Our First Annual Community Connections Event!
He She Ze and We is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to building and serving an inclusive community of families with transgender and nonbinary loved ones of all ages. We are parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles, siblings, guardians, and caregivers working to support, protect, and celebrate our loved ones fully. We are ALLIES and we NEED YOUR HELP!
He She Ze and We’s multi-layered approach to support, education, and advocacy provides the community with the much needed tools and skills to navigate this often complex journey of gender identity together — in a brave, safe, and non-judgmental space. We need your support to keep our quality programming going.
In 2022, the over 200 families reached out to He She Ze and We — double the number from last year! Families with gender diverse loved ones, ages ranging from 3 to 43, contacted us for resources, information, support, and community.
We BUILD COMMUNITY with our HSZ&W FAMILY CONNECTIONS PROGRAM!
In response to the increasingly hostile political environment our families, especially those with school-age children are facing, we launched a social program in 4 localities: Hampton Roads, Central VA, Blue Ridge, and New River Valley in 2022.
Our Family Connections organizers create fun local gatherings for families where youth, parents, and siblings can practice gender affirming behaviors, such as, using new names and pronouns.
WE NEED TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMMING TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY!
By the end of 2022, HSZ&W will have facilitated 101 educational support meetings and 5 guest speaker events! We provide access across Virginia and nationwide, including our BIPOC and Interfaith meetings, through our virtual programming. We also offer in person meetings for VA residents in 3 localities, Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Blacksburg, with plans to expand to 2-3 new areas in 2023.
HSZ&W educational support meetings are having a positive impact on trans and nonbinary individuals whose families participate in our programming. We help family members be open to listen to their loved one and learn how to be truly supportive, meet their needs, and often that means putting their own fears aside. We create a brave space for these families and share experiences about next steps!
A supportive family is the #1 protective factor for trans youth. The work He She Ze and We is doing with families is actually suicide prevention!
Hiring our first Executive Director (March 2022) made it possible to bring our programming to a larger audience. We provided 15 professional development training sessions in 2022 to a variety of audiences: independent schools, medical and mental health providers, government agencies, and corporations with just one staff member.
Our small organization is proud of what we have been able to accomplish and yet, there is so much more to do.
Can you imagine how many more families we can help, how many more groups we can educate, how we can show up more to advocate…what a huge difference we can make in the lives of trans and nonbinary folx … if we can increase our capacity by adding more paid staff?
Thank you for considering a monthly, quarterly, or one-time donation today! Help us grow our community by sharing with your networks or employers to spread awareness about the benefits of financially supporting He She Ze and We.