New drop-in center, behavioral health care, and housing programs mark a powerful new chapter in Black trans-led care and advocacy.
(PITTSBURGH, PA) — SisTers PGH, the longest-running Black trans woman-led organization in the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, is proud to celebrate 15 years of service and liberation with two major public events: Community Day on June 20 and the Masquerade Gala & Awards Ceremony on June 21. These events not only mark a full-circle celebration of the organization’s grassroots history but also serve as the launch to our future in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh.
These events come at a time when anti-trans legislation and attacks on gender-affirming care are escalating nationwide. In this climate, SisTers PGH’s work — providing housing, therapy, and community-based support — is not just vital; it’s a lifeline.
Founded in 2010, SisTers PGH opened its first drop-in center in Squirrel Hill, then moved its community center to Swissvale. Today, our administrative offices are located at 213 Smithfield Street, and our newly established drop-in center — the Stonewall Inn — is located at 211 Smithfield Street.
The Stonewall Inn is a Black trans-led drop-in center offering showers and hygiene access, radical rest stations, hot meals, food, and toiletries, one-on-one behavioral health therapy and peer support. Our new space also offers case management and service navigation, housing services through Monica Roberts Place (permanent supportive housing for Black and Brown trans people) and Project T (transitional housing specifically for Black trans women and girls experiencing homelessness).
“We’re not just providing shelter or advocacy anymore—we’re providing comprehensive, wraparound care that affirms identity and builds pathways to healing,” said Ciora Thomas, founder and executive director of SisTers PGH. “At a time when our government is working overtime to erase trans people and take away our right to gender-affirming care, we are proud to stand in the gap — not just surviving, but thriving.
“To be a Black trans woman-led organization in Pittsburgh that now offers therapy, housing, and healing space in the heart of downtown is a reflection of what we’ve always known: we are the solution.”
Community Day
June 20, 2025 | 12 PM – 5 PM
Community Day will mark the soft opening of SisTers PGH’s new drop-in center, the Stonewall Inn, at 211 Smithfield Street. The event will feature local vendors and community partners, drag performances and a DJ, and tours of the new space.
Masquerade Gala & Awards Ceremony
June 21, 2025 | 5 PM – 10 PM
Held at The Maverick in East Liberty, at 120 S Whitfield St Pittsburgh, PA 15206, the Gala will include:
Red carpet entrance and photos
Drag performances by Pittsburgh icons and special guest Mercedes D. L’Oreal, a national drag queen from New Orleans
Live music from Pittsburgh powerhouse vocalist Savannah Chantell
Dinner, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres
Silent auction featuring local and national prizes
Premiere screening of the short film “The Origins of SisTers PGH: Past, Present, and Future,” produced by Shanell Lamere of Shanell Lamere Films
With over 100 guests already confirmed and just a few tickets remaining, the Gala promises to be an evening of celebration, connection, and Black trans brilliance.
Host: Akasha L. Van-Cartier — Pittsburgh drag performer, costumer, and educator with 21 years of experience
Keynote: Hope Giselle — national trans activist, author (Until I Met Black Men, Becoming Hope), and founder of the AllowMe Movement
Accommodations for Visiting Guests
For those traveling to Pittsburgh for our 15-Year Anniversary Gala, we have host hotels at:
The Maverick – 120 S Whitfield St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh East Liberty – 123 N Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Special guest rates are available for our guests. These rates can be found by visiting our website or by clicking this link: https://www.sisterspgh.org/sisters-15-year-gala
2025 Award Honorees
Trailblazer Award – Hope Giselle
Emerging Leader Award – Saint Osei Valentino
Transmasculine Impact Award – Vincent Foulkes
Transformative Leadership Award – Celena Morrison-McClean
Youth Empowerment & Movement Award – A.J. Scruggs
Community Commitment & Engagement Award – Melissa Sloan
Community Partner Recognition Award – Deja-Lynn Alvarez
National Community Reflections
Reflections from some of the national leaders and movement partners who have shared their support for Sisters PGH. These leaders — and more from across the country — will be joining us in Pittsburgh for our 15-Year Anniversary Gala.
“Maryland and Baltimore Safe Haven stand in deep appreciation for Sisters PGH’s consistency and care,” said Iya Dammons, Executive Director of Maryland Safe Haven and Baltimore Safe Haven. “This celebration is a testament to what’s possible when we fight together.”
“Sisters PGH has built a legacy of care that centers the lived realities of Black and Brown trans folks. Lavender Rights Project is proud to stand in solidarity as a sponsor and movement partner,” shared Jaelynn Scott, Executive Director of Lavender Rights Project.
“Sisters PGH has always embodied the unapologetic leadership our community needs,” said Queen Chelá Demuir-Cartier, Founder and Executive Director of the Unique Woman’s Coalition (UWC), based in Los Angeles. “For 15 years, they have stood as a pillar for Black trans brilliance, resilience, and care. UWC is proud to celebrate alongside them and uplift the legacy they continue to build.”
