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Trans 100 list honors 11 trans-identified Chicagoans

The second annual list of 100 trans-identified people making a big impact on LGBTQ issues in America is out, and 11 of this year’s honorees are from Chicago.

The Trans 100 list, compiled by an anonymous committee of trans people and sponsored by nonprofit advocacy organizations GLAAD, Chicago House and Lambda Legal, was published online for the first time Monday, but formally unveiled at a March 30 event at Mayne Stage in Rogers Park.

Jen Richards, the Trans 100 co-director, said the project’s mission is to promote positive depictions of trans people doing trans advocacy work at a time when many mainstream depictions of trans people are negative or uninformed. The Trans 100 list is released half a year after the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, she explained, in part to respect the victims of violence and to honor those working to combat marginalization and inequality.

“We recognize the importance of memorializing victims in our community, but we also think it’s equally if not more important to celebrate the living and provide a more comprehensive and diverse view of what’s happening in our community,” Richards said.

Chicagoan Gloria Allen was selected for the Trans 100 Living Legend award, Richards said, for her work to empower transgender and gender-nonconforming youth over decades in Chicago, including at the Center on Halsted, a Lakeview community center and clinic.

“Black trans women are the most likely victims of violence, homelessness, HIV … we wanted to show a black trans woman who is both an elder and still giving back to the community and thriving,” Richards said of Allen’s selection.

Below is a list of the honorees from Chicago, whose accomplishments are detailed in the Trans 100 list.

Angelica Ross, the coordinator of TransWorks, an employment program for transgender and gender-nonconforming people run by the nonprofit Chicago House, and a mentor with the National Trans Leadership Academy.

Lana Wachowski, a film director, writer and producer who co-directed “The Matrix” trilogy, “Cloud Atlas,” “Speed Racer” and other films with her brother Andy Wachowski.

Laura Jane Grace, frontwoman of the punk band Against Me!, which released the album “Transgender Dysphoria Blues.”

Fallon Fox, a professional mixed martial arts fighter who has faced challenges being an out trans athlete in a sport with few guidelines for trans athlete participation.

Parker Marie Molloy, author and freelance journalist who has written about feminism and gender for The Advocate, Rolling Stone, Huffington Post, Salon, Talking Points Memo and other media outlets.

Precious Davis, youth outreach coordinator at the Center on Halsted, an artistic associate with About Face Theatre and a facilitator with the National Conference for Community and Justice of St. Louis’s youth leadership conference, Anytown.

Riley Johnson, an activist and consultant focusing on LGBTQ healthcare disparities, working toward a masters degree in education at DePaul University.

TJ Jourian, a social-justice activist and speaker and doctoral student at Loyola University-Chicago, where he researches trans*masculine narratives about masculinity and gender.

Viveka Ray-Mazumder, who runs the youth empowerment program KINETIC, which serves immigrant and refugee youth in Chicago Public Schools through the organization Advancing Justice-Chicago, and a collective member at the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois, which connects incarcerated trans and gender-nonconforming people with pen-pals. Ray-Mazumder also coordinates a monthly support group for trans and gender-questioning Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Chicago.

Z Jae Williams, founder of Youth Lounge, a drop-in youth program for queer youth, in a Lakeview church.

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