Southern Trans Celebration takes concern about the National Guard who comes to Memphis, ‘What does safety look like’

During the inaugural Southern Trans -celebration in Memphis, Tennessee, proponents of the local mayor pressed about Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in the city.

On September 19, Outmemphis and local interest groups, including my Sistah’s House and Wecaretn, organized the first Southern Trans -celebration in honor of Trans Advocacy Day. The event took place in Memphis City Hall, where visitors met mayor Paul Young to insist on policy protecting the transgender community of the city, as reported by Action 5 News. After Trump’s call to use the National Guard to tackle the high crime percentage of the city, discussions include the Memphis Safe Task Force created by Trump and its impact on marginalized groups.

“I think one of my biggest worries was what safety looks like,” said Jasmine Tasaki with Wecaretn. “Because so often as black transgender women and transgender people are often checked.”

“We ask and call on our chosen officials to make an attitude, to come out publicly,” said Kayla Gore, the founder of my Sistah’s house. “So that we are clear here in Memphis that this is not Tennessee, and that the things that come from the federal and state level do not necessarily influence the people who are here.”

After meeting the mayor, the groups said they felt more reassured about their safety when the National Guard began to patrol their city.

“He assured us that the National Guard is here to support, to be eyes and ears of kind, and not necessarily to police people,” Tasaki said.

“What we have heard from our mayor is that he is going to do everything in his power to ensure that the city Memphis is still a safe place for people to communicate, to work and gain access to services,” Gore added.

Mayor Young said his recent conversations with DC -place mayor Lindsey Appiah and police chief Pamela Smith emphasized how the National Guard supported law enforcement, beautification and homelessness in their city, areas that he believes can also improve Memphis.

“For Memphis I choose to see this as an opportunity,” wrote Mayor Young in a newsletter. “My dedication is to ensure that every source we receive reinforces our city, not only for today, but also for the long term.”

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