With a background in grassroots activism and community building, I work with organizations to spark impactful change through policy, activism, and education. Through shared humanity, I challenge notions of inclusivity and diversity to expand gender, racial, and economic equity at a global level.
Background
Nala Toussaint works with people across the spectrum of identities, social and economic realities to support their health goals and well-being. She has done extensive work as an outreach liaison, conducting safe sex interventions for youth, and coordinating educational and job development services at renowned LGBT public service organizations.
In order to dismantle the dehumanization of Trans folks, we need to educate our youth at an early age, allowing Trans youth to live in their truth comfortably. This process can happen once adults open their hearts and minds, and create a popular language that recognizes the fact that gender never stands alone.
/ Nala SImone Toussaint /
United We Rise - Every(BLACK) Body Mobilizing For Health & Liberation Committee Member Interview: Nala Simone
In season 2 episode 6 of PBS Digital Studios' First Person, host Donald Shorter talks to Nala Simone Toussaint about allyship, finding and living her truth as a...
Experience
Nala is a visionary creator at heart, and she has a degree in Fashion Design and a Cosmetology license. However, in 2013 her focus and trajectory shifted after her friend was murdered in Harlem due to transphobia. This grief, mixed with all her intersecting identities experiencing discrimination, particularly as a Black woman of trans experience, allowed her to take her rage and channel it into addressing racial and gender-based violence. Now, she finds joy through fostering healing within BIPOC ( Black, indigenous, people of color) + LGBTQ communities.
Over the past several years, Nala has created spaces for trans women, predominantly black and immigrants of color, the center of her life as an Advocacy Coordinator, Executive Director, and Council Co-Chair. Throughout these roles, she expanded access to gender-affirming healthcare and services, challenging outdated ideas of inclusivity and diversity to magnify gender, racial and economic equity at the global level.
Nala's opportunities have granted her experience within policy and advocacy. In 2015, she served as the Co-Chair for the Young Women Advisory Council under Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito & New York City Council's administration. Nala has led and brought many differently-identified young girls to the table to contribute to the launch of the #SheWillBe campaign. As a result of her passion and leadership, she continued her work as the co-program coordinator at Girls for Gender Equity until Aug 2018, where she co-facilitated groups. These groups created spaces for young cisgender and transgender girls and gender non-conforming individuals between the ages 13-24 to be uplifted through kinship while learning about government policy, media, and philanthropy.
At Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, where she currently serves as the TGNB Health Advocacy Coordinator, she guides the organization around LGBT policymaking and lobby for those living with HIV/AIDS. In 2016, she was an advisor to the White House on the HIV strategy. In addition, she serves as a coach and consultant, engaging organizations to a more profound commitment to gender and racial equity through training, facilitation, and conflict mediation.
Nala also founded Reuniting of African Descendants (ROAD) in 2018. ROAD is a trans-led grassroots initiative invested in equity, collective growth, and healing for TLGBQIA+/SGL people of African Descent. ROAD's work is rooted in ending genocide against Trans and Queer people. In this role, she builds upon her administrative and development skills; Establishing collaborative relationships, Developing a strategic fundraising plan, Writing policies and procedures, and managing staff. Recently, she supported the development of a mutual aid fund for black trans and queer people globally and a resource directory combatting transphobic violence. In September 2020, ROAD secured 1/2 acre of land for Trans women in Uganda to sustain themselves amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It is unheard of for a Black Trans woman to provide land reclamation, and Nala has gone against that notion.
Nala grounds herself through being a minister-in-training at Rivers of Living Water NY United Church of Christ. Additionally, she serves as the Co-Director of the FLOW (Fluid Lovers of Worship) Ministry. Through her ministry work, she co-collectively welcomes all persons across the gender spectrum to worship God (He/She/They) in Spirit, in Truth, and as their whole authentic Selves.