NEWS

In the relentless struggle for liberation and justice, there is an intersection between transgender rights and the broader fight for BLACK liberation that cannot be ignored. This juncture demands a raw, unfiltered examination of the connection between our fundamental rights and political representation. The fight for transgender rights, intricately linked to the broader BLACK liberation movement, requires resolute action. BLACK […]

TDOR was formed to honor lives lost to murder. But everyday discrimination leads to transgender deaths that should be honored too, some advocates say. Every year on the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), trans people lost to homicide and violence are remembered at memorials around the country and around the world. Read the full article here. 

Elle Moxley is the founder and executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson institute. Language is our battlefield. It is the arena where our struggle for recognition, acceptance, and justice plays out. When we, Black transgender women, wield words as weapons and shields, we challenge the very system that has oppressed us for far too long. Language isn’t just a […]

It was, to the mainly working-class queer patrons of colour, almost routine at this point. Police raided the red-bricked Greenwich Village gay bar as they had done so many times before. Same old, same old. But that night, they had enough. They came throwing chants, punches, stones and, as the stories go, bricks in a revolt which led to days of protests and years […]

National Coming Out Day is upon us, and it’s high time we cut through the BS and get real. While this day has traditionally been about celebrating LGBTQ+ individuals unapologetically being themselves, the day would not even be needed if not for the transphobes, misogynists, and racists who put our lives at risk with their hatred and violence. Read the […]

Empowered by her community of Black trans women, Elle Moxley works to create space for all people to live authentically, including herself. She’s one of two trans women leaders we spoke to who are transforming the nonprofit and corporate industries. Read the full article here.

???? The liberation of us all is bound up in queer and trans liberation! It’s #PrideMonth and we can’t talk about pride without talking about the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, an icon and pioneer in the fight for transgender rights and visibility. This month, FEMINIST co-founder Aisha Becker-Burrowes went live with Elle Moxley, Founder and Executive Director of the […]

Gucci has revealed the fourth round of recipients for its Gucci North America Changemakers Impact Fund and Scholars Program, recognizing 12 nonprofit organizations and 12 scholars. The brand launched Gucci Changemakers North America in 2019 in order to help drive solutions for a better future through creativity and impact. Since its founding more than 2,100 organizations and 4,000 students have […]

Trans activist Elle Moxley sat down with Blavity to talk about why she was motivated to become a voice for trans advocacy. Moxley, who describes herself as an artist, director, producer, human rights advocate and visionary, is the founder and Executive Director of Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Named after one of the first activists who fought back during the Stonewall […]

On June 10, H&M hosted a brunch at Brooklyn Bowl in New York, near the H&M Williamsburg store. The event was part of H&M USA’s Pride month, in honor of Pride and in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. “Our culture of inclusion at H&M extends not only to our colleagues, but also to our customers and the communities in which […]

On Tuesday Lizzo revealed she was donating her first $50K to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, a charity who helps the black LGBTQ community. Its namesake Marsha P. Johnson was an American gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen. Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. […]

Lizzo’s Juneteenth Giveback campaign recognizes Black-led grassroots organizations and businesses. In an announcement to her 13.5 million followers on Instagram today, Lizzo shared the news and encouraged her fans to join her in supporting each of the five organizations she will be highlighting this week. Fans that take action by donating will be entered into a drawing for an all-expenses […]

Retailer Collaborates with the Marsha P. Johnson Institute in Support of LGBTQIA+ Community With Pride Month Celebration New York, NY, June 10, 2023 – Today, H&M USA makes history by breaking the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ official title for the Most People Attending a Drag Brunch in honor of Pride Month and in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. Since early 2022, […]

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—At a time when anti-trans legislation and hateful rhetoric continue to reach historical highs, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) today announced an urgent petition and series of events to celebrate Pride 2023, enveloped in the theme A Revival of Love. This year’s theme revolves around the necessity of self-love and collective love; MPJI aims to celebrate the […]

