By Manu Mireles*

The mandatory quarantine imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic has left a large number of trans and gender-diverse individuals in a situation of imminent risk. While the national government has provided significant assistance, it has not yet reached all areas.

From the Mocha Celis Transvestite Popular High School, we organized ourselves once again to respond to the most basic and urgent needs of our comrades with the creation of Teje Solidario, a care network for trans people in emergency situations.

[READ ALSO: Transvestites and trans people in quarantine: evictions and housing emergency ]

Mocha Celis is a public, community-based, free, and inclusive school. Since its inception in 2011, it has been conceived as a critical educational space that responds to the historical exclusion suffered by transvestite, transsexual, and transgender people from their rights to education, work, health, and housing.

[WATCH THE VIDEO: Mocha Celis, the first transvestite-trans Popular High School in Latin America ]

 “At La Mocha, we always see adversity as a learning opportunity. So, based on these demands, we thought that a good way to resolve this situation is to involve the neighbors of these classmates. We also included friends and acquaintances who actively participate in the high school program so they can discover that they don't need to go to La Mocha to help the trans community, that they have trans neighbors who need their help and affection,” says Francisco Quiñones Cuartas, the high school director.

[READ ALSO: How quarantine is experienced at the Hotel Gondolín, home to 47 transvestites and trans people ]

This Solidarity Knitting project is not just about bringing food or medicine: in the case of trans comrades, it's about letting them know that in this situation they have a neighbor who thinks of them and can accompany them and build affective bonds.

"The stomach doesn't wait"

 “The network was activated almost reflexively. If our comrades were the most marginalized before, this critical situation we are experiencing has deepened that; rents, even though they are frozen, are still being demanded; food is still needed. The State is in the process of organizing itself, but stomachs don't wait—even more so because many transvestite and trans comrades face situations of greater risk than average,” says Gabi Uassouf, one of the network's coordinators.

The emergencies piled up, so we set up mechanisms to respond quickly: as soon as we called, the desire and need to participate exploded from all sides.

 “So we put together a protocol to respect the quarantine and to protect the health of our colleagues. Everything happened very quickly: what we did was give a logical form to the need to receive and provide care. While it is a physical, social, and economic quarantine, it is not an emotional one,” Uassouf adds.

[READ ALSO: Coronavirus: “We take care of each other”, the network to assist LGBTI+ people ]

“What we do is ask the people who contact us as volunteers to do a complete grocery shop tailored to each person's specific needs. Some people can donate money, and others are the 'godparents' who manage the purchase of what the trans person needs and deliver it to their home. Then, the person is reimbursed using the donations we receive. It's a three-way system between a financial supporter, an emotional supporter who delivers the items, and Mocha. The idea is very simple: it's about connecting the person who needs help with people who can offer it.”

In one week we surveyed nearly 500 cases throughout Argentina and in many places the metropolitan area, but due to resource and logistical issues we have only been able to cover cases in the City of Buenos Aires so far.

According to our survey, there are comrades in need of help in all neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, so we are calling for two things: on the one hand, those who want to make a small donation to be an economic sponsor (many people have shown solidarity with larger amounts) and on the other hand, we are calling for emotional sponsorship of those comrades who want to be volunteers, to have an initial contact and verify if one or more comrades within a radius of a maximum of 10 blocks from their home need food, medicine or basic products.

TO COLLABORATE

As a donor, Xadrine is making a *unique and unrepeatable* contribution of $100 (suggested amount) to support the purchase of essential items.

As an Emergency Xadrine, delivering the items to a friend near your home, within the protocol strictly permitted by the quarantine.

If you are interested in becoming an Emergency Xadrine, write to us at 011 6353 2927 or 011 6443 6950

To donate via MercadoPago from the app, send money to maryanne.lettieri@gmail.com

To contribute via bank transfer,

CBU: 0290052010000003923107
Alias: mochacelis
Tit: PICHIRILI ROCIO BELEN
Cuil: 27344808967
Savings Account

Once the transfer has been made, you must send an email with the receipt to cooperadora@bachilleratomochacelis.edu.ar

*Academic Secretary and teacher at the Mocha Celis Transvestite-Trans Popular High School

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