In light of the recent anti-transgender violence in the nation’s capital and data from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality’s landmark national survey “Injustice at Every Turn,” Colorlines.com, a daily news site on racial justice issues, has asked transgender women of color living in D.C. to tell their own stories. Danielle King, a longtime advocate, is the first to be featured in the series. King talks about the challenges trans women of color face, the lack of mentorship in the trans community, and the importance of self-love:

[For] the first time in my life, I feel like the African American trans community is beginning to work together; technology has helped us with that. I also think we’re much kinder to ourselves. We got our start in ballroom culture, which is all about being passable, pretty and fierce. But I think our collective understanding of beauty has become wider and more inclusive.

Personally speaking, I feel a sense of freedom. I’ve undergone this journey and I feel more comfortable in my skin than I ever have. I no longer concern myself with being the most passable woman. I used to worry about that a lot. Now I just try to be the best woman I can be. I can say that I’ve undergone a shift in my mentality. I now realize that basing womanhood on being passable devalues other women. I assume that most people know that I’m transgender and I’m OK with people knowing. I’m proud of my experiences. Most importantly, I love myself.

Read more at Colorlines.com.

GLAAD applauds Colorlines.com for elevating the voices of transgender women of color. We encourage other media outlets to follow in their strong example.