(Photo by Ted Eytan)

A coalition of local LGBTQ activists are marching tonight to push for the city to do more to end crimes against transgender people, particularly poor trans women of color who face disproportionate amounts of violence.

“There is brutal violence that is happening to trans women of color in the district, and trans women of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by state-sanctioned violence,” says Lourdes Hunter, executive director of the TransWomen of Color Collective. “The mayor has done absolutely nothing to change how [we] are treated by police.”

The city has seen several violent high-profile incidents against trans individuals this month. On July 2, a trans woman was attacked with a metal baseball bat and fireworks, while another was intentionally struck by a car on July 5.

Despite a pledge from the city to train Department of Parks and Recreation staff about how to work with trans residents, city employees recently directed attendees at a trans pool party to locker rooms that did not fit their gender identity at Banneker Pool, including the trans woman who heads the MPD’s LGBT liaison unit.

Activists are meeting at Freedom Plaza at 6:30 p.m. to demand the city stop neglecting and criminalizing trans women. Their demands include that the city review their employees’ compliance with gender identity and expression laws, de-prioritize arrests for solicitation, and expand access to crime victims compensation programs.

The march is organized by the group No Justice No Pride, which protested the inclusion of police and particular corporations at the Capital Pride parade last month.

“Tonight is also a fundraiser. It’s more than about coming out to protest, it’s about supporting the work of the people of those who are actually on the ground,” Hunter says. “It’s not enough to just show up to a rally, you need to leverage your access to resources to create opportunities for others. Like Obama says, ‘Don’t boo, vote!’ I say, ‘Don’t cry, donate!'”