MUTUAL AID

believes that organizing for Trans and Gender Expansive (TGE) Liberation requires a multifaceted approach and that first and foremost, our communities’ basic necessities must be met in order to build a strong base for community organizing. Therefore, we continue to expand our mutual aid programming in order to:

  • Decrease economic barriers to trans and gender expansive folks who would otherwise not have access to these life-saving services/supplies

  • Mitigate the negative effects of gender dysphoria (i.e. depression, feelings of guilt/shame, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, eating disorders, etc)

  • Increase gender euphoria and its positive effects (i.e. increase feeling of peace, joy, loving oneself, being more social, more headspace to tend to one’s needs, etc)

At least 75% of our mutual aid is distributed to trans and gender expansive BIPOC to address the systemic racialized economic wealth gap. Furthermore, 3 out of 5 of our mutual aid programming is done through a lottery process. A lottery process means that we accept applications for a 30 day period. After that, we randomize the applications to select the order of who will receive a microgrant. This is to ensure an equitable process that recognizes people's different abilities to submit an application within a certain time frame. This application process does not favor those who are able to submit their application faster, as that does not account for people's vastly different work and life event schedules.

Our mutual aid programs are:

  • The last cycle ended April 30th, 2023, in which we distributed $5,015 to 13 trans and gender expansive individuals. Here is what the application (link) looked like.

    The next round of applications opens October 1st, 2023, overlapping with our next Name Change Clinic in partnership with University of Arizona Pride Law.

  • So far this year, we have distributed $2,615. This microgrant is currently closed and we are seeking more funds. This microgrant operates as emergency funding, and does not use the lottery process.

  • This microgrant is currently closed and we are seeking more funds. This microgrant uses the lottery process.

    Note: we recently applied for a couple grants for this, so we might be able to update this before the website goes up…

  • This microgrant is currently closed and we are seeking more funds. This microgrant uses the lottery process.

    Note: we recently applied for a couple grants for this, so we might be able to update this before the website goes up…

If SAGA’s mutual aid is currently not active, please visit our Community Resources document for other potential leads.

If you want to donate to our mutual aid programs, we accept donations via:

  • Venmo: @SAGATucson

    • Note: handle written, button, QR code

  • PayPal : treasurer@sagatucson.org

    • Note: email written, button, QR code

  • Check/Cash: PO Box 41863, Tucson, AZ 85717

  • If you want to donate to a specific mutual aid program, make sure to write which mutual aid program you want to donate to. If not, then just write “mutual aid.”