Black History Month: Kylar Broadus and the Fight for Transgender Equality

Dear PFLAG LA Community,

For Week Three of our Black History Month series, I am honored to highlight a true trailblazer and changemaker: Kylar Broadus.

Kylar Broadus is an attorney, entrepreneur, and groundbreaking transgender rights activist who has dedicated his life to advancing justice, dignity, and equity. Born in 1963, he went on to found the Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC), the only national organization specifically dedicated to the needs of transgender people of color. Through this work, he has amplified voices too often pushed to the margins and built powerful networks of advocacy nationwide.

In 2012, Kylar made history as the first openly transgender person to testify before the United States Senate, advocating for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. That moment was more than symbolic — it was transformational. He spoke for countless transgender people facing discrimination in employment, housing, healthcare, and public life.

His advocacy has consistently centered those most vulnerable, particularly Black trans people and other trans people of color who face disproportionate violence and systemic barriers. Kylar’s work reminds us that equality must be intersectional. Justice must include everyone.

Today, as LGBTQ+ rights face renewed attacks, Kylar Broadus’s leadership feels especially urgent. His courage reminds us that progress is possible, that advocacy matters, and that community power changes lives.

At PFLAG LA, our strength comes from standing together — families, allies, and LGBTQ+ people united in love and action. Kylar Broadus’s legacy challenges us to keep building a world where every transgender person, every Black LGBTQ+ person, and every member of our community can live safely, openly, and proudly.

Let’s continue this work together, with courage and compassion.

— Corey Allen Berry (He/Him)
Advocacy Co-Chair and DEI Officer