August Letter from the Board

Dear NTBA Community,

I write to you with deep gratitude and joy as we reflect on the powerful moments shared during this year’s Transgender Law Institute (TLI) and Lavender Law Conference. From the thoughtful panels to the moving conversations and vibrant social gatherings, it was a reminder of what it means to be in community: fierce, joyful, and committed to justice.

TLI brought together advocates, organizers, scholars, and attorneys from across the country to have honest conversations about how we show up for one another—both personally and professionally. We explored what safety, solidarity, and action within the state and outside of the state look like in a time of increasing hostility toward trans people. These conversations were necessary, and we thank every panelist who brought their insight and experience to the table. Your labor matters. Your wisdom matters.

We are especially grateful to Wilmer Hale for their generous support of this year’s programming and celebration. Your contribution made space for joy and community, and we cannot overstate how much that matters.

One of the most powerful moments of the programming was hearing from Ms. Tamika Spellman, who shared her work creating Grammy’s Place, a housing and healing initiative led by and for Black trans women. In a world where the state continues to turn a hostile eye, Tamika has carved out a sanctuary. We thank her for her leadership and courage, and we encourage everyone who can to support this life-affirming work: https://www.patreon.com/GrammysPlace. Commitment to our community is more than just words—it is action.

We also want to celebrate the energy and connection at our social gathering at Henrietta Hudson, where we laughed, danced, vented, and envisioned. We cycled through joy, anger, rage, and hope together, and in doing so, we remembered that community is a source of strength and healing.

This year reminded us of the importance of making these spaces not only available, but accessible, especially to the trans advocates and legal professionals doing the daily, often unacknowledged, work to make our world safer. We are committed to continuing that work and doing better by those who carry so much of the weight.

Thank you to every person who made TLI and Lavender Law what it was. We look forward to seeing even more of you next year, and to continuing the conversation about how we create safety, community, and justice together.

In solidarity and gratitude,
Whit Washington 
Miembros del Consejo de Administración
TLI Co-Chair
Asociación Nacional de Abogados Trans