Hello, I am Jasmine McKenzie, the Executive Director and Founder of The McKenzie Project, Inc., a newly established Black Trans-led organization in South Florida. Proudly, we stand as the sole Black Trans-led organization in Miami Dade County. Our mission is to uplift Black TGNCNB+ individuals aged 14 and above in Miami Dade and Broward County, with a primary focus on those experiencing homelessness and engaging in survival sex work.

We leverage creative arts to promote HIV awareness and advocate for entrepreneurship studies as a means to reshape the economic landscape disproportionately impacting our community with HIV. As a long-term survivor, I empathize with the challenges of finding a space that truly represents individuals "Breathing While Black and Trans."

Thank you for taking the time to visit my Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival webpage! I am actively participating in a 5K fundraising walk to combat HIV/AIDS and knock down barriers in access to services for our marginalized community. Your support is crucial.

While HIV and AIDS may have faded from recent spotlights, the epidemic persists, particularly within the Black Trans Community. In the US, an estimated 1.1 million people live with HIV, in Florida racial disparity exists among transgender individuals living with HIV with Black transgender men and women accounting for the majority of the cases. Among transgender men diagnosed with HIV, 58% identify as Black/African American, 15% as Hispanic/Latinx, 16% as White, and 11% as other. Of all transgender women diagnosed with HIV, 51% identify as Black/African American, 29% as Hispanic/Latinx, 11% White, and 9% other. Will you join me in making a difference by donating to my walk?

Your contribution directly impacts our mission to save lives in Florida, addressing the challenges of homelessness and HIV/AIDS. The Florida AIDS Walk aims to raise awareness, educate, and inspire our community to collaborate and bring an end to this epidemic.

Together, we are making a difference!

Sincerely,

Jasmine McKenzie

Executive Director and Founder

The McKenzie Project, Inc.