Culture

This Org Needs Your Help to Keep Houston’s Trans Community Safe

Lead Photo: Collage by Alan López for Remezcla
Collage by Alan López for Remezcla

With Hurricane Harvey displacing Houstonians, many – including the Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) – stepped up to provide protection to those affected. At Casa Anandrea, the group sheltered some of the most vulnerable people in the city by being the only safe space for trans and queer people. Now, the organization needs our help.

For about a year, the organization has provided emergency refuge to dozens of people at a time. Now that it must renew its rental agreement, it’s turning to the internet for help. Director Ana Andrea Molina is worried that if the goal isn’t met, an important resource will be gone.

“If the shelter gets shut down, our dependents will have nowhere else to go,” Molina – an undocumented trans woman from Tamaulipas – told OutSmart. “We are the city’s only refuge specifically for undocumented trans, queer, and non-binary people. In fact, other LGBTQ shelters refer undocumented people to me when they cannot take them in.”

OLTT’s rent was recently increased. Now the organization is looking to raise $30,000 by April 30. So far, it has raised nearly $2,000. Donate here.