Vision

We are creating portals to a world where trans and BIPOC people are resourced mentally, emotionally, and materially to co-create liberatory cultures that celebrate our lived experiences and connect our history with futures we have yet to dream.

Values

FUBU

We create culture by and for our communities

Leave No Trace

Mindful of our impact on the land, wildlife, and environment, we clean up after ourselves

Healing

We cultivate space for individual and collective healing

Participation

We celebrate collaboration and creativity by inviting our community to co-create

Joy

We prioritize play, creativity, and joy

Inclusivity

We create a culture that celebrates many identities and lived experiences

Honoring Indigeneity

We honor and build upon indigenous wisdom, traditions and relationships with the land

Anti-oppression

We proactively fight power imbalances that pervade our daily lives

History

Motivated by his own experiences of being unhoused as a youth and intervening in a loved one’s suicide attempt, André Pérez founded the Trans Oral History Project in 2007 and played a key role in several nonprofit startups including the Trans Lifeline. After spending 17 years working on the frontlines of homelessness, suicide, police violence, and trans rights in the South – he was diagnosed with Complex PTSD in 2020.

Perez and Sequoia Pheonix spent three years planning a trans land project in Northern California before finally purchasing 32 acres near Ukiah, CA. After receiving the Sundance Special Jury Award, Pérez recruited other trans and BIPOC artists to form Trans Bloom as a stand-alone arts organization that creates programming intended to connect the land, the rural community surrounding it, and the Bay Area cities.

Locations

Trans Bloom hosts programming in the Bay Area and in partnership with land-based communities.

Retreats, Residencies, and Events

Our main land-based partnership is with Tranifest Ranch, a 32-acre BIPOC-owned parcel near Ukiah, CA. Just 2 hours from San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, on-site amenities include access to a full kitchen, shared bathroom, central heat, central air conditioning, a pool, grill, outdoor fire pit, lounge, outdoor eating area, and 20 acres of live oak forest along a seasonal creek. From Tranifest Ranch, visitors are a short drive from Lake Mendicino, Vichy Hot Springs, Orr Hot Springs, downtown Ukiah, and many wineries.

Land Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Pomo people, who have stewarded it throughout the generations. We are actively working to foster deeper ties with Indigenous communities to explore what collaborations and resource sharing looks like.

 FAQs

  • We are a proudly BIPOC and trans-led organization with a team that has been organizing in the community for over 30 years at organizations such as the Trans Oral History Project, Trans Lifeline, the SF Transgender Film Festival, and the Translations International Transgender Film Festival.

  • For us, being BIPOC-centered means that the majority of our organizing committees, event attendees, and staff will be both trans and BIPOC. We are committed to centering our community's needs across all levels of the organization. Some Trans Bloom events will be explicitly for a specific sub-community (like an Asian Trans Masculine camp), and some events will be open to our wider community, which includes white and/or non-trans partners. mentors, collaborators, etc.

  • Trans Bloom speaks to support artists who are not merely transgender in their identity but who are transformative in their potential, their imagination, and their aspirations. We seek to support artists transforming our understanding of who we are, how we got here, and where we're going.

    We want to build a community of Trans and BIPOC artists and culture bearers who embrace storytelling across mediums, draw inspiration from shared history, and/or use art as a tool for social change. We are open to a wide variety of mediums, but have the most support currently for people working in multimedia, film, and video. We do not dictate what you should work on, but we are especially excited about artists whose work explores themes relating to ancestry, nature, healing, climate, magic, interconnection, and collective liberation.

  • We are constantly working to make Trans Bloom more financially and physically accessible. Please reach out if you are interested in volunteering or donating to support these efforts.

    Financially: All of our programming is free or offered on a sliding scale.

    Physically: Because Trans Bloom does not own space, the physical accessibility of our events varies widely based on the venue. When hosting events in the Bay Area, we are strive to rent space that is 100% ADA-accessible. However, nature-based events are frequently only partially accessible. Residencies and retreats are hosted in a house with 3 steps that has a collapsable ramp. Fundraising to build an ADA-accessible path from the house to the amenities is underway.

    Nuerodivergence: We strive to create low sensory spaces at our events to accommodate various needs.

    Contact us with any specific accessibility-related questions, requests, or accommodations.

  • We're new and growing, so we are seeking many kinds of co-conspirators at the moment. Some opportunities are:

    • Donate today! Your tax-deductible gift will help host more impactful events and build community.

    • Complete and share our BIPOC and Trans Artist Needs Assessment so that we can use it to get funding and plan for the future!

    • Volunteer. We are an all-volunteer organization at the moment, and we need help with comms, fundraising, land stewardship, and construction.

    • Propose a Partnership for future Mx. Artists Events in Santa Rosa, Ukiah, and Sacramento.

    Visit our participate page to learn more about these opportunities!

  • We rely on grants, donations, and community support to sustain our programming. We are currently fundraising to develop our space and expand our capacity to serve trans and BIPOC communities.

  • We integrate environmental care into our programming by fostering a relationship between participants and the land. This includes sustainable practices, land restoration efforts, and education on climate justice.

  • Join our mailing list or follow us on social media for updates on programs, events, and opportunities to engage with our work.

  • Yes! Trans Bloom welcomes partnerships with organizations whose missions align with supporting trans, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ communities, environmental stewardship, and social justice. Some opportunities that come to mind are:

    City-based Organizations

    • We are looking for co-hosts for Mx. Artist, BIPOC, and Trans Artist Mixers in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, and Oakland. If you have a partnership in mind, please contact us.

    • Nature-based healing programs: Collaborate to design retreats that deepen participants’ connection with nature. We can host in our unique 32-acre setting, Tranifest Ranch.

    Land Projects

    • We’re interviewing folks who have started rural-based artist residencies and live/work communities to learn more about your experiences

    • Organizations with expertise in sustainability, permaculture, or conservation, we’d love to partner with you to expand land stewardship initiatives.