Hey, fam, it's me, Amar Jones.

Welcome to the Translash podcast, a show where we tell trans stories to save trans lives.

Well, we're nearing the end of Black History Month, and during this month, as you all know,

we have worked to highlight some of the most serious issues facing the Black trans community

here in the United States, specifically mass incarceration and the carcceral state.

There's so many parts of our experience that are about joy and empowerment and the use of our voice,

especially in the world of audio, like this show.

So today we're going to speak with two people who are using their voices as advocates and hosts of award-winning podcasts.

First, we're joined by activist and host of Marsh's Plate, Diamond Stiles.

It was like, yo, like, you can buck up against the system, and everybody thought I was going to lose.

And I think part of me thought that I was, too, but it wasn't about winning.

It was about fighting.

Next, I'll talk to journalists and host of What a Day and Fante, Trevelle Anderson.

But it was in that moment that I was like, you know what?

The only way that I can truly kind of make spaces that I'm in safer and more welcoming for myself and hopefully others in turn is by being, just by being me.

Even though both of these conversations are chocked full of joy, you can never have enough joy.

So we're going to start out like we always do with some more, in this instance,

trans joy.

With an increase in visibility around Black Trans issues, it's more important than ever that our community has ownership of the ways that were made visible.

So I wanted to highlight the work of an up-and-coming photographer who is showing the world what black trans beauty and

creativity look like. Lexi is a Brooklyn-based black queer and non-binary photographer using

their camera to create spaces of healing and liberation. Working under the professional moniker,

...