Valentyna

Valentyna was born in Ahuachapan, El Salvador in 1993. Growing up, her gender identity was obvious, and school was full of discrimination from her classmates and teachers. After attending school for 9 years, Valentyna decided that she would be happy, no matter what anyone said, and made the decision to come out as transgender. She began the process of telling her family, who cut her off from economic support and forced her to leave school at age 15. She has since been learning to survive in a world of machísmo where to be LGBTQ is an aberration. 

Faced with limited options, Valentyna decided to try and become a nurse. She presented herself as a trans woman, but with what she calls “little expression.” Nonetheless, she was turned away. She was determined to finish high school, and eventually she earned a certificate in aesthetics and beauty in 2014 and in hospitality in 2016. 

In Valentyna’s own words, “My sexual preference and gender identity prevented me from accessing decent jobs, and I could never present myself as a transgender woman, for fear of being fired.” In 2017, Valentyna worked in an NGO, but she was fired for being transgender. In 2018 she started to dream about own her own beauty shop and business. She decided to begin the process of transition from man to woman. In September 2018, after receiving death threats by gangs, she finally decided to emigrate to the United States.

Joanne Stefani

Joanne Stefani was born in 1990 in the city of La Ceiba, Honduras. In her words, “I could not finish my high school. I suffered a lot of discrimination and racism for being a trans woman of color.” Despite the difficulties in her life, Joanne likes to dance and find happiness in all the ways that she can. She decided to join the caravan because it was her chance to reach the USA. She had always wanted to leave and seek her freedom, but leaving her mother and her sister was a very difficult decision. But unfortunately, in Honduras, the LGBTQ community does not have the support of the government. Joanne is hopeful to be in the United States, where there is more acceptance of trans people, but feels disheartened after navigating the challenges of the asylum system. In Joanne’s words, “every day is a challenge for me and not only for me for other trans girls and people in my community.”

Chantal

Chantal, born Giovanni, was born in 1991 in San Salvador, El Salvador. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health, and dreams of pursuing her doctorate one day. Today, her passion is beauty and acrylic nail art. She left her country for lack of security and life opportunities. She suffered domestic violence and gang threats, and she was rejected from the police when she filed a complaint. In Chantal’s own words, “I am a good friend, a sincere faithful worker. But, even so, sometimes that is not enough to make people stop hurting me.” Chantal is grateful for having arrived in this country and hopes to soon win her asylum case.  Her hope in the United States is “to get ahead as a person” and become an entrepreneur to help her family. She wants to have the possibility of living quietly one day while feeling proud of her sexual orientation. Today, she feels proud of having arrived where she is today with the help of God.