Nadia Butler (she/her) of Pennsylvania was selected for a Founders’ grant for gender affirming surgery with Dr. Christine McGinn.  When asked how this grant will change her life, Nadia said, “I couldn’t initially believe I was awarded a Jim Collins Foundation grant when members of the organization’s board told me on a Zoom call in late May that I would receive one. I went a little dumb, with shock. It was only on reflection that it hit me: one day soon my body will be as it ought to have always been. This grant allows me to dream and plan for a different future because it frees me from many of … [Read more...]

Jazmyn Watson (she/her) of Oregon was selected for a Founders’ grant to receive voice feminization surgery with Dr. Vartan Mardirossian. When asked why she is grateful to receive this grant, Jazmyn shared, "This surgery will enable me to authentically express myself, live a stable life, and pursue my career dreams. I am a Black Trans Woman and an award-winning dancer/choreographer, but there was a time when I almost quit and wanted to hide myself from the world because people would say hateful slurs against me, plus I was suffering from being misgendered and discriminated against when applying … [Read more...]

Robin (he/they) of Nevada was selected for a Founders’ grant for gender affirming surgery with Dr. Ethan Larson. When asked how this grant will impact his life, Robin shared, "I am a transmasculine non-binary person who grew up in a religious household where a majority of my family did not accept my gender identity. I tried to suppress myself for a long time, but I realized hiding pained me more than anything. When I finally came out, I received judgment from friends and family who continue to deadname me or refuse to talk to me to this day. It was upsetting at first, but I’ve learned to … [Read more...]

Shahad Alghamdi (he/him) of New York was selected for a Founders’ grant for gender affirming surgery with Dr. Scott Mosser. When asked what receiving this grant means to him, Shahad said, "For me, this surgery is a lifeline that I have long dreamed of. I am a young, queer, immigrant transman from a religious fundamentalist country where being trans is punishable by the death penalty. My family and my society intensely pressured me to conform to the gender norms expected of women, and I was punished and beaten when I tried to defy their expectations. I was in a cycle of severe depression, … [Read more...]

Z (he/him) of West Virginia was selected for a Founders’ grant for gender affirming surgery with Dr. Kenneth Wolf. When asked what this grant means to him, Z said, "This surgery will save my life. I had been so close to giving up on life because I suffered years of abusive relationships, misgendering, rejection by my family and community, and even physical attacks on the street. I would stay home because I couldn't bear going outside when I was feeling gender dysphoria and I was afraid of being jumped by transphobes. This surgery means the world to me because now I'll finally be able to look … [Read more...]