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Continuing its mission to uplift the wholeness and humanity of Black transgender individuals, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) today announced the selection of five emerging artists as participants of the inaugural Starship Artist Fellowship program. The five multidisciplinary fellows are: Utē Petit Äscen IGohida X Dami Spain Sweet Corey-Bey Azzan Quick The mentors: Ava Tuitt Linda […]

“These bills not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes and misinformation about transgender people but also seek to codify discrimination and transphobia into law,” added Elle Moxley, CEO of the Marsha P. … Johnson Institute, in a separate statement, which also noted that, for transgender people, “existing is a radical act.” “We are being actively, methodically and intentionally eradicated.” Read full article […]

As we commemorate International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) this year, it’s important to recognize what this day means. It’s about more than being visible and celebrating our existence; it’s about fighting for that very right to exist and thrive in a world that is actively trying to erase us. With the rise in anti-trans legislation across the country, and […]

Whether it’s the Marsha P. Johnson Institute celebrating Black trans women, as Advocate explains, or Zaya Wade being granted her legal name, as Huffington Post reports, trans women are here to stay. Read the full article here.

Elle Moxley Moxley is both a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, as well as the founder of The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, an organization that uplifts Black trans people through a mix of advocacy and community-building. Read the full article by Candice Helfand-Rogers here.

To combat this public health crisis, Moxley founded and is currently the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, a project that supports the lives and human rights of Black transgender people through community healing and leadership. Read the full article by Jill Schuck here. 

What do you hope for the future of The Marsha P. Johnson Institute? Well, I hope that The Marsha P. Johnson Institute continues to grow and that it has an opportunity to support itself, growing to a space that creates access to Black trans people near and far.   Read the full article by Joshua S. Mackey, Henry Giardina, Ian […]

The media shouldn’t need a Black History Month to acknowledge and celebrate Black talent (same goes for Latin people during Hispanic Heritage Month or women in March (our “History Month”), but we do. And as a journalist who gets way too many emails tailored to holidays and commemorative months, we feel a responsibility to shine a light on under-represented groups […]

As BLACK History Month ends, one organization continues to make sure the accomplishments of Black transgender Americans aren’t forgotten throughout the year. The Marsha P. Johnson Institute aims at uplifting Black trans voices as the LGBTQ+ community marches toward full acceptance, equality, and safety. To protect and defend Black trans people’s rights, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute organizes, advocates, creates communities […]

Black people are everything; we know this. From innovation to resilience, beauty, talent, and grace, we embody greatness. We’ve contributed to every facet of life, including science, tech, music, sports, politics, you name it. And as we’ve seen recently with two new historic feats, Lebron James’ NBA all-time leading scorer record and Beyoncé winning the most Grammys by a single […]

Marsha P Johnson pictured at a march in the early ’70s. (Getty) In the early hours of 28 June, 1969, Marsha P Johnson arrived at New York’s Stonewall Inn to discover all hell breaking loose. The bar, one of the city’s most prominent queer spaces, had been raided by police earlier that night. The fightback that followed went down in history. Over […]

We chatted with Dr. David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, an org dedicated to Black LGBTQ+ empowerment. There’s a whole big world out there. With The Buckeye Flame’s hyperlocal focus on LGBTQ+ Ohio, it can be easy to forget that there are 49 other states out there. And, similar to Ohio, so many of those other state […]

As the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Elle Moxley is cutting through the talk to create more action. Growing up in the heart of Columbus, Elle Moxley had big dreams. “I wanted to become a cross between Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, and a lawyer,” laughs Moxley. What she did not imagine was that her advocacy work […]

Social media can be a mixed bag when it comes to what is promoted versus not. Still, one narrative I’m happy to see gain reach in recent years is that the holidays aren’t 100% happy for everyone. They can highlight rifts and painful losses, which can be heavy and isolating for the Black trans community. Connotations of homecoming can be […]