“Supporting Sisters PGH means investing in the blueprint for trans-led liberation,” said Kayla Gore, Executive Director of My Sistah’s House in Memphis, a proud sponsor of the 15-Year Anniversary Gala. “Their 15 years represent the long-haul, grassroots work we must all honor.”
“We Care Tennessee sees Sisters PGH as family,” said Jasmine Tesaki, Executive Director of We Care Tennessee. “This anniversary reminds us what happens when our leadership is not just welcomed, but protected and celebrated.”
“Sisters PGH has always done the work — not for praise, but because our people need it,” said Ceyenne Doroshow, Founder and Executive Director of GLITS Inc. in New York City and community sponsor of the 15-Year Anniversary Gala. “Their impact reaches far beyond Pittsburgh. Black trans-led organizations like Sisters PGH remind us that freedom is local, and liberation starts at home.”
“Sisters PGH represents what it looks like when community heals and builds for itself,” said Kim Watson, LGBTQ+ and Health Equity Coordinator for the Housing Health and Equity Office of Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams (New York, NY). Kim is also the Executive Director and Co-Founder of one of the first Black and Brown trans-led organizations in NYC. “Their 15 years of leadership is proof that Black and Brown trans brilliance will always thrive when we resource it, respect it and rise with it while trusting the process”ive when we resource it, respect it, and rise with it while trusting the process.”
Board Reflections
“Sisters PGH is what Pittsburgh has needed—and will continue to need—for generations to come,” said Mo’Nique Campbell, Board Member.
“This milestone reminds me how far we’ve come—and how much further we’ll go,” said Louis Mitchell, Board Member.
“Fifteen years of radical love, healing, and resistance. We are lucky to witness it,” added Marissa Miller, Board Member.
“To witness Sisters PGH grow from a grassroots dream to a downtown institution is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Lourée Collins, Board Member.
Local Reflections
“Sisters PGH didn’t just give me space—they gave me the blueprint,” said Saint Osei Valentino.
“There is no such thing as trans liberation without transmasculine visibility,” said Vincent Foulkes.
“Being a community worker often means doing the work in silence,” said Melissa Sloan. “Sisters PGH changed that for me. They see us, they lift us, and they build with us. This gala isn’t just a celebration—it’s a confirmation.”
“Sisters PGH embodies the kind of radical care that changes entire ecosystems,” said Tammy Thompson, President & CEO of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh. “We are proud to be a community sponsor and collaborator with an organization that leads with love, strategy, and fearlessness.”
“Sisters PGH has been a leader in building spaces where Black and Brown trans people can thrive,” said Deja-Lynn Alvarez, Deputy Director of World Health Care Infrastructure/TPAC. “As we expand SistersPHL, an extension of Sisters PGH, I’m proud to stand with them in this work. Together, we’re weaving a network of safety, resources, and radical love across cities — because our people deserve it.”
Sponsors
Sisters PGH thanks its 15-Year Anniversary sponsors for their unwavering support:
Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania
Allies for Health and Well-Being
Catapult Pittsburgh
Duquesne Light
My Sistah’s House
Lavender Rights Project
The Office of Charitable Giving at UPMC
FISA Foundation
There’s still time to join these incredible partners as a sponsor. For more information, please visit www.sisterspgh.org.
Looking Ahead: Pride, Visibility, and Black Trans Joy
Beginning June 2, Sisters PGH will launch a citywide billboard campaign for Pride Month. The campaign will highlight the organization’s mission, affirm trans visibility, and spotlight its work in housing, behavioral health, and community advocacy.
As part of Pride Month, Sisters PGH’s Executive Director Ciora D. L’Oreal will also be making her stage debut at local open mic nights at the Blue Moon and P-Town Bar. It’s her first time, but it’s a bold step to show the power of Black trans femme artistry. Come out and support this emerging voice — and join us in celebrating 15 years of care, visibility, and radical joy.
Join Us
Be part of a movement that has transformed Pittsburgh for 15 years — and is just getting started. Join us:
Community Day on June 20 at 211 Smithfield Street
The Masquerade Gala on June 21 at The Maverick
Tickets & Donations: https://givebutter.com/k73KdK
Media Kit & Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10-lPqVz3ox3Ebr0C4fXUfT8ErLe_4v45
Together, we rise.
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Sisters PGH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Black trans-led organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We are committed to providing housing, healing, and community-based support for Black and Brown trans and nonbinary individuals. Learn more at www.sisterspgh.org.
About SisTers PGH:
SisTers PGH is a Black and trans-led nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, PA, founded by Ciora Thomas, that has been serving the community for 15 years. Dedicated to providing safe housing, resources, and support to the transgender and nonbinary communities, SisTers PGH is trusted, respected, and highly resourced by trans people in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The organization operates several programs, including Project T, Monica Roberts Place, and the Trans Resource Center, with a mission to uplift and empower the most marginalized members of the LGBTQIA+ community.