LGBTQ+ Leaders, Allies Call for Action at L.A. Trans Liberation Now! Event
A powerful show of unity, pride, and resistance unfolded in Hollywood on Saturday as hundreds gathered at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s headquarters for the Trans Liberation Now! rally. The event brought together trans, gender-nonconforming, and intersex (TGNBI+) individuals, allies, and advocates to demand equity, safety, and justice.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center, in collaboration with The TransLatin@ Coalition, Equality California, Advocates for Trans Equality, and more than a dozen allied organizations, organized the rally to call attention to growing threats to trans rights nationwide.
“We gather today not in fear, but in power,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, during opening remarks. “We’re here to celebrate and protect trans lives—not just today, but for generations to come.”
The rally featured a series of impassioned speeches from community leaders and advocates, including actress and trans rights trailblazer Laverne Cox, who delivered a rousing keynote that underscored the importance of truth, education, and solidarity.
“You’re not free if you’ve been lied to,” Cox told the crowd, urging attendees to challenge misinformation and reject scapegoating of marginalized communities. “The real enemy is not trans people—it’s the corporations and billionaires dividing us.”
Additional speakers included Sydney Rodgers from the Center’s Trans Wellness Center, Tony Hoang of Equality California, Anya Marino of Advocates for Trans Equality, and Hector Plascencia, Co-Chair of the LA County LGBTQ+ Commission. Each speaker emphasized the urgency of collective action and the systemic challenges facing the TGNBI+ community.
“We refuse to be silent while trans lives are under attack,” Hoang said. “We will not back down. The gloves are off.”
Attendees were also treated to performances by Miss Shalae, a renowned tribute artist, and a DJ set by Nico Craig, transforming the event into a vibrant space of queer joy and cultural celebration.
A TGNBI+ Resource Fair ran alongside the rally, providing vital services such as healthcare referrals, housing support, legal assistance, and social services for the trans community. Participating organizations included APAIT, L.A. CADA, Invisible Men, Unique Woman’s Coalition, the LA Civil Rights Department, and many others.
Bamby Salcedo, President of The TransLatin@ Coalition, reminded the crowd of the stakes: “It is the responsibility of elected officials to ensure we have the resources to live beautiful lives. They cannot claim they don’t have the money—because they do.”
The rally comes at a time of escalating legislative and social attacks on transgender rights across the U.S., including bans on gender-affirming care, sports participation, and educational content. Speakers called for unified resistance and solidarity across marginalized communities.
“We know better,” said Marino. “We won’t be turned against each other. We’ll keep fighting—for ourselves and for each other.”
The Trans Liberation Now! rally concluded with a message of hope and collective vision. “Close your eyes and imagine the best-case scenario,” said Plascencia. “Then decide to live every action toward making that scenario real.”
