FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2023

Minneapolis–Trangender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people are under attack in the upper Midwest. 

In response to this climate of fear and violence, PFund is launching a new peer-to-peer fundraising initiative, the TRANSCEND Campaign.

“PFund has heard directly from our transgender community members–they are scared for their safety and feel unwelcome in many parts of our region,” stated PFund Executive Director Aaron Zimmerman. “The TRANSCEND Campaign is our response to the increasingly hostile environment that transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people have to live in. PFund is working with partnering organizations to do everything we can to support and protect our region’s trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth.”

The TRANSCEND Campaign will raise funds for distribution to partners across the region (including OutFront Minnesota, Family Tree Clinic, Lavender Legal Center, the Transformation Project, and the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition) doing on-the-ground work to protect and assist trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth. Examples of how these funds will be used include:

• Supporting transportation costs for trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa to receive necessary and life-saving healthcare out-of-state. All three state legislatures have banned or are considering banning medically-necessary gender-affirming care for trans youth.

• Covering tuition costs for remote schools that are welcoming to all gender identities in cases where students' local districts are not safe spaces for trans and queer youth.

• Providing organizations doing on-the-ground service work (especially in Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota) with cash grants to support their mission as they rapidly respond to the increasingly-hostile and frightening political climates that are enabling and excusing anti-trans bigotry and violence.

“The TRANSCEND Campaign continues the spirit of community support envisioned by the founders of PFund. By supporting the campaign, people are valuing the bright futures of our trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth,” added Zimmerman.

PFund has set an initial goal of $25,000 for the TRANSCEND Campaign. The focus is not only to raise funds, but to also build a network of trans-affirming supporters across the region and increasing capacity for organizations doing on-the-ground work in states with hostile political climates. Together, PFund and its partners are working to support trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth from across the region in accessing the affirming medical care and safe learning spaces that every child deserves.

To learn more about the TRANSCEND campaign, please visit pfundfoundation.org.

About PFund: Founded in 1987, PFund Foundation builds equity with LGBTQ+ communities across the upper Midwest by providing grants and scholarships, developing leaders, and inspiring giving. PFund is the only LGBTQ+ community foundation serving the states of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the First Nations therein.

Media inquiries: 

Kate Mohn
Director of Strategic Communications
kate@pfundfoundation.org

Aaron Zimmerman
Executive Director
aaron@pfundfounation.org

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