Each year, Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) invites us to pause and celebrate the brilliant lives, joy, and leadership of trans people. In moments like this, visibility matters not only as recognition, but as resistance. As a way of saying: we are here, we define ourselves, and our stories belong to us.
Visibility isn’t just about being seen — it exists within a broader landscape shaped by policy, culture, and power. And in this moment, that landscape is shifting rapidly: across the Northwest, we’re seeing increasing attacks on trans and gender expansive communities. These attacks don’t emerge in isolation — they’re fueled by the stories being told in mainstream media, in political rhetoric, and across public discourse — stories that flatten lived experience, spread misinformation, and shape public perception in ways that have dire consequences. All too often, these attacks are rooted in harmful narratives where trans people are spoken about, rather than heard from.
This is why storytelling and narrative justice matter so deeply right now.
Narrative justice is rooted in the belief that individuals and communities have the right to define their own experiences, identities, and histories. It is about shifting who gets to tell stories, whose voices are heard, and how those stories shape culture, policy, and possibility. At Pride Foundation, we recognize storytelling and narrative justice as a form of power: the stories we tell become part of larger narratives that shape people’s beliefs and shift the cultural landscape.
When narratives are controlled by dominant systems, they can reinforce harm, erasure, and misinformation. But when communities reclaim their stories, they create space for truth, complexity, and connection. They expand what people believe is possible — and in doing so, help drive cultural and political change.
This work is at the heart of Pride Foundation’s TRANSform Culture (TFC) Fellowship.
Gathering to Practice Narrative Power
At the end of March, fellows from across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington gathered for the spring TRANSform Culture Fellowship retreat — a four-day experience centered on storytelling, connection, and collective care.
The TFC Fellowship brings together 10 BIPOC 2STNBI leaders, investing in their leadership and supporting them in developing narrative projects that advance cultural change in their home communities.
The retreat created space for fellows to deepen that work together. Through a series of sessions led by trans organizer, storyteller, and filmmaker, André Peréz, fellows explored key questions at the center of narrative change: Why does narrative matter? How do we gather stories responsibly? And how do we tell them in ways that shift understanding and power?
Fellows practiced interview techniques, refined their narrative projects, and explored how storytelling can be used as a tool for advocacy and cultural transformation.
But just as important as the structured sessions was everything happening in between.
Building Connection, Holding Complexity
Throughout the retreat, fellows had time to connect in ways that felt both expansive and grounding. They explored the wooded trails overlooking the Hood Canal and Olympic Mountains, gathered for conversations around the fire, shared meals, and made space for rest and reflection.
There was joy — laughter at dinner, spontaneous conversations, moments of ease.
There was also an ever-present awareness of the urgency of this moment. The work fellows are engaged in — shifting narratives, documenting stories, building cultural power — is not abstract. It is deeply connected to the realities our communities are navigating every day.
“There’s so much brilliance and leadership across our region. This retreat is about resourcing that brilliance by giving fellows the tools, space, and support to carry their work forward in ways that feel meaningful to them and their communities,” Senior Manager of CARE, Magnetek shared. “We wanted to create a space where fellows could slow down, connect, and really invest in their work. That means building skills, yes — but also making room for rest, reflection, and the kind of relationships that make this work sustainable.”
Together, these moments of connection and reflection created something powerful: a space where fellows could not only build skills, but also reconnect with themselves, care for one another, and move their work forward with greater clarity. By the end of the retreat, fellows left with more than new tools or refined projects, they left with:
- Greater clarity in their narrative work
- Stronger connections across the region
- Expanded skills in storytelling and narrative strategy
- A deeper sense of shared purpose
For many, this work will continue through community-based storytelling — ensuring that the stories carried forward are the stories they want to tell, on their terms.
Visibility, On Our Own Terms
Trans Day of Visibility reminds us that visibility is more than just about being seen, it’s about being seen on our own terms. It’s about who gets to tell our stories, and how those stories shape what comes next.
The TRANSform Culture Fellowship is one way Pride Foundation is investing in that future — by supporting leaders who are not only telling stories, but transforming culture through narrative justice.
Because when trans, nonbinary, intersex, and Two-Spirit folks have the resources, space, and support to define their own narratives, it does more than shift perception. It strengthens communities, builds power, and lays the groundwork for lasting change.
And in this moment, that work matters more than ever.