In Search of Freedom: My Story as an Indigenous Trans Woman
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and other asylum seekers across Latin America often experience abusive and dangerous conditions causing them to flee across borders to seek asylum. Research shows that many LGBT people face persecution and violence, including domestic violence, rape, and murder, as well as discrimination in areas like education, employment, housing, and healthcare. Little information currently exists about the number and characteristics of LGBT asylum seekers in the United States¹.
One of our newly arrived community members, Nirvana, shares her story.
My name is Nirvana Garcia, I am an Indigenous trans woman from the Mexican state of Veracruz. I was born surrounded by mountains, trees, and springs to a small and humble family living between two traditional and conservative towns which spoke the languages Totonaco and Spanish. At an early age I realized that I was "different." I desperately wanted to be a “pretty girl”, but sadly I did not have the support of my family, friends, or anyone to help make my dreams a reality. There were times where I felt oppressed.
For 18 years, I pretended to be a "man" as a means of survival, creating a world of lies in order to be safe. When I became an adult, I migrated for the first time from my small town in Veracruz to Mexico City to begin a new life and to begin my transition, finally facing my reality, crossing the line from youth to adulthood and all that it entails including: paying rent, utilities, makeup, clothes, etc., but also unfortunately experiencing the discrimination of being a trans, Indigenous, brown woman. Everyday is a struggle for me and for the LGTBQA+ community in general.
Because of the situation I faced in Mexico City, full of fear, anguish, depression, loneliness, crisis, and fearing for my life daily just for being who I am, I had to make a decision to flee my country. Journeying through the deserts of Mexico and parts of the United States I finally arrived in New York City. All I wanted was to return to normal, study, work, have breakfast, rest on the weekend, and share my life with someone. I quickly realized that I couldn't do it alone. I needed a community, people to talk to, letting out what was burning inside me: the passion for freedom, justice and for equality.
Community organizations like Mixteca, Make the road NYC, Queer Detainee Empowerment Project (QDEP) shared with me critical resources, information, clothing, shoes, hygiene products, leadership courses, support groups, mental health, education, transportation and much more. I finally felt welcomed to be who I am with open arms, huge smiles, and hugs. At Mixteca particularly, I have had the pleasure of interacting closely with staff and volunteers, witnessing first hand just how much they work to support our community and those in need.
Today I am a full time student studying the English language and volunteering with community organizations around New York City, participating in the collective struggle and action of people like me. I plan to continue my studies and return to university for an opportunity to give back and help our beautiful Latinx, Hispanic, LGBTQ, Black and Indigenous communities. I want to thank those who have made all this possible, for keeping the new generations alive. Organizations like Mixteca have made a once difficult life more bearable. Thank you for getting here, I wish you all much wisdom, health and well-being.
[1] UCLA School of Law, Williams Institute, LGTB Asylum Claims in the United States