Desert Harvest Partners with Trans Asylias to Raise Awareness + Support for the Trans Community
TRANS ASYLIAS, a New York City-based non-profit organization founded in 2021 by Iman Le Clair, provides resources for transgender and non-binary asylum seekers to escape their home countries where they face persecution and resettle in trans-friendly countries. Iman herself endured years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse until she finally sought asylum outside of her native country of Egypt. After arriving in the United States, she quickly realized she still faced the same prejudices simply for being a trans woman of color, which inspired her to create change and form TRANS ASYLIAS.
In partnering with businesses like Desert Harvest, TRANS ASYLIAS works to raise awareness of the safety issues for the trans community worldwide and to deliver trans individuals in unsafe parts of the world to safety. Desert Harvest CEO Heather Florio has committed to donate 25% of all proceeds from the sales of their new product, “BumBumz,” a 100% natural-origin anal lubricant, to this amazing organization.
BELLA got to know Iman, her mission, and how we can all help her in the bold and selfless work…
Tell us about your inspiration for creating the TRANS ASYLIAS organization.
It all started with the murder of George Floyd. I found myself on the streets of NYC, alongside thousands, first in the movement for Black Lives Matter and quickly after as one of the faces of the Black Trans Liberation movement, which was holding rallies and marches every Thursday for a year. I constantly reminded the movement that while Trans visibility is encouraged in the United States, many countries—like the one I am from, Egypt —can legally jail and kill LGBTQ+ people.
As my voice grew louder both in the streets and online, so did the calling for humanitarian work. Week after week my exposure on social media kept on growing thanks to the extensive coverage of our rallies by numerous photographers. As I was the only Trans activist talking on behalf of the many persecuted in foreign countries, my name started to circulate in the Middle East, Africa, and Jamaica. One day, Retaj, a young Yemeni trans woman, contacted me on Instagram pleading for help. With no experience whatsoever I managed to get Retaj out of Yemen in August 2020 during a global pandemic and a war in Yemen. Nine months later Retaj was in Paris and was granted asylum.
Once I successfully relocated three more cases, I knew that I had to commit to this work. TRANS ASYLIAS was registered in the state of New York in December 2021 and received 501(c)(3) status in August 2022.
How do you find the cases you take on? Are people seeking you out directly for your help?
Like Retaj, most cases find me on social media, mainly Instagram and Twitter, either directly or after reading press articles like the “BBC 100 Women 2021.” Some find out about our website at TransAsylias.org and the options we offer to request help in five different languages.
What are some of the biggest challenges your organization faces?
First is financial. Each case so far has cost an average $20K. It requires lots of determination and hard work to raise that kind of money each time.
Next is personnel. Until we have the financial means to hire staff members, we exclusively rely on volunteers. We are in dire need of Arabic-speaking case managers.
Lastly, it’s the lack of respect for asylum by the US government. Asylum is a right and asylum seekers deserve immediate access to temporary housing, health care, and protection, especially when they are the most vulnerable of all—transgender men and women who are exposed to violence and life-threatening situations from non-LGBTQIA+ refugees. Our first 10 cases were safe in France, The Netherlands, and Canada, where they were granted asylum without incarceration and extended protection, housing, and healthcare. Sadly, the USA does not guarantee such a treatment for Trans asylum seekers.
I’m sure this is a massive responsibility. Tell us about your team and the people who help make all this work possible.
We are still a grassroots organization. Nobody is getting compensated for their work, not even my husband and I, who are the only two fully on board. We have a small group of trustworthy and smart volunteers who help tremendously.
How has your partnership with Heather Florio and Desert Harvest aided in your mission to give back?
Heather and I met a year ago at the BELLA Magazine party for your Pride Issue, and we instantly clicked. We have met several times since then. Heather wants to find ways for Desert Harvest to support our work at TRANS ASYLIAS. She came up with the idea to donate 25% of all proceeds from the sale of their new product Bum-Bumz, a 100% natural-origin anal lubricant.
Tell our readers how they can get involved, volunteer, and support your efforts.
Everybody is born an activist or humanitarian, because as human beings we have to fight or embrace a cause at some point in our existence. No doubt your readers can find a way to help me and TRANS ASYLIAS. Obviously, donations are major. Whatever the amount, donations particularly mean a lot to me when they are recurring, like once a month, since it proves that the donors want to be committed and partners in our long journey to save lives. I like it when donors feel that they are part of the TRANS ASYLIAS family, especially when they want to be kept informed of the progress we are making for a specific case or an individual’s well-being once in a safe country.
Volunteers can make a huge difference in how we respond to critical situations. I do not expect all volunteers to be case managers, but they may have skills in listening to, comforting a young transgender, over a virtual call. Or, if they just love spending a lot of time on the Internet and are curious about many subjects, which could be US government issues and regulations; LGBTQIA+ rights in the US or overseas; non-profit organizations and LGBTQ-friendly press like BELLA, they can become a research volunteer for TRANS ASYLIAS.
Finally, spreading our mission and messages on social media, or by reaching out to their friends and contacts, thus being instrumental in raising funds, would also be another way to help.
Instagram: @TransAsylias
Website: TransAsylias.org