12-1pm: SPIRIT CELEBRATION
Location: Community House
Each year we lose trans lives to violence, addiction, as well as health, housing and employment issues that are underserved in the trans+ community. We want to come together to celebrate all the souls we have lost in 2024.
We are creating a blooming floral display to include names of those in our community that have passed and we invite attendees to add names of those loved ones they have lost.
We are overjoyed to welcome activist and icon LaLa Zannell (Goddess/Queen/Sister) as our guest speaker, to help invoke an energy of love, understanding and inspiration in the face of the tragedies that oppress our trans+ community every day.
Thank you to the Cherry Grove Community Association for providing the Community House to celebrate the lost spirits of our community and process our pain in a safe(r) space.
Special thanks to the Cherry Grove
Dune Fund for allowing use of the new beach grass plantings to create an alter of adoration for our lost trans brothers and sisters, and to Todd Erickson (he/him) and Coastal Roots for their creative contributions.
LaLa spoke at the White House for the first Women’s History Month briefing that included transwoman, the last briefing on transgender people under the Obama administration, and also testified at the first Congressional forum on violence against transgender people. In 2015, LaLa was featured on the Advocate’s Trans 100 list.
As chair of the policy and working group committee for Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), LaLa was part of passing Intro 541 which addresses unconstitutional searches by the NYPD.
Recently, LaLa created the first Trans Discrimination Survey in New York City to collect data on trans people's experiences in employment. The findings were released in City Hall Park alongside City Council officials and TGNC leaders.
She was previously Lead Organizer at the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) where she led AVP’s public community organizing work by doing advocacy, outreach and networking on behalf of LGBTQ New Yorkers who have experienced violence.
