ATLANTA — Atlanta organizations dedicated to helping the city’s transgender community are getting $55,000, according to Mayor Andre Dickens.
Dickens announced the funding Wednesday, which was brought forth by Councilmember Matt Westmoreland. Here’s how the donations will be allocated:
- $10,000 to the Atlanta Legal AID Society, Inc.
- $25,000 to Destination Tomorrow
- $20,000 to Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)
The funding comes after three transgender women were the victims of violent crime in April.
Ashley Burton was killed at City Park Apartments off Fairburn Road April 11. Just seven days later, Rasheeda Williams, also known as “Koko Da Doll,” was killed at the Holmes Shopping Plaza off Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Their killings come after a trans woman was shot near Highland Avenue back in January.
“Across the nation, we are seeing a push against the transgender community to eliminate the fundamental right to simply be who they are,” Dickens said. “Everyone has the right to live their life with dignity and freedom from fear, and our Administration wants the transgender community to know we stand with them.”
More about the programs:
The Atlanta Legal AID Society helps transgender and gender expansive people go through the process of changing their names and updating their documents. Their services are free, according to a release.
Destination Tomorrow is a "first-of-its-kind LGBTQ mentoring pilot program in Atlanta," the release said.
BEAM is a program that sponsors "up to 25 scholarships" for those seeking to get more training to help Atlanta’s transgender and gender expansive youth.
The scholarship focuses on "Black mental health and healing justice peer support training," the release added.