He She Ze And We

Community Building and Outreach: HSZ&W shows up at as many community events as possible to spread awareness about the importance of creating inclusive and welcoming environments. The way this translates into our work is staff and volunteers providing a resource and/or activity table at many events across the state throughout the year. Sharing information about our organization, how folks can engage with us, learning opportunities, and providing branded materials such as pronoun buttons, stickers, and other marketing materials. We provide training so that our volunteers are equipped with reliable information to share with folks. We strive to represent the communities we are aiming to support, thus it is important to have parents of trans youth and adult trans individuals on our board and paid staff, as well as, volunteer team.

He She Ze and We Family Connections Program: Positive social interactions with peers is essential for healthy social, intellectual, and emotional development of all children. There is a nationwide attack on Transgender and Nonbinary Youth which is negatively impacting our families. During these extremely volatile times in our society, He She Ze and We brings families together to foster the growth of community close to home. Trans youth and their families need to know that they are seen, understood, accepted, and celebrated Family Connections programming takes families out into their local communities to feed their souls by engaging in group activities...just for fun This program compliments our educational support for adult family members by inviting siblings into the mix so that they too feel supported and valued, as well as experience first hand the natural variances of gender identity and expression amongst peers. For each locality, various relationships are forming with other organizations and businesses that are willing to provide a welcoming environment. Family Connections is organized and run by our Community Engagement and Events Coordinator. The goal is to lift up this vibrant community and help our children not only survive, but THRIVE Family Connections events happened in 2-4 regions across VA in 2024/2025 with Richmond and Charlottesville having the most in attendance.

Ally & Community Education: Educating families is only part of the solution to creating a safe and welcoming community for transgender and nonbinary individuals. Knowledge dislodges fear and can empower individuals to know how to talk about gender diversity and how to create inclusive environments for trans and nonbinary people. We work with schools, corporations, businesses, community organizations, medical and mental health providers. During a typical training session, facilitators cover foundational concepts, illuminate risk factors, explore identities, and encourage participants to learn best practices when supporting transgender and nonbinary people in a variety of settings. Our team consults with clients and tailors a program that fits their needs and goals. HSZ&W training helps attendees leave feeling more confident about the topic of gender identity and how to be an ally. Followup includes a satisfaction feedback survey and comprehensive resources. With financial support, HSZ&W will be able to increase our capacity by

HSZ&Ws Trans Wellness Fund (TWF): In response to Virginias major hospital systems abruptly halting medical care to transgender youth under the age of 19, HSZ&W has created a program to help families and adult trans individuals navigate the healthcare system with personalized virtual meetings to connect them with affirming and competent mental health and medical providers. Launching in May 2025, with a quarterly application cycle and micro grants are awarded to those who need financial assistance to access care.