TGI Justice Project

What TGI Justice Project does

TGI Justice Project (TGIJP), formally the Miss Major Alexander L. Lee TGIJP Black Trans Cultural Center, is a Black Trans-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004/2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The organization provides advocacy, direct services, and leadership development for transgender, gender-variant, and intersex (TGI) people inside and outside prisons, jails, detention centers, and other locked facilities, with a particularly deep focus on Black TGI communities in California.

TGIJP's core offerings span a wellness department (including a peer-led harm reduction support group), a legal department (name and gender marker change clinic, visitation team, and participation in litigation including the defense of SB132), a housing and supportive services program, the Melenie Eleneke Re-Entry Program for formerly incarcerated Black trans women (launched 2015), political education through the Niomi Jenkins Freedom School, the annual Black Girlz Rulez convening, and prolific mail-based outreach via the weekly Mail Night correspondence program and the bi-annual Stiletto newsletter distributed to approximately 1,500 incarcerated TGI subscribers. The technology stack is community-based rather than software-based: outreach, intake, and service delivery are conducted through physical locations, mail correspondence, phone, email, and social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook). In 2023, TGIJP acquired a three-story building in Hayes Valley as the permanent Black Trans Cultural Center, backed by a $5 million Capital Campaign.

The business model is that of a donor-and-grant-funded nonprofit: services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and there is no commercial pricing model, revenue from customers, or investor ownership. Funding comes from donations, grants, and capital campaigns, and the organization is led by CEO Janetta Johnson (with the organization since 1997) and Co-Executive Director zy'aire Nassirah. TGIJP co-founded the Transgender District in San Francisco in 2017, the first legally recognized transgender district in the world, and operates the California Transgender, Gender Variant, Intersex Policy Alliance (CTPA), signaling its dual role as direct service provider and policy advocate. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

TGI Justice Project

Legal name

Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project

Website

https://tgijp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TGI Justice Project is a Black Trans-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2004/2005 and based in San Francisco, that provides direct services, legal aid, wellness, housing, re-entry, and leadership development for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated transgender, gender-variant, and intersex people in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Advocacy Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)

Keywords

• Transgender advocacy services
• Prison reentry support
• Legal aid clinics
• Community organizing programs
• Leadership development training

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TGI Justice Project (TGIJP) is a Black Trans-led nonprofit providing direct services, advocacy, and leadership development programs for transgender, gender-variant, and intersex (TGI) people, both inside prisons/jails/detention centers and post-release. Offerings include legal aid and name/gender marker change clinics, a re-entry employment program, wellness support groups, a weekly mail correspondence program (Mail Night), a bi-annual newsletter (Stiletto), and political education convenings such as the Freedom School and Black Girlz Rulez.

Product overview

TGI Justice Project (TGIJP) is a Black Trans-led nonprofit organization offering direct services, advocacy, and community programs rather than a technology product. Their offerings include the Stiletto newsletter publication, Mail Night correspondence program, Melenie Eleneke Re-Entry Program for formerly incarcerated Black trans women, Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic, weekly Resilience support groups, Black Girlz Rulez convenings, Niomi Jenkins Freedom School, and an annual Miss Major celebration event. TGIJP also conducts a capital campaign to establish a permanent Black Trans Cultural Center in San Francisco.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stiletto Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 incarcerated people reached at a single reentry resource fair in February 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Transgender Strategy CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2023Co-Director Morey Riordan visited TGIJP's new Hayes Valley building for a leadership meet and greet with TGIJP staff including ED Sharyn Grayson and CEO Janetta Johnson.
• Lambda LegalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2022Lambda Legal, along with Transgender Law Center and ACLU Foundation of Southern California, filed a motion to intervene in Chandler v. CDCR to defend SB132 (Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act), representing TGIJP and four individuals currently incarcerated in California prisons.
• Transgender Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2022Transgender Law Center partnered with Lambda Legal and ACLU SoCal to defend SB132, representing TGIJP and incarcerated individuals in the lawsuit challenging California's trans-inclusive incarceration policy.
• ACLU Foundation of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2022ACLU SoCal joined Lambda Legal and Transgender Law Center to intervene in the anti-trans lawsuit defending SB132 and representing TGIJP and incarcerated individuals.
• O'Melveny & MyersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 May 2022Pro-bono co-counsel supporting Lambda Legal, TLC, and ACLU SoCal in the intervention to defend SB132 on behalf of TGIJP.
• Lavender Phoenix (formerly APIENC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Joint statement with TGIJP regarding Mayor Breed's decision to boycott Pride, both organizations opposing police presence at Pride events due to history of SFPD violence against trans communities.
• Black Women RadicalsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration for Transgender Week of Awareness and Transgender Day of Remembrance events, including panel discussions and programming celebrating Black trans lives.
• Soft Boi ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Jai Celestial of Soft Boi Consulting provided political education to TGIJP members around The Axes of Oppression, Gender Justice, and Grassroots Organizing during a three-day retreat.
• The Transgender DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Co-founded by Janetta Johnson (TGIJP Executive Director), Aria Sa'id, and Honey Mahogany in 2017. The Transgender District in San Francisco is the first legally recognized transgender district in the world, focused on transgender economic empowerment and policy.
• Calls From Home / WMMTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Calls From Home radio show at WMMT in Kentucky, discussing modes of communication with incarcerated people and sharing organizing strategies across prison walls.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Destination Tomorrow: Bronx-based LGBTQ+ center providing housing, mental health, and reentry support with a specific focus on TGNCNB people of color. Comparable on direct service + reentry mix for TGI people of color.
• House of GG: Black trans-led nonprofit in Arkansas providing reentry, housing, and wellness support for trans women of color leaving incarceration. Closest geographic and programmatic analog to TGIJP outside California.

Direct peers

• Black Trans Advocacy Coalition: National Black trans-led coalition working on policy, advocacy, and community development for Black transgender people. Strong overlap with TGIJP's leadership development, policy, and Black trans community empowerment work.
• The Okra Project: Black trans-led mutual aid organization addressing food insecurity, housing, and wellness for Black trans people. Comparable in Black trans-led governance and focus on basic-needs services, though less prison/reentry focused.
• Marsha P. Johnson Institute: Black-led nonprofit advancing advocacy, organizing, and leadership development for Black transgender people nationwide. Closely comparable in mission, Black trans leadership, and emphasis on community-led solutions.
• Sylvia Rivera Law Project: NYC-based TGI-led legal and policy organization providing name change, immigration, reentry, and prison-based advocacy for low-income TGI people of color. Closest peer to TGIJP in mission, governance (TGI-led), and intersection of legal + reentry work.
• Transgender Law Center: California-based legal advocacy organization that is a direct co-counsel partner of TGIJP in Chandler v. CDCR defending SB132. Comparable in legal/policy focus, California footprint, and community-lawyering model.

Broad incumbents

• National Center for Transgender Equality: The largest U.S. transgender policy advocacy organization, comparable on federal/state policy and advocacy tracks, though headquartered in DC and less rooted in direct prison/reentry services.
• Lambda Legal: Long-established national LGBTQ+ legal organization currently serving as lead counsel alongside TGIJP in Chandler v. CDCR. Comparable on the litigation axis but much broader in scope, geography, and case portfolio.

Others

• Equality Federation: National federation of state-based LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations that convenes, trains, and funds TGIJP-adjacent groups. Relevant ecosystem partner but not a direct service or peer provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TGIJP
• Facebookfacebook.com/TGIJP
• Instagraminstagram.com/tgijusticeproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tgi-justice-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TGI Justice Project