Freedom Center For Social Justice

TFAAN The Transgender Faith and Action Network is a collective of trans people of faith who recognize the value of being connected to one another and providing mutual support. The TFAAN Retreat is a virtual experience featuring workshops by and for transgender, non-binary, genderqueer/gender non-conforming people on topics that feel urgent and necessary to explore within community. The TFAAN Retreat is a non-denominational space and is open to trans* people of all and no religious identities. As with all of our work at The Freedom Center for Social Justice, the TFAAN Retreat is intentionally intersectional and inter-generational. TFAAN began as ?TransFaith in Color,? a collaborative effort among trans people of various faith traditions to create more welcoming and affirming houses of worship. TransFaith in Color hosted convenings in North Carolina to promote learning, networking, healing, and empowerment. TFAAN proudly builds upon the work done by the trans people of color and faith who founded these efforts.

Southern faith organizing, LGBTQ advocacy, and civil rights engaged in the planning and organizing efforts of several key campaigns, including the North Carolina NAACP-led Moral Monday Movement. We are also key coordinators for the LGBTQ arm of the Poor People's Campaign and their efforts to shift the moral narrative in our nation that supports the poor and marginalized populations.

DEV-Development - We continue to find ways to grow our donor base while uplifting the work of our key partners, such as through our ICONIC Awards. This annual event serves as a way to fund the efforts of FCSJ while honoring the work of our peers, including Trans advocates, faith leaders, and nonprofits.

Liberating Theologies Speaker Series, presented in partnership with the Union Theological Seminary, is an event that is an expansion of the Freedom Center for Social Justice's Do No Harm campaign. This event works with people of faith and the broader community in North Carolina to shift culture and narratives that cause harm through the interpretation of holy text and other religious writing. We reached thousands via in-person and online programming with messages of liberation, inclusion, and resistance. Liberating Theologies is more than sermons - it is a time of equipping for collective action.

TRAN - The year-long Trans Seminarian Cohort is done in partnership with the Pacific School of Religion and the LGBTQ Task Force. Celebrating over 10 years and 100 seminarians, this program provides support and training to trans and gender non-conforming people in seminaries and religious study programs. In addition to helping them achieve a degree or ordination, the Cohort is resourced to find work that aligns with their calls.

LATN Our intersectional efforts have included deepening partnerships with Hispanic/Latine partners, including the Carolina Migrant Network and the Hispanic Federation. With the Hispanic Federation, we were partners in the souths first "Fuerza Fest", highlighting LGBTQ+ Latine people and cultures. Our advocacy work with the Carolina Migrant Network included pushing back on legislation that targeted our immigrant neighbors. We mobilized local faith communities to push back on laws that would weaponize local law enforcement against immigrants. We also co-hosted over 12 Know Your Rights clinics this year, helping to equip people to stand with our immigrant communities.

Pride - Building on past successes of our Vote with Pride voter engagement and education campaign, our revamped Clack the Vote efforts reached over 45,000 voters throughout the Charlotte metro, providing resources encouraging folks to consider pro-Equality and pro-Justice issues as they completed their ballots in municipal elections. In partnership with the National LGBT+ Task Force, Charlotte Pride, and the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, we were able to expand our efforts into door knocking and phone-banking, in addition to community engagement.

FAITH - In addition to hosting Know Your Rights clinics, weve been mobilizing faith communities to take action for their immigrant neighbors, from organizing protests to supporting local organizations. We also have continued our work to educate people of faith on the importance of standing up for pro-Equality and pro-Justice issues.