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
Currently, our main partnership is with a 32-acre ranch located just 7 minutes from Ukiah (2 hours north of the Bay Area). The land boasts 18 acres of live oak forest with rustic hiking trails that follow a seasonal creek as well as easy access to Lake Mendicino, Vichy Hot Springs, and Orr Hot Springs. On-site amenities include access to a full kitchen, shared bathroom, central heat, central air conditioning, a pool, grill, lounge, and outdoor eating area.
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 could look like.
