Today we’d like to introduce you to Tatiana Williams.
Tatiana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Liberty City, where strength is something you learn early. It’s a community full of culture, love, and resilience, but also one where access and opportunity can feel out of reach. As a young Black trans girl, I was trying to understand who I was in a world that often refused to see me. I began my transition at 16 years old, and while that was one of the most honest decisions I’ve ever made, it was also one of the hardest.
There weren’t roadmaps. There weren’t safe spaces waiting for me. There wasn’t a system designed to catch me if I fell.
I had to navigate rejection, instability, and uncertainty in real time. And yet, even in those moments, I knew I deserved more. I knew our community deserved more.
What stayed with me wasn’t just the hardship, it was the absence. The absence of resources. The absence of representation. The absence of someone saying, “I see you, and I’ve got you.”
So, I became that person.
Over the next 25+ years, my advocacy grew from lived experience into action. I showed up however I could, supporting individuals in crisis, helping people navigate systems that were never built with us in mind, and building trust within a community that had every reason to be cautious. Along the way, I began to sit at tables that once felt out of reach, working alongside community leaders, elected officials, and institutions to push for policies and protections that center transgender people, especially Black and Brown trans people.
By 2016, it became clear that informal support wasn’t enough. Our community needed something structured, something intentional, something that could meet both urgent needs and long-term goals. That vision led me to co-found Transinclusive Group, a trans-led organization rooted in advocacy, direct services, and community building.
What started as a response to crisis became a foundation for possibility.
As the organization grew, so did the reach of the work. I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to national conversations, serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the Human Rights Campaign, as well as a council member of Equality Florida’s TransAction Council. I’ve worked at the intersection of public health and policy as part of Broward County’s Integrated Prevention and Care Plan and the Department of Health Planning Council, while also helping lead community-informed strategies through the Transgender Advisory Group.
This work has also extended into spaces that shape narrative and research. I’ve been honored to contribute as a guest speaker and writer with organizations such as GLAAD and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), ensuring that our stories, our data, and our lived realities are reflected in the conversations that impact our lives.
At the same time, my commitment has remained deeply local, serving on the Broward County Hate Crimes Taskforce and as part of national coalitions like the Transgender Law Center’s Trans Agenda for Liberation. Because real change happens when we connect grassroots work with systems-level impact.
But no matter where this work takes me, it always comes back to the same place.
Every program we build, every policy we influence, every life we touch is connected to a younger version of myself who needed support and couldn’t always find it.
This work is not separate from me……..it is me.
It’s about making sure that the next generation of transgender, gender-expansive and Black cisgender women don’t have to navigate the same barriers alone. It’s about building spaces where people are not just surviving, but thriving, where they are seen, valued, and supported without question.
This journey has never been easy. But it has always been necessary.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of my earliest obstacles was simply existing in a world that didn’t affirm who I was. Beginning my transition at 16, I had to navigate identity, safety, and survival at the same time, without guidance, without visible role models, and without systems designed to support me.
Growing up in Liberty City, I also faced the realities of limited access, whether that was healthcare, stable housing, or economic opportunity. Being a young Black transwoman meant experiencing multiple layers of marginalization at once, often being pushed to the margins of spaces that were supposed to provide support.
Another major challenge was the lack of infrastructure for our community. When I started doing this work, there were very few organizations led by and for transgender people, especially Black transwomen. Much of the support was informal, under-resourced, and unsustainable, which meant I often had to build while responding to crisis at the same time.
There were also systemic barriers—navigating institutions that were not inclusive, advocating within systems that excluded transgender voices, and pushing for policies in environments that were not always welcoming. Even gaining access to funding as a Black trans-led organization has been an ongoing challenge, requiring us to constantly prove our legitimacy in spaces where we’ve historically been overlooked.
And more recently, the political climate has created additional obstacles. Anti-trans legislation and restrictions have not only impacted the communities we serve but have also limited how organizations like mine can operate, communicate, and access funding opportunities.
Through all of this, one of the most consistent challenges has been sustainability—balancing the emotional weight of this work, supporting a community in crisis, and building an organization at the same time, often without the resources or support that others might take for granted.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The work I do is rooted in community, lived experience, and a deep commitment to ensuring that transgender, gender-expansive people and cisgender black women have the support they need to live safe, stable, and affirmed lives.
As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Transinclusive Group, I lead a trans-led organization that provides direct services, advocacy, and community-building in South Florida. Our work meets people where they are, often in moments of crisis. We provide emergency housing support, health education, peer support, and connections to essential resources—services that are not always accessible or affirming within traditional systems.
But the work goes beyond services.
It’s about creating spaces where people feel seen and valued without having to explain or defend who they are. It’s about building trust in communities that have been historically underserved and overlooked. It’s about ensuring that individuals not only survive immediate challenges, but also have pathways to long-term stability, leadership, and opportunity.
At the same time, I work at the systems level, advocating for policies, building relationships with decision-makers, and ensuring that transgender voices are included in conversations that directly impact our lives. Whether it’s contributing to public health strategies, advising on community needs, or influencing legislation, my work bridges the gap between lived experience and institutional change.
The importance of this work cannot be overstated.
Transgender individuals, particularly Black transwomen, continue to face disproportionate rates of housing instability, violence, health disparities, and economic insecurity. Without intentional, culturally competent support, many are left to navigate these challenges alone.
This work exists to change that reality.
It provides immediate, life-saving support while also addressing the root causes of inequity. It builds community in spaces where isolation is common. It shifts narratives by centering the voices and leadership of those most impacted. And it creates systems of care that are not only inclusive, but affirming and empowering.
Ultimately, this work is about dignity.
It’s about making sure that people are not just surviving day to day, but are able to envision and build full, thriving lives. It’s about ensuring that the next generation has access to resources, representation, and opportunities that many of us had to fight for.
Any big plans?
My plans for the future are centered on continuing and strengthening the work I am already doing through Transinclusive Group, while expanding our capacity to meet the growing needs of the transgender and gender-expansive community in South Florida.
At the core of my vision is sustainability, ensuring that the services we provide, including housing support, crisis response, peer navigation, and health education, remain accessible, consistent, and responsive to the people who depend on them. As the needs of our community continue to grow, my focus is on building the infrastructure needed to support long-term stability, both for the individuals we serve and for the organization itself.
I also plan to continue deepening our advocacy efforts at the local, state, and national levels. This includes strengthening relationships with community leaders, public health systems, and policymakers to ensure that transgender voices remain centered in decisions that directly impact our lives. In a time of increasing anti-trans legislation and social challenges, this work is more critical than ever.
Another key priority for the future is leadership development within the community. I am committed to creating pathways for transgender and gender-expansive individuals to step into leadership roles, build skills, and participate in shaping the programs and policies that affect them. Investing in community leadership ensures that this work is not only sustainable, but community-led for generations to come.
Ultimately, my future plans are rooted in continuity and growth. I intend to continue showing up, building, and expanding this work with the same commitment that has guided me from the beginning, ensuring that transgender people are supported, affirmed, and able to live full and stable lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.transinclusivegroup.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/transinclusivegroupfl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transinclusivegroup
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transinclusivegroup/
