Raging the Living Affected Machine Forward

The Living Affected Corporation is currently exploring issues surrounding transgendered women of color in response to an announcement from HRSA ( Health Resources and Services Administration) concerning transgendered women of color in rural states, namely Arkansas and Oklahoma.  LACorp is seeking to respond to the initiative by submitting information toward participating in the demonstration sites of the Enhancing Engagement and Retention in Quality HIV Care for Transgender Women of Color. If awarded, the organization plans to launch The LEGENDS ( Leading, Effective, Gender, Education, Naturally Developing, Strengths) Project which will address a host of issues and concerning this under served population experiences. In preparation for this program, LA Corp has collaborated with University of Texas Southwest Medical Center, Langston University/Tulsa and Sasson & Associates of Tulsa as primary partners. During the process a plethora of additional supportive entities have shared their enthusiasm and hopefulness of the projects acceptance as a hybrid model of the future to capture the stories of transgendered women of color who are seeking viable direct pathways to HIV/AIDS care. We thank everyone for their support and advice as we pursue this new horizon in servicing marginalized communities in Arkansas and Oklahoma.  If you are interested in The LEGENDS Project please reach out to info@lacorponline.com  for more information and updates.

Transgendered Sexual Violence

As a community based driven organization, The Living Affected Corporation has been acutely aware of the various levels of social determinants that impact transgendered women of color. Most notably the issues of "intimate sexual violence or gay bashing" play prominent in the lives of some individuals and has been cited by our interviewees as among the barriers to engaging and remaining in quality HIV care. We believe that The LEGENDS Project sets in motion a culturally competent navigation system to address such instances that have been documented in the brief, Culturally Competent Service Provision to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Survivors of Sexual Violence by Sabrina Gentlewarrior with contributions from Kim Fountain (September 2009).

The investigators support our stance of answering the ethical mandate to serve marginalized communities especially transgendered women of color whom they report,"Sexual violence aimed at LGBT individuals has been perceived as a violent attempt to keep those who are deemed socially inferior in terms of sexual and gender expression 'in line'"(Gentlewarrior, Martin-Jearld, Sweetser, Skok & Langevin, 2007/2008; HaleyNelson, 2005; Lombardi, Wilchins, Priesling & Malouf, 2001). They further conclude and we ardently agree that "our work must include LGBT survivors not only because it is right, but because it is necessary in order to create a comprehensive response to sexual violence."

In our observations we also embrace the fact that "LGBT survivors experience sexual violence across the lifespan predicated in bias, as well as violence not based in discrimination; bias-oriented sexual trauma is associated with especially negative post-trauma affects. LGBT survivors experience sexual harassment and child sexual abuse at higher rates than do heterosexual individuals."

Many of the core element of The Legends Project seeks to follow the briefs recommendations for effectively serving LGBT survivors of sexual violence. They would include:


1) Engage in ongoing identification and rectification of any attitudes or behaviors predicated in homophobia, biphobia, and/or transphobia.


2) Prioritize the production and dissemination of information focused on LGBT survivors of sexual violence in community-based and peer-reviewed venues. This can be supported by our Peer Certification level and elements of the modified PROMISE Diffused Evidence Based Intervention plus our producing the LEGENDS book of self-directed stories.

3) Ensure that our agencies have workers and administrators that reflect the social identities of all of those we serve.The program will result in trained individuals who could be utilized as viable employee's for area AIDS service organizations or community based groups.


4) Commit to developing a knowledge base about LGBT individuals that includes: a) Information about their historical and current experiences of oppression; and b) Knowledge regarding the coming out and identity development processes. Through The LEGENDS Project's intake and information management systems all data will be secured via HIPPA regulations for further extrapolating and discovery.

5) Develop and utilize LGBT-affirmative practice models. Initial steps toward this goal include: a) Use of inclusive language verbally and in all written forms and literature; b) Assessment of all survivors for bias as well as non-bias oriented victimization's; and c) Ability to honor client's multiple and interconnected social identities and effectively serve client's in view of these identities. The entire scope of the project is fulfill any and all culturally sensitive behaviors and norms.

6) Identify - or if needed - create LGBT community resources dedicated to offering safe, affirming support on a range of issues relevant to members of these communities. Using our "HEFTE"( Housing, Employment, Food, Treatment and Education) model, we intend to address such social determinants that are vitally important to retaining transgendered women of color in quality care streams.

7) Provide professional development opportunities for area agencies focused on the self awareness, knowledge and skills needed to offer culturally competent services to LGBT survivors of sexual violence. The component of Volunteer Counseling and Testing training will be instrumental in leveraging the skills of projects graduates and their impact within the community service agencies.

8) Participate in policy and social change work dedicated to providing equity of treatment and acceptance to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Sexual violence clinicians, educators, activists and researchers have a proud history of joining survivors in naming and addressing the causes and impact of trauma.

In conclusion, The vision and mission of The LEGENDS Project is by design a coordinated modified intervention that will act as a "hub" with distinctive "spokes" emitting from its central core providing a variety of pathways in which transgendered women of color can acknowledge sexually risky behaviors while transitioning and retained to direct HIV/AIDS care.