A group of people poses together, smiling and looking directly at the camera.
Aria Sa'id, center

The Very First Transgender District

Hear, Here
Host Jack Inslee

San Francisco’s Tenderloin has long been an important place in the transgender community, home to the nation’s first trans demonstration (the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria riot, predating Stonewall) and now The Transgender District, a six-block radius within the neighborhood. Founded by three black trans women in 2017, the world’s first legally recognized transgender district works tirelessly to facilitate the healing, economic empowerment, and cultural enrichment of trans people in the Tenderloin.

One of its founders, Aria Sa’id, shares the neighborhood’s story through her own, tracing her path from being the only trans teen in her hometown to an agent of change in San Francisco and beyond. Hear her story in the episode above, and follow along with Hear, Here on Spotify.

Photos by Josh Egel, taken at the Trans Leaders Mixer at the LINE SF in February 2023.

A drag queen in a red, traditional Chinese dress sings while people watch
Three women smile happily in front of a large colorful painting
Two women in dresses embrace each other and pose
A drag queen in a body suit performs to a small crowd in a hotel lobby
A seated crowd in a hotel lobby watches a performance
Three men with beards and lively outfits look at the camera
A drag queen in a black dress sings with her arms out to a crowd in a hotel lobby
One woman with a microphone looks at another woman who is receiving her kind words
A diverse group of people hug and smile at the camera
A group of people hold a banner and have their fists in the air
San Francisco / Community / Voices
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