MILWAUKEE — Local organization Diverse and Resilient has a goal to ensure that LGBTQ+ people in Wisconsin live healthy in safe and supportive communities.
"When we talk about health and well-being, we talk about emotional support and community building."
Justin Roby serves as the Director of Prevention, Care, and Empowerment Services at Diverse and Resilient.
"We have support groups, not only for people living with HIV but for just general empowerment and support to come in and talk about the things that we're going through in life," said Roby.
One of those groups is S.H.E.B.A., it stands for Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity. They meet bi-weekly to support and empower transgender women.
"Pictured here is Janice Toy, one of the founding members of SHEBA, she's been around for more than 20 years," said Roby.
The term transgender is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity or expression is different from their sex at birth.
"A.D.A" is a successful entrepreneur and has over 10 years of experience in youth development and early childhood education helping individuals navigate through the challenges of being transgender.
"I knew from as young as probably about between seven and nine years old, you know what I'm saying? Like the very first name I gave myself was Vanessa," said A.D.A.
During her teen years, she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a discomfort or distress due to a mismatch between gender identity.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some adolescents might show symptoms of a mood disorder, anxiety, or depression or experience social or academic problems.
"At one point, I felt like you know there was no future for me," said A.D.A.
That's no longer the feeling for A.D.A. She's spent the last seven years to become the person she's always felt like she was inside.
"I grew up in the body that I grew up in, but I went and took care of everything. I got the Adam's Apple removed. I just went got a facial feminization where it just broke the jawline chin and shaved it down. The lump that most men have for the brow bone here, they removed that.
For most people, that sounds like a lot, but that's what she needed to do, to match what she felt inside. Despite her happiness, she still has concerns.
"When we talk about the safety specifically for trans women and trans men? They've got to beef up the safety for us 'cause over the last decade, I've lost many you know, friends that became sisters from other mothers. I just recently experienced the death of three of my closest female friends and that really put me in a dark place because why have I made it so far?"
Perhaps she's still here to fulfill her duty to help others.
TMJ4's Andrea Williams said, "What is it you want people to know...past the month of June? Respect me. I'm human just like you're human, all the same things that you do to live day by day. I have to do the same thing."
One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say...
A.D.A said, "For me, finding out who I was and actually honing in on that, it was powerful to become her."
