Honoring Our
Visionary Founder
Elle Moxley’s Revolutionary Vision
In 2014, sitting in a jail cell, Elle Moxley envisioned something revolutionary: a world where BLACK transgender people could move beyond mere survival to experience joy, celebration, and unapologetic freedom. From that moment of profound clarity, Elle transformed her lived experiences of employment discrimination, physical violence, and homelessness into a blueprint for liberation. She founded the Marsha P. Johnson Institute not just as an organization, but as a sanctuary rooted in joy, resilience, and truth. A place where BLACK trans people could be safe, celebrated, and free. Elle’s tireless leadership shaped MPJI into a cultural force that shifted narratives, touched lives, and built a movement of protection and power that reaches far beyond what anyone thought possible.
Love Notes
A Legacy of Authentic Leadership and Impact
Elle’s dedication to the community has been nothing short of extraordinary. As supporters across the country attest, “Elle shows up” and not just with funding, but with genuine presence, authentic connection, and unwavering follow-through. From supporting grassroots organizations in Cleveland and Jackson to mentoring the next generation of leaders.
Elle has consistently demonstrated that true leadership means recognizing potential in others before they see it in themselves. Her approach has been deeply personal yet profoundly systemic, creating what community members describe as “the blueprint,” a new standard for how BLACK trans people can be centered in their own liberation. Elle built more than an organization; she created a possibility model that proves BLACK trans people can impact the world, lead with power, and demand the resources and respect they deserve.
The Enduring Foundation for Tomorrow
As Elle gracefully passes the torch to new leadership, her legacy remains the beating heart of MPJI’s mission. She has established an organization that community members describe as “purely genuine”—free from gimmicks, rooted in authentic care, and committed to helping people achieve rather than merely survive.
Elle’s vision of centering the most marginalized while building national resources for the BLACK trans community continues to guide MPJI’s evolution into its next chapter. Her “next” is well-deserved, but her impact is eternal: Elle Moxley didn’t just build an institution, she ignited a renaissance of BLACK trans power, creativity, and joy that will continue to light the way for generations to come.
The torch has been passed, but the flame burns brighter than ever, carrying forward Elle’s unwavering belief that BLACK trans lives are not just worthy of protection, but of celebration, leadership, and limitless possibility.
Impact
