2025 NYC Pride Guide - Flipbook - Page 14
YOUTH GRAND MARSHAL
Trans formative Schools (TfS) is a progressive
education community centering trans joy and
social justice. Their mission is to support trans
futures by uplifting the lives of trans children,
trans educators, and families touched by transness. TfS operates a free after school program
designed to center the needs of trans, queer,
nonbinary, and gender expansive students ages
nine to fifteen. This revolutionary afterschool is
open and welcoming to all students. They are
working to found a trans middle school that embodies the work of liberation through rigorous
academics, joyful connections, identity exploration, and progressive practice. Trans formative
Schools builds trans power by organizing in support of trans youth at all schools and by conducting trans-led youth participatory action research.
Eventually, TfS aspires to support trans teachers
to launch trans schools around the country and
the world.
Alaina Daniels (they/she), Co-Founder, Executive Director, Trans formative Schools, has
devoted her career in education to elevating the
voices of her transgender sisters and siblings
in order to center, celebrate and protect transgender youth. A white, queer, neurodivergent,
nonbinary trans woman, Alaina loves being both
a mirror and a window for adolescents as they
figure out their identities and find their voices in
the world.
WE ASKED TRANS FORMATIVE
SCHOOLS TO REFLECT ON THE
2025 NYC PRIDE THEME,
RISE UP: PRIDE IN PROTEST.
/13 //
This interview has been edited and condensed for
clarity. For more from Trans Formative Schools,
visit @trans.formative.schools
Alaina Daniels (they/she) commented, “We need
to gather together in joy, in rage and solidarity
to build Trans power. We need to go to battle for
our kids while singing.”
“ … Trans kids need long term, caring relationships with trans adults, especially teachers and
caregivers. In order to make these changes, we
need people to join and support trans-led organizations actively doing the work. We need brave
parents to run for school boards, attend meetings and shift culture. We need to build thoughtful relationships with local elected leaders so
they move money away from police and prisons,
and into care and communities, making NYC
public schools and healthcare institutions true
sanctuaries where trans, BIPOC, disabled, immigrant kids and families thrive.”
“In a time when trans kids are the target of fascists from the White House, our local school
board, and around the world, Trans formative
Schools is honored that our trans students and
trans teachers can lead this protest as Grand
Marshals for the 2025 NYC Pride March! We need
cisgender people to know that trans visibility isn’t
enough — we need everyone to rise up and build
a movement that uplifts and invests in trans lives.
Rise Up with us, NYC!”
NYCPRIDE.org
