About Jennicet
Jennicet Gutiérrez is a transgender immigrant Latina from Tuxpan, Jalisco. She is Co-Executive Director of Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement – a national trans and queer Latinx and immigrant grassroots organization organizing at the intersections of trans and queer rights, and migrant and racial justice. The organization’s vision is to work at the national and local level to achieve the collective liberation of trans and queer Latinx folks, by leading an intergenerational movement through grassroots organizing, direct action and advocacy. Jennicet advocates for transgender rights and immigrant rights and prioritizes centering the voices of trans women of color in all racial justice work.
In 2015, Jennicet received national attention after interrupting President Obama during an LGBTQ Pride Month event at the White House stating, “President Obama, release all LGBTQ immigrants from detention and stop all deportations!” This moment resonated with many LGBTQ People of Color as it brought to the forefront the violence, discrimination, and racism LGBTQ immigrants are facing in detention centers, especially transgender immigrant women. Soon after, she was recognized on OUT magazine’s OUT100 list for using her voice to fight for transgender women of color.
Through her activism, Jennicet has proven that her interruption is a long-term commitment to organizing and helping create communities without borders, prisons, or detention centers. She will continue to organize in order to end the violence, deportation, incarceration, and criminalization of immigrants and all people of color.