S A I

Sai Ali is an Indo-Caribbean trans rights activist and lesbian-identified woman of trans experience.

 

"First and foremost, society's violence towards us starts as soon as we're born," introduces Sai. A powerful statement that holds a heavy weight. From the time of birth gender has been assigned, infants will reap the benefits or lack thereof pertaining to their parent's economic wealth, and certainly ethnic background. Sai has struggled with depression, body dysmorphia, and thoughts of suicide. Her trauma has led her to co-facilitating the Caribbean Equality Project’s (CEP) Unchained support group, where she also serves as a board member. As a community builder, Sai’s advocacy centers the mobilization of LGBTQ+ immigrants of both Caribbean and South Asian descent. She is the lead organizer of CEP’s Trans Justice Group, a network founded in 2019 to affirm Caribbean trans identities through healing, healthcare equity, economic empowerment, legislation, and leadership development.

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Sai shares her knowledge through her experiences with her peers about the flaws she views in the healthcare system. "One dose of estrogen is about $60," says Sai, "it can be a lot for someone every month to pay that." This is the price some have to pay to live in their truth which can often lead into debt or more debt. This sheds light on alarming facts, such as in the United States, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness each year.

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Sai joined both SALGA NYC and then Caribbean Equality Project in 2018, in response to her isolation living in a cis-heteronormative world. Since then, she has found community, solidarity, chosen family, and friends with other LGBTQ+ people impacted by gender trauma. Sai's work focuses on empowering her diverse and intersectional communities to share their stories, take political action, and advocate for inclusivity with the goal of a world without the oppression and hatred that she has experienced.