QueenChela@theuwc.org

Pioneer, Founder & Executive Director: 

Chela has been a service to the LGBTQ community with a journey that expands over two decades. Although Chela has formal education as a journalist but she got involved with HIV/AIDS  work after having a loved one shared their HIV+ status with her, armed with wanting to learn and be of assistance; she dove into the world of HIV/AIDS and social justice. 

After working many years with LGBT community, with an expertise in Trans issues throughout the Los Angeles area and having been an employee  for several organizations that offered services to trans people, she came face to face with issues concerning the lack of access to; and the availability of resources for trans people.

With a vision and a personal computer she wanted to help in any way she could, so she called upon a few friends who were willing to lend a hand in organizing a few community events a year in support of the trans community especially during holidays when trans community can feel the most disconnected from family. 

What started as a weekly support group held at Unity Fellowship Church in Los Angeles every Sunday after church has materialized as the first formalized organization in Southern California to be founded, organized for and by Black Trans women. 

UWC’s first efforts aimed at creating a safe space for Trans people to have healthy conversation with each other, to have some “Girl Talk”.  An opportunity for community to gather, enjoy, learn and bond with one another. Within a few years this turned into a vision of having a holiday celebration dinner for Thanksgiving. A large part of Trans community find  themselves disenfranchised from their family and loved ones. 

Chela’s solution was to create “Transgiving Dinner” a dinner with all the traditional trimmings of a full course meal, but mostly to have a sense of community and togetherness. TransGiving Dinner quickly became an event community members were able to look forward to and depend on each year. 

Since UWC’s inception, community members of all ages have lent their hand and voice to the collective to help create offerings like an Easter Dinner, Wonder Woman Job Prep program, Waiting 2 Exhale Luncheon, Miss Supreme Queen Pageant, Miss Southern California Pageant, America’s Next TOP Illusionist, Battle of the Divas, Unity Games, La Maison de Van Cartier, Our Honors Community Image Awards, and UWC’s current multimedia project Chela & the Girls Next Door Talk Show. 

UWC has been able to be at the table for a few historic moments for the movement; 

Established the original Trans-Unity Pride, now known as Trans Pride LA

Established the original Los Angeles County Transgender Task Force

Established the Transgender Youth Network, now known as TSPN

Coordinated with OAPP the first Transgender HIV Testing Day

It’s going to be hard to mention Unique Woman’s Coalition without mentioning Chela Demuir and vise versa, as the two are synonymous with one another. 

Chela lived a very different life before she found community; but community is where Chela found herself and a passion.  

If you ask Chela, she’ll tell you “that’s where my journey truly started”. Chela has been the spark and the fuel for UWC, at a time when it was unheard of for Trans people to be independently organized and solution driven she pioneered ahead and forged a way for black trans and non binary community to have a voice. 

Chela is also known to many as a Mother figure, she has been a village to many community members navigating the world. 

"Chela’s philosophy has always been to create a path where there is none, and if you're lucky you'll create a door that others can utilize"​ she calls her style of community organizing “Social Edutainment.  Mixing social and education elements together to create an experience, once community is in the same space with positive energy, their open to receive messages; and that is what they call “creating a spark”. That spark can be a flutter or a hungry flame. It’s that spark or that message people can take away from spaces Chela and UWC create that can lead to  change. 

In 2019 UWC is charging forward to introducing multimedia projects produced and created by Trans people, securing office space and raising funds to hire our first paid employee.

Chela currently serves as the National Vice President for FLUX,  A national division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) dedicated to creating safe spaces for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming individuals through advocacy, events and innovative marketing.

Points of interest along the way where Chela has been able to  be of service to community and spread some Black Girl Trans Magic. 

KJLH Radio - On Air Coordinator / Street Team

A&M Records - Record Day Coordinator / RadioScope Personality 

Minority AIDS Project - Outreach / Program Manager

GLASS Group Home - Child Care Worker / Trans Case Manager / MOHOP Testing & Counseling

Los Angeles