9/11! This date perhaps is etched in the memory of all who were of the age to understand the severity of what we experienced that day! Our world changed that day! Our country had not experienced anything like that before and we thought nothing worse than that could ever happen to us again. While we have not experienced another tragedy caused by external elements, we’ve certainly not been immune to internal conditions that make life difficult for people. Specially this year, the reality of racial inequity has surfaced like never before, and the decisions of our administration are creating extremely difficult circumstances for people of color, people with limited resources and people with disabilities.
Earlier today, I attended a meeting where I learned of another attack on the safety of LGBTQ people. Our current administration is undermining HUD’s protections for transgender people seeking safe shelter by removing critical equal access protections to regulations meant to ensure the safety of anyone in need of HUD-funded programs, a protection critical for transgender people experiencing homelessness, survivors of violence, and fleeing disasters.
According to the 2015 US Transgender Survey, nearly one-third of transgender and gender non-binary people experience homelessness at some point in their life; about one-half of transgender and non-binary people who identify as Black, Middle Eastern, Multiracial, or undocumented experience homelessness at some point in their life.
Beloved, we know that housing is a basic right. Removing the equal access protection will make it difficult for the above-mentioned folk to obtain safe housing. Housing Saves Lives is working to make sure the protection regulations stay in place and need our help. HUD needs to hear from responsible citizens, like you, demanding them to maintain their equal access policy. Please click here to let HUD know that #housingsaveslives. They need to hear from us by September 22nd.
It takes just a few minutes of our time. Protecting transgender people’s access to gender specific facilities does not endanger the safety or privacy of others, but makes housing a safe and real possibility for them.
Beloveds let us do all we can to make life livable for all we can. That is what God requires of us -- whenever we can, however we can, and wherever we can. May we always find a way to do our part to make this world, our country and our community a better place for all, specially for our black, brown transgender siblings. May God give us the strength we need for each day. And remember, I am always your partner in justice and in ministry,
