I am elated and honored to celebrate two years of being in service to the transgender and nonbinary community of Richmond, VA.

What began as a desire to want to uplift those who need support and driven by the goal of creating change, SensibleTips hit the ground running.

In our first year, we launched Richmond's first mobile clothing pantry providing free gender affirming clothing, shoes and accessories to the transgender and nonbinary community. The Trans Pop-Up Closet™ accomplished it's goal by remainiing accessible, stress-free and safe while connecting people with clothing that inspires trans joy & gender euphoria. In addition, TPUC responded to emergency access requests to support those who had faced discrimination when shopping for items that aligned with their gender identity.

In the second year, after accessing the expressed needs of the community, TPUC transitioned to a new stage of it's operation: providing workplace attire and clothing for job interviews. By doing so the goal is to aid in job seeking and security for a population that oftentimes is impacted by unemployment and job insecurity.

In the same year, after receiving a more than generous donation of chest binder inventory from a fellow community member and active ally, SensibleTips launched the Free Binder Clinic™ Program. The FBCP is designed to address the need for access to safe chest binding solutions and harm reduction education for those who utilize chest binding in their daily life. Pairing education and access, the FBCP to date has provided 86 safe binding solutions to the transgender and nonbinary community.

In year #2, through establishing the Free Binder Clinic™ Program Fund, donations allowed our inventory to expand to provide additional chest binder brands and chest binding tape. We continue to host information sessions and help community members find safe solutions for affirming their gender.

Our second year of operation brought two new resources to fruition: the Thriving While Trans Workshops™ and the Trans Adult Group (T.A.G™). The Thriving While Trans Workshops™ seek to engage the trans and nonbinary community in guided discussion focused on navigating life and thriving as a trans person. Topics presented are to uplift, encourage and support community members in a manner that will help them live the best version of their lives.

T.A.G™ was created with the purpose of offering a trans affirming and welcoming space for transgender and nonbinary adults to build community and engage in fun activities around the city. The decision to firmly identify the group as social in nature was intended to avoid redundancy in available mental health and peer support groups currently active in the city. Additionally, SensibleTips desired to create a space centered on trans joy, affirmation regardless of gender expression and healthy interpersonal relationships among peers.

It has been a prolific 2 years for SensibleTips. In this time we have developed mutual relationships with organizations, businesses and health & mental health providers who share the values of our mission to enhance the lives of the transgender and nonbinary community here in Richmond, VA. Exposure and collaboration has allowed SensibleTips to reach more people and connect them with resources that are free, accessible and safe--in addition to being relevant and applicable.

As we enter into our third year, we continue to engage in "pure philanthropy" and conduct outreach that adheres to our guiding culture, beliefs, and principles. We remain steadfast in being motivated by our mission: to provide free, safe & accessible community resources that affirm, support and inform the trans and nonbinary community while increasing their overall wellness and inspiring gender euphoria. SensibleTips is dedicated to engaging with the community we serve in a manner that values transparency, fidelity, genuineness, accountability and applicability.

SensibleTips will continue to create as many programs necessary to support, encourage and uplift the trans and nonbinary community while enhancing trans autonomy in their choices of available resources in Richmond, VA.

It is both an honor and privilege to serve the community. Having provided 69 trans centered events in the past two years of operation, we face year three with further passion and motivation to pursue our mission. We are ready to continue the good fight.

(August 2024)