Nearly 1,000 people gathered in Nubian Square in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood for the second annual March and Vigil for Black Trans Lives on Saturday afternoon.
Demonstrators marched to Franklin Park Playstead for a vigil and Pridefest. The event was to support members of the Black transgender community in the state.
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The event was organized by Trans Resistance, an organization built by transgender and queer activists in the Boston area in contention with the board of Boston Pride.
Trans Resistance aims to create spaces, events and experiences that uplift the community, while working with social justice networks to address needs of marginalized communities across Massachusetts like shelter, health and nutrition assistance.
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“This is an opportunity for those who are marginalized to be highlighted," said a demonstrator. "One of the goals is raising $250,000 to go specifically to trans housing in the city of Boston.”
Some of the demonstrators in Saturday's march said they felt they were not being supported by Boston Pride, an organization that produces events and activities to achieve inclusivity, equality, respect, and awareness in Greater Boston and beyond.
Event organizers said Boston Pride is "trans-exclusionary and fails to represent trans people of color."
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Boston Pride said it was making changes to transform their organization and released a statement.
“We have been working since last year to take responsibility and change the systemic and structural racism affecting our organization," said Boston Pride. "We have embarked on an inclusive and deliberative process that is relying on members of the community to help us change.”
NBC10 Boston is the multimedia and community partner for Boston Pride.