As seen on FEMINIST, Written By Aisha Becker-Burrowes. Elle Moxley founded and serves as the Executive Director of The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, an organization committed to protecting and defending the rights of Black Trans people. She has led campaigns including the #SayHerName National Day of Action and the first-ever National Day of Action for BLACK Trans Women in 2015.  […]

December 07, 2022 11:46 AM Eastern Standard Time CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As a nod to its national prominence as the leading nonprofit advocating for the protection and human rights of the Black transgender community, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) will lead a panel discussion for the “The Color Is: Renaissance Weekend” event at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. […]

Image Credit: Erica Lewis on unsplash As seen on NPQ by Bridgit Antoinette Evans and Tracy Van Slyke. This article is the fourth installment of NPQ’s series on Community-Driven Philanthropy. In this series, movement leaders explore what’s possible if philanthropy adopts a reparative model—one in which it supports the leadership of BIPOC communities, not just by writing grants, but by […]

As seen on WE THE PEOPLE by Brandie Bland. Communities around the country gather to honor Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on Nov. 20. Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans activist, created TDOR as a vigil for Rita Hester, a Black trans woman who was murdered in 1998. Since 1999, TDOR has become a national memorial to those whose lives were […]

Communities around the country gather to honor Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on Nov. 20. Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans activist, created TDOR as a vigil for Rita Hester, a Black trans woman who was murdered in 1998. Since 1999, TDOR has become a national memorial to those whose lives were stolen from them because of transphobia and anti-trans violence. […]

When I was a young girl, I had a weekly ritual with my mother to do my hair. It was, and will always be, a particular time I hold dear to my heart. Every week my mother would care for her three daughters’ hair, a labor of love I learned early on. The hours she would spend on us — […]

“We get to see ourselves and hold that space with each other, because our world doesn’t really do that.” When it comes to Hulu’s latest docuseries The Hair Tales, the medium is the message. The six-part docuseries — which premiered on Oct. 22 and was co-executive produced by Tracee Ellis Ross, Oprah Winfrey, and Michaela angela Davis — explores how Black hair […]

Music has been and will always be about liberation. It is the single most extraordinary form of art that enables us to heal because it encapsulates so many different artistic mediums, whether through visuals, dance, movement, or voice. Regardless of gender, race, ability, age, or any identifier, music resonates with us all and creates the space for us to experience […]

If there’s one thing that Elle Moxley, a Black liberation activist and artist, wants people to know about Marsha P Johnson, it’s that she’s not alive. Moxley is the founder of the Black trans-led organisation Marsha P Johnson Institute, named after the Black trans campaigner, sex worker, mother figure for homeless queer youth and key figure of the Stonewall Riots. […]

By Brandie Bland | WASHINGTON – On the 34th anniversary of National Coming Out Day, LGBTQ people across the country honor the community and its fight for equality. But not everyone sees coming out as a celebration. “Coming out is not always the best option for persons of color who already — because of our pigment on top of our […]

A vintage typewriter, a protest sign, a string of pearls, a disco ball — these are a few of the props arranged to evoke a queer past on set for a photo shoot in the Los Angeles suburb of Culver City with photographer MaryV photographing exclusively on the Google Pixel 6a. The objects pay homage to LGBTQ+ people who were […]

Marsha P. Johnson — a towering figure in the Stonewall Rebellion — would have celebrated her 77th birthday this week. Johnson was an outspoken advocate for gay and trans rights, and the “P” in her name stood for “Pay it no mind” — her response when asked about her gender. In honor of the late activist’s birthday, the Blade sat […]

On what would have been Marsha P Johnson’s 77th birthday, the founder of the institute that bears her name discusses her powerful, often misunderstood legacy. Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August, 1945, holds a special place within the LGBTQ+ community for her larger-than-life spirit and trans rights activism. She was instrumental in the 1969 Stonewall riots which kickstarted the modern […]

