Marsha P. Johnson Institute Marches Forward With New Programming

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Embracing the momentum of Spring, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to lifting the Black transgender community, today announced new programming for 2022.

The Starship Artist Fellowship program is a six-month fellowship that seeks to eliminate barriers that Black transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary artists experience by providing opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, visibility, and access to resources. Applications opened today and close April 4; five artists will be announced April 29. The fellowship will begin in August.

“Marsha ‘Pay it no mind’ Johnson existed and expressed boldly as a living art form,” said MPJI Executive Director and Founder Elle Moxley. “The spark of this program is to empower Black, trans creatives and invest resources to ease the burden of transphobia experienced in artistic spaces.”

Throughout this six-month fellowship, artists will receive a monthly stipend, tools, and resources to further their craft. They will also be paired with a mentor to learn both technical and develop skills that support their medium of choice. The fellows will share their final projects at a showcase event in NYC.

Later this month, Moxley will commemorate Women’s History Month with a discussion with Trans & Latina Activist Cecilia Gentili, Principal Owner and Founder of Trans Equity Consulting. The two will discuss the risk and benefits of increased visibility of transgender people, how to be in solidarity with the community and how Marsha P. Johnson influenced them.

“At the end of Women’s History Month and as we approach International Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31), we wanted to have an open conversation about the nuances of visibility and what both leadership and solidarity look like for the trans community in 2022,” said Moxley. “Anytime we’re able to talk through these types of issues, we give voice to our people and a path forward.”

Additional information can be found at https://www.instagram.com/MPJInstitute/.

The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power.