ever receive an award from the National Black Journalists Association, having garnered the Journalist of Distinction Award in 2022. Also in 2022, Politico named her as one of the 40 power players at the intersection of race, politics, and policy in the United States. In 2020 Imara was featured on the cover of Time Magazine as part of its New American Revolution special edition. In 2019 she chaired the first-ever UN High Level Meeting on Gender Diversity with over 600 participants. Imara has been featured regularly in The Guardian, The Nation, MSNBC, CNBC, NPR, Fast Company and GQ. Imara is a 2021 Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellow and a 2019 Soros Equality Fellow.

Shelby Chestnut | Shelby (they/he) is movement leader and policy expert, demonstrated with over 20 years of experience. They are the first Native trans executive director at Transgender Law Center, where they started as the Director of Policy and Programs. Throughout their decades of experience, notable successes include helping launch projects like the Disability Project, Black Trans Circles, and the Trans Agenda for Liberation, the community-led guide outlining solutions towards a better world for all. Shelby is currently the chair of the Board of Trustees at Antioch College.

Yoseñio V. Lewis | Yoseñio is a Latino (Panamanian) of African Descent disabled Trans man who has been a social justice activist since he was 13 years old. A health educator, speaker, writer, performer, trainer, facilitator, out poly and kinky person and a spiritual hugger, Yoseñio is a former Board Member of TASHRA—The Alternative Sexualities Health Research Alliance. Yoseñio is on the faculty for the Sexual Liberation and Healing Justice Track of the National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change Conference. He is also a Board Member of the Columbia University Community Transgender Economic Study.  Yoseñio has participated in various conferences and has won several awards, including the 2024 Ken Jones Award from San Francisco Pride. Currently Yoseñio instructs Stanford University medical students on how to work with Trans and POC patients. Yoseñio believes there can be no art without activism and no activism without art.

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen | Rodrigo is the Executive Director of Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) and is a policy, advocacy, and messaging expert. Rodrigo is a proud Cuban American transgender man, with a career spanning over 16 years in policy and wide-ranging experience in the LGBTQI movement that has covered field organizing, volunteer training, leadership development, fundraising, and media advocacy.  Rodrigo’s expertise in strategic messaging on transgender issues has established him as a subject matter expert, constantly sought out by advocates, lawmakers, and the media for his ability to craft persuasive messaging to advance transgender rights with audiences across the political spectrum.  In 2019, he joined NCTE as Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Action, and in 2021, he assumed the role of Executive Director. In January 2024, NCTE revealed plans to merge with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), resulting in the formation of a new entity called Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE), with Heng-Lehtinen continuing in the role of Executive Director.