Brian Thompson chats with Elle Moxley, the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. The institute seeks to better the lives of Black transgender people through organizing, advocacy, and community. Elle founded the nonprofit institute in response to the murders of transgender women of color. On the episode, Elle shares how the Marsha P. Johnson Institute resulted from her […]

Thirty years after her death, Marsha P. Johnson’s legacy of activism continues thanks to an organization bearing her name that works to support Black transgender people. “What happens oftentimes to Black transgender people is because of the lack of resources economically and structurally, we often are siloed into individual efforts, and we are isolated from each other and also from […]

For the second year in a row, affordable fashion giant H&M has partnered with The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, a non-profit organization that aims to protect and defend the human rights of Black transgender people. Held this week at H&M locations in Columbus, Ohio and Dallas, Texas, approximately 20 LGBTQ+ students at each event will receive hair, makeup, styling, and […]

H&M USA is proud to continue its ongoing support of the LGBTQ+ community and announce its second year of partnership with The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI). The retailer and non-profit are coming together to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ students and the beauty inherent within varied gender identities with two “Fresh and Fabulous for Fall,” shopping sprees. Held at H&M […]

Don’t call it the Black Sundance. Though it was dubbed that by Ebony magazine, the BlackStar Film Festival, now in its 11th year, is a cultural institution all its own. Sharing a similar focus on independent cinema with its Park City counterpart, BlackStar — kicking off on Wednesday in Philadelphia with a slate of 77 features and shorts from all […]

Sammy Gibbons As seen on Democratic & Chronicle. Jena Jaffe and her wife considered getting their estate documents arranged for a few years. But she finally called a lawyer and said she needed it done on Friday, just after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Jaffe, an attorney and founder of Connecting Rainbows, said web […]

  We highlight the foremother of the Pride movement  – Marsha P. Johnson as we continue to celebrate Pride month! Elle Moxley, the Founder and Executive Director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute joins The Morning Beat, to discuss how the institution continues to follow in Johnson’s legacy, by bringing Black trans joy!

For a glimpse into the struggles, mindsets, and interests of today’s youth, TikTok is the place to be. In only a few years, the app has managed to forge a bond of mutual understanding and support between teens from all over the world like no other platform has done before. It wouldn’t be a lie to say that comedy forms […]

CLEVELAND–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Embracing the momentum of Spring, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to lifting the Black transgender community, today announced new programming for 2022. The Starship Artist Fellowship program is a six-month fellowship that seeks to eliminate barriers that Black transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary artists experience by providing opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, visibility, and access […]

H&M AND THE MARSHA P. JOHNSON INSTITUTE PARTNER TO CELEBRATE LGBTQ+ STUDENTS WITH “FRESH AND FABULOUS FOR FALL” GATHERING IN NYC WITH MICHAELA JAÉ RODRIGUEZ     NEW YORK CITY, NY — H&M USA is proud to continue its ongoing support of the LGBTQ+ community and announce a new partnership with The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI). The retailer and […]

This month we’ve observed Black August, an annual commemoration that began in the California prison system in the 1970s to honor political prisoners and freedom fighters of the Black Liberation Movement killed by the state. It is a call for us to remember the humanity of political prisoners (old and new) and those who have called out the injustices of […]

MARSHA P. JOHNSON INSTITUTE INTRODUCES PRIDE MONTH AGENDA AND HISTORIC BEAUTY BRAND COLLABORATION SheaMoisture Lends Social Media Platforms to Amplify MPJI Columbus, Ohio — Continuing its commitment to lifting voices and advocating for the Black transgender community, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) today announced several activities to commemorate Pride month, including a groundbreaking collaboration with a major beauty and […]

“There Is No Pride For Some Of Us Without Liberation For All Of Us.” -Marsha P. Johnson    COLUMBUS, OH — As the pandemic continues and with it, disproportionate impacts on BLACK transgender people, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute today announced the donation of over $250,000 to more than 500 individuals across the United States in 2020.  The Marsha P. […]

