Breonna McCree — The Transgender District

For an entrepreneur, economic independence is the path to freedom, stability, and self-fulfillment.

The Transgender District is the first legally recognized transgender district in the world. Located in San Francisco, it was founded by three Black trans women in 2017 with the mission to “create an urban environment that fosters the rich history, culture, legacy, and empowerment of transgender people … in the southeastern Tenderloin neighborhood.” The district also “aims to stabilize and economically empower the transgender community through ownership of homes, businesses, historic and cultural sites, and safe community spaces.”

In this episode we follow the district’s co-executive director, Breonna McCree, as she supports and celebrates the economic empowerment of trans people, opening up opportunity and the possibility of a brighter future for the broader community. In particular, the episode focuses on the Transgender District Entrepreneurship Accelerator program, which assists transgender and queer people of color who aspire to be business owners.

This is the second episode of the three-part series American Problems, Trans Solutions.

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Black trans people are among the most marginalized Americans. And because they are also closest to some of the nation’s most pressing problems, they are often able to craft innovative solutions.

Join award-winning journalist Imara Jones as she travels across the country to tell the stories of three Black trans leaders on the frontlines of change: housing advocate Kayla Gore; Breonna McCree, a champion for economic empowerment; and Oluchi Omeoga, who fights for the rights of migrants.

Despite a record-breaking number of anti-trans bills passed in 2023, these Black trans people are addressing critical issues surrounding economic empowerment and human dignity with heart and vision.