We met about 8 months ago, and from the start, it was clear she carried a complex relationship with race. She was born in the Caribbean to white Swedish parents but was adopted as a baby by a family of black Nigerian descent. Growing up in the US where race is often viewed through an oversimplified lens only added to her internal conflict she had. Her adoptive family even holds fringe political views about sovereignty and independence, including support for the separation of various territories from their respective countries. It’s safe to say she’s spent her life surrounded by people with shifting or non-traditional identities. She may have been assigned white at birth, but everything in her heart tells her that she is black, and that race is more than just skin color. Much more.

What impresses me most about her is her deep sense of empathy. She’s long been a supportive voice for both the transgender and transracial communities. She’s the kind of person who gives validation freely and without strings. Still, she’s faced constant pushback sometimes harsh and relentless simply for saying she understands what transracial people go through. That kind of hostility silenced her for a while, especially online where things can get ugly fast.

But now, something has changed. She recently embraced her own transracial identity publicly, and honestly, I didn’t expect it but I deeply admire her courage. She’s decided she’s done hiding and is now facing the world unapologetically. Watching her speak up for herself has reminded me how crucial it is for all of us to do the same.

So please stand up for who you really are inside and be your true and authentic selves. When you stay quiet, it doesn’t just affect you, it affects everyone trying to be seen. Solidarity matters. I stand with the trans community, and I stand with the transracial community. We’re not rivals. We’re allies.