When some of y’all joined us for our Freedom Futures Gala in February, as we kicked off 10 years of Freedom Oklahoma, we told you about some of the barriers that exist in trying to fundraise as a trans-led, trans-staffed organization. Specifically, we lifted up the research that tells us trans-led organizations are still only getting 4 cents to every $100 that’s coming from philanthropic foundations.

And as we see more and more corporations pull their funding to any effort that might be seen as related to equity, diversity, or inclusion, in a field where trans-led and trans-centered work was already often excluded from funding access, it’s a tough time to try and fundraise to support long-term work. Particularly in a state where many folks wrote us off, long before Freedom Oklahoma even came to be.

It’s therefore not surprising that, from a fundraising standpoint, when we held a fundraising gala in February, it was not a space where we ultimately raised a lot of money. It was many of the things that folks critique fundraising events to be–a lot of work, for ultimately, not much profit to show for it.

And, by all metrics besides income, the gala was an outstanding success. Through community sponsored tickets, we were able to provide tickets for more than 60 people who would not have been able to join the space otherwise. We had an evening where we got to lift up community changemakers, and give them their flowers in real time. We got to spend the evening in a community safe that was safe and welcoming, and work to provide low-barrier access to public art (shout out to the whole events team at Oklahoma Contemporary, who were a delight to work with).

There was great drag, with support from Frankie’s, great music by DJ Flash Jordan, an excellent photo booth from MVP photos, and a more accessible space from the fashionable respirators worn to parking to elevator access, with room to continue to improve on how we make more folks more welcome as we make room for joy. And at the end of the day, isn’t well-fed, well-cared for accessible community spaces where we can wholly and joyfully be ourselves the work of our organization, our movement, and our lifetimes?

ID: collage of photos of people posing during the Freedom Futures Gala on a background photo of the table decor featuring a Justice & Equality for All banner, zines, and disco balls. Photos include those taken by Steph Montelongo and photos taken on disposable cameras by attendees.

We’re an organization, where some of the coolest trans, nonbinary, agender, Two Spirit folks I know, get to show up each day and work with intention to weave futures into reality, build community across difference, and make liberation more tangible through regular acts of hope and joy. We get to try and fail and try again towards liberation.

We only exist, because of the folks willing to be in community with us, giving the most while having the least (from a monetary standpoint), because we’re committed to the future where we live in the abundance of having enough for everyone when we all share.

ID: collage of photos of people posing during the Freedom Futures Gala on a background photo of table decor featuring a Freedom Futures gala program and some various fidgets. Photos include those taken by Steph Montelongo and photos taken on disposable cameras by attendees.

Thanks to your continued support, in giving gifts that are personally meaningful to you, to let us fail and try towards a more joyful, more free future.

With gratitude,

Solas Evans