Meet Marvyn Allen, Anaya Robinson and Rachel Kesley of Transformative Freedom Fund

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marvyn Allen, Anaya Robinson and Rachel Kesley.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Marvyn, Anaya and Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Anaya and Marv both had a dream to start a nonprofit to remove financial barriers for transgender folks accessing transition-related health care. As two transgender individuals who have both been able to access necessary transition-related health care, we acknowledge that this is not the case for many transgender Coloradans. We joined forces with Rachel, an amazing friend, ally, and all-around stellar human. The three of us began working toward our collective goal to support the transgender community in Colorado. We feel that all transgender people should have access to medical treatment and transition-related care if and when they choose to use it. The Transformative Freedom Fund will assist those with financial barriers to access this life-saving health care.

Supporting the authentic selves of transgender Coloradans by removing financial barriers to transition-related healthcare.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The idea for Transformative Freedom Fund began in January of 2017. We immediately started crowdfunding for the costs of starting a nonprofit. Since then, we have received so much support from friends, family, community members, and businesses. Our largest speed bump is navigating the volume of applicants and needs with limited funding. In the past two years, TFF has funded $55,000 in transition-related healthcare. Even still, many applicants were denied. Our constant balance is in gaining dollars in funding as our applicant requests increase from year to year.

Please tell us about Transformative Freedom Fund.
Transformative Freedom Fund was founded out of a realization that access to life-changing and affirming care is not accessible, as it should be, to everyone; especially to our communities in rural areas, trans people of color and other marginalized identities. Our mission is to support the authentic selves of transgender Coloradans by removing financial barriers to transition-related healthcare.

We want to be that beacon of hope for people who don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone has the right to be and live their most authentic lives. Once this is achieved we see overwhelmingly positive results in all aspects of physical/mental health, economic growth and engagement, as well as personal and professional growth. We have seen this proven over and over through each funding cycle we are able to provide, and will continue as long as they need and the dollars are there.

Contact Info:

• Website: transformativefreedomfund.org
• Email: info@transformativefreedomfund.org
• Instagram: transformative_freedom_fund
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformativefreedomfund/
• Twitter: @tffund

Image Credit:
Dee Fritz of River and Root Photography
Transformative Freedom Fund

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