10 AÑOS DE AMOR A LA TRANSLATINA/10 YEARS OF LOVE FOR TRANSLATINAS

El/La works to build a world where transgender Latinas (translatinas) feel they deserve to protect, love and develop themselves. By building this base, they support translatinas in protecting themselves against violence, abuse, and illness, and in fully realizing their dreams. El/La is an organization for translatinas that builds collective vision and action to promote their survival and improve their quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their scope of work includes: (1) HIV Prevention – outreach, education, testing, peer-to-peer counseling, accompaniment, and referrals and accompaniment; (2) Violence Prevention – case management, referrals and accompaniment, and Luchadoras Leadership Development and Translatina Council/Consejo Translatina; and (3) Community Strengthening through Safe Space  – evening drop-in, family-style celebrations, art, culture, social networking, expression of spirituality, and life skills groups.

As a result of these programs they in turn go out and educate community members about risks to their health and safety, support each other in identifying barriers to full participation in society, and find resources to overcome those barriers. El/La builds visibility and alliances to respond to transphobic attacks and has worked with over 105 city agencies, service providers, programs and collaboratives in San Francisco, the greater Bay Area and beyond. Their work strengthens translatinas’ ability to critique and respond to the systems of violence they face and to stay resilient and thriving.