Excited to participate!

For the final day in Black History month I want to feature one of the most successful Black American transgender women in the entertainment industry whose career marked several major firsts in mainstream media, Laverne Cox. Laverne Cox was born in Mobile, Alabama and studied dance and acting before building a career in New York. She became widely known for playing Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, one of the first recurring television roles where a trans woman was portrayed by a trans woman on a major scripted series. The character was written as a full person with family, work, and relationships rather than a stereotype or plot twist. In 2014 she became the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category. That same year she appeared on the cover of TIME magazine, which introduced many people to conversations about transgender identity in everyday life. Beyond acting, she has spoken publicly about issues such as incarceration, healthcare access, and identification documents, often connecting her own experiences to broader social realities. Cox’s impact comes from normalization. For many viewers, she was the first time they saw a Black trans woman presented with dignity and complexity in a mainstream television series, helping shift public perception from curiosity to recognition.

For today, I want to highlight Jari Jones, a Black American transgender woman working in fashion and creative direction. Jari Jones is a model, writer, and creative producer from New York. She became widely recognized in 2020 when she was featured in a Calvin Klein Pride campaign, making her one of the first Black trans women included prominently in a major global fashion advertisement. Before modeling, she worked behind the scenes in production and creative development for film, theater, and fashion projects. Her significance comes from authorship and visibility in creative industries that historically excluded Black trans women. Rather than only appearing in front of the camera, she has been involved in shaping campaigns and storytelling, advocating for trans people to be part of decision making roles within fashion and media production.

Today, I want to highlight Ts Madison. Ts Madison (Madison Hinton) is a Black American transgender entrepreneur, internet personality, and host. She first gained attention in the early 2010s through viral online videos and later created her own talk show and media brand. In 2021 she became the first Black transgender woman to star in and executive produce her own reality television series (The Ts Madison Experience on WE tv). Her significance comes from business ownership and self-produced media rather than traditional activism. By building her own platform, she demonstrated a path where a Black trans woman could control production, branding, and storytelling rather than waiting to be cast or approved by existing institutions.

Today I want to discuss Earline Budd, a Black transgender woman known for decades of grassroots community work in San Francisco. Earline Budd is a longtime organizer in the Tenderloin neighborhood and has worked with organizations serving LGBTQ seniors and low income residents. Much of her advocacy has focused on practical support: helping transgender people find housing, access social services, and navigate city systems that can be confusing or hostile. She has also worked with programs supporting older LGBTQ adults, emphasizing that trans people need stability and care not only when young, but as they age. Her significance comes from sustained local leadership. Rather than national fame, Budd is known within her community as someone who consistently shows up, connects people to resources, and helps residents advocate for themselves with city agencies. Her work highlights a part of Black trans history that often goes unrecognized: long term neighborhood organizing and daily support that quietly improves people’s lives.

For today, I want to highlight Hope Giselle, a Black transgender woman whose work centers on education and community support. Hope Giselle is a writer, speaker, and community organizer from Miami, Florida. She began advocacy work through local outreach supporting LGBTQ youth and later worked with national organizations focused on equality and media representation. Much of her work involves training schools, companies, and community groups on how to treat transgender people respectfully in everyday settings rather than only during public crises. She is also the author of Becoming Hope, a memoir about growing up Black and transgender in the South, discussing family relationships, religion, identity, and survival. Her public speaking and workshops often focus on practical understanding — how teachers, employers, and families can create safer environments for trans people. Giselle’s contribution comes from education: translating lived experience into guidance that helps institutions change behavior, not just language.