Published by KQED
Celebration and sorrow often intermix.
It’s with that in mind that Friday, the San Francisco Trans March is commemorating 20 years of trans beauty and resilience.
It’s in this time of turmoil, hate and hope that KQED reached out to trans people in Brown’s life who were part of his community at the Young Women’s Freedom Center, where Brown sought support and, eventually, became a staff community organizer: Xavier Davenport, 36, a Black transmasculine man who was Brown’s mentor; Kazani Kalani Finao, 33, a Samoan transmasculine man who took the role of community sibling; and Juju Pikes-Prince, 24, a Black transgender woman who was a trans auntie to other trans people at the center, including Brown. Davenport and Kalani Finao were born and raised in San Francisco. Pikes-Prince was born in Daly City and raised in San Francisco.
This wide-ranging conversation aimed to find the commonalities in their experiences and Brown’s, navigating homelessness in San Francisco, acceptance in their families, and how trans people can find joy, despite the obstacles that lie in their path.