A Community of the Heart: Intersectional feminist speech from San Antonio TDOR

What follows is an amazing speech given by Graciela Sanchez on realizing liberation through building a “community of the heart.” Sanchez, a self-identified lesbian Latina queer spoke on the intersections of oppression and of social justice.

The last page of the Houston and San Antonio TDOR booklet
The last page of the Houston and San Antonio TDOR booklet

This speech was taped by the TransAdvocate at the San Antonio, Texas Trans Day of Remembrance on November 21, 2013, held in the Metropolitan Community Church of San Antonio. The event was hosted by the San Antonio Gender Association.

Cristan Williams is a trans historian and pioneer in addressing the practical needs of underserved communities. She started the first trans homeless shelter in Texas and co-founded the first federally funded housing-first homeless program, pioneered affordable health care for trans people in the Houston area, won the right for trans people to change their gender on Texas ID prior to surgery, started numerous trans social service programs and founded the Transgender Center as well as the Transgender Archives. She has published short stories, academic chapters and papers, and numerous articles for both print and digital magazines. She received numerous awards for her advocacy and has presented at universities throughout the nation, served on several governmental committees and CBO boards, is the Editor of the TransAdvocate, and is a founding board member of the Transgender Foundation of America and the Bee Busy Wellness Center.