Supporting Black Trans & Non-Binary People in the Workplace and Beyond

Aryah Lester, nationally awarded author, as well as a speaker and educator, is a black woman of transgender experience from New York living in Washington DC. Ms. Lester was the last-standing 2-term Chair for the State of Florida Health Department's Transgender Work Group, former Chair-Elect of the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, and is an Advisory Board member of Unity Coalition (UC|CU). Ms. Lester is a board member of Equality Florida's TransAction Florida committee, and helped to create the TransArt series with the Betsy Hotel, the LGBT Visitors Center, and UC|CU. She also sat as a member on the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) Transgender Networking Group. Ms. Lester is also Board Chair of STARR, the nation’s first transgender organization initially founded by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, and Board Member for Gilead Sciences, AIDS United, Southern AIDS Coalition, and ViiV Healthcare.

Aryah Lester founded the organization Trans-Miami during her time as a expert consult member of the Miami Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Plan for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and 12-Cities Project, as well as continued the work of her organization, the National Alliance of Transgender Advocates and Leaders (NATAL).She contracts with universities as a guest lecturer, and is a consultant with government agencies such as the Department of Justice and Homeland Security. Ms. Lester has been recognized with many awards.

Diamond Stylz is one of the veteran voices of the millennial black trans community. Currently, Diamond is the host and producer of Marsha's Plate, a weekly podcast that archives and centers the trans social justice movements and pro-black feminist culture. Also she is the Executive Director of Black Trans Women Inc, a national non-profit that is led by Black trans women focused on social advocacy, economic equity and building strong leadership among Black trans women.

Carmarion D. Anderson-Harvey is a vibrant and visible trans woman of color with a passion for inclusion and equality for all. Carmarion is the Alabama State Director with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) under the Project One America initiative. Carmarion becomes the first trans person of color to serve in a leadership role with HRC in the organization’s history. Before joining HRC and relocating to Alabama, Carmarion worked in the field of Public Health and Education in Texas, managing both local and national prevention initiatives focusing on HIV/AIDS and other health disparities that impact marginalized communities. Carmarion is the founder and previous Executive Director for Black Transwomen, Inc., which is the first national non-profit organization with a 501 (c)(3) with a programmatic focus to uplift the voices, hearts, and souls of black trans women and in alliance with the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition. Carmarion also brings a wealth of experience in faith spaces, currently serving as the National Co-Minister and South Regional Coordinator for TransSaints ministry of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries (TFAM). Carmarion serves as an associate elder/minister at the Living Faith Covenant Church located in Dallas, Texas. Carmarion was born and reared in Dallas, Texas, with family roots from Natchez, Mississippi. Carmarion is a wife, has one son, four bonus sons, and three adorable grandchildren.

Marti Allen-Cummings (They/Them) is an activist, community board member, gig worker and drag artist running for city council in uptown manhattan. Marti has been working in NYC for 13 years after moving to the city at age 17 to pursue a performing arts career. They know what it’s like to make it in new york living paycheck to paycheck and without insurance. For over a decade, marti has been deeply involved in the community - advocating for LGBTQIA+ Young people through the ali forney center and aiding new yorkers experiencing homelessness.

Throughout the pandemic, Marti built upon that experience to plan PPE handouts, grocery deliveries, coat drives and mutual aid efforts. During the 2016 election Cycle, Marti started organizing and Their political activism energized the community and has brought people together who are seeking progressive change in the nation’s politics. Marti currently sits on community board 9 serving the people of Upper Manhattan, and IS an advisor on the NYC Nightlife Advisory Board.