This is Octavia St. Laurent Mizrahi. She is #BlackHistory and #BlackTransHistory.

This goddess was a key figure in the seminal Ballroom doc, “Paris Is Burning,” but she was so much more than that. A staple on the scene for years, walking Femme Queen Face and Realness. She left her greatest mark on community as an educator on identity and through HIV/AIDS advocacy. As you can see, she always kept the rest of the world in check.

📼: “Queen of the Underground” - Youtube/Jericho DeAngelo

This is The Lady Chablis. She is #BlackHistory and #BlackTransHistory.

As a decorated female impersonator (as they used to say) and showgirl, she entertained crowds for decades. She had her big international break after inspiring a character in author John Berendt’s best-selling novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, then starring as herself in the ‘97 film adaptation.

📼: “In the Life: Ep. 603, “Image, Identity & Diversity” - Youtube/UCLA Film & Television Archive

Black trans people experience homelessness at disproportionate rates. Yet orgs like the
The Okra Project, a community aid collective, are helping Black trans and gender non-conforming people access housing, food security, and professional development.
Learn more: https://www.theokraproject.com/

This is the second post in our infographic series for #BlackHistoryMonth which celebrates Black Trans Resistance

#BlackTransHistory #BlackTransJoy #BlackTransPride #BlackTransLivesMatter #DisabilityJustice

For Black History Month, we're releasing an infographic series on the experiences of Black trans people with discrimination, acceptance, and joy.

Join us in celebrating Black trans resistance this month.
#BlackTransHistory #BlackHistoryMonth