There’s no other way to say it: Elle Hearns is a force to be reckoned with. Since 2013, the Ohio native has performed extensive work as a speaker, writer, and community organizer with organizations like GetEQUAL and the BLACK Lives Matter Global Network. That led to her founding the Marsha P. Johnson Institute in 2015, which works to protect and […]

This year, Pride month is taking place in the midst of a growing BLACK Lives Matter revolution — so there’s no better time to amplify the importance of trans BLACK lives, as was done last weekend in a massive show of support in Brooklyn and as will happen with a similar demonstration in London on Saturday. To keep it going, Yahoo […]

The NYPD drone circling over the protest outside the Brooklyn Museum yesterday must have only picked up a sea of white. That’s the color protestors were asked to wear to rally and march silently in the wake of the deaths of Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, Riah Milton, Tony McDade, and countless other BLACK trans victims of police brutality and civilian violence. The event featured speakers […]

An estimated 15,000 people wearing white rallied and marched in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday in support of BLACK trans lives. The “Brooklyn Liberation” demonstration was inspired in part by a NAACP-led protest in New York City in 1917, during which 10,000 people wore white to stand up against anti-BLACK violence, according to Fran Tirado, an organizer of Sunday’s protest. … […]

“The first Pride was a riot.” This June, the LGBTQ+ community has routinely shared those six words across social media. Activists and demonstrators in support of the BLACK Lives Matter movement use them to remind us that there’s a clear throughline between the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States and a revitalized push for anti-racist legislation that protects people […]

For artist Texas Isaiah, the annual International Transgender Day of Visibility is complicated. Although representation and visibility in the media are steps forward, coverage often centers on celebrities and leaves others out of the conversation, painting the picture that the community is “doing OK and flourishing, when that isn’t the case,” he said, pointing to the alarming murder and suicide […]

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Sunwink, the new sparkling herbal tonic brand on a mission to nourish and re-energize the human connection between ourselves and plants is launching their fifth flavor inspired by and in collaboration with BLACK, health, and LGBTQIA+ sexuality educator, Ericka Hart, Hibiscus Mint Unwind, as well as brand new packaging and design featured across all existing products […]

The push for protections is made easier with the Marsha P. Johnson Institute’s Safety and Wellness Act. (Thank you to Lauren Magarino at Newsy for the interview). Watch the full video interview on Newsy.com

Elle Hearns is the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which aims to create social justice initiative, policy and programming for BLACK trans women. She made history when she led the design of the first-ever Movement for BLACK Lives Convening, held in Cleveland, Ohio, and later when she played a pivotal role in the creation of the official BLACK Lives Matter […]

Between the lines you’ll feel her confidence roar. Every word spoken within MadameNoire’s exclusive beauty series powered by Sephora lends to her truth. If you love the glow up and the glam of an unapologetic woman who is redefining traditional femininity, we encourage you to get up close and personal with beauty and activist, Elle Hearns, former strategic partner of […]

As transgender and nonbinary leaders of prominent advocacy, grassroots, national, regional, legal, and leadership development organizations across the United States, we are troubled by Human Rights Campaign’s announcement of its new “trans-centered” framework, which we first learned about on Out.com. Trans people, and primarily BLACK trans leaders and trans leaders of color, have been leading the work for trans liberation since […]

Denali Berries Stuckey. Brooklyn Lindsey. Zoe Spears. Chanel Scurlock. Chynal Lindsey. Paris Cameron. Michelle Washington. Muhlaysia Booker. Claire Legato. Ashanti Carmon. Jazzaline Ware and Dana Martin. These are the names of 12 BLACK trans women who were killed in a swift stroke of violence over the last six months. This month, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute announced its plan to take on […]

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. — In 2019, there have been at least eleven transgender women killed that we know of across the country. All the victims were BLACK, and two of them lived in the D.C.-area. Ashanti Carmon and Zoe Spears were killed in Prince George’s County two blocks away and two months apart. However, violence against BLACK trans women is […]