Grace Felicia Lawrence

Though Grace Lawrence came to her work as the victim of a hate crime, she established the Global Transgender Safety Tasks Force USA Inc. in hopes to protect and advocate the rights of transgender individuals.  She wanted to create an organization that fosters a safe space for people and the ideals of global human rights. As an LGTBQ+ activist, international transgender activist, and and transgender immigration rights advocate, Ms. Lawrence works tirelessly in her community to ensure freedoms for others. Prior to launching her company, she had been a global rights activist and advocate for years and has been successful in helping thousands of LGBT+ folks in Africa find new homes abroad and in the United States.

The career highlight that stands out the most to Ms. Lawrence thus far has been the success in her work. Her organization is worldwide, and provides book and trans visual safety videos. The organization also provides a small booklet for people to keep with them to help educate others on the ongoing hate crimes, murders, and issues affecting trans women.

Ms. Lawrence faced discrimination by her own family and cannot return to her country which resulted in her seeking asylum in the United States. Upon relocating to the United States, she became a citizen. If she did not establish the organization, then there wouldn’t be a  focus on safe space, security, and protection for the LGBT+ community.

Through her work, Ms. Lawrence has received several accolades. In 2018, she was honored as the Grand Marshall of Sacramento Pride. She has received several other pride awards, and honors including the State Of Hawaii LGBTQ Cultural and Inclusion Award in 2015, the Human Rights Award from The Y Hawaiian Culture LGBT Community, and the Black Brothers Esteem Award from the San Francisco Aids Foundation in 2010.

Looking toward the future, Ms. Lawrence endeavors to continue her work helping others. In five years, she wants to establish offices in Latin America, Africa, and Europe, so the same work she is doing can be stationed in other parts of the world. Most people doing the work are heterosexual, transgender, or parents of the transgender, who can serve as the eyes or ears and know what they are doing. Once that she has branched out, she wants to turn the organization over to a young trans person of color to embolden the next generation to continue her life’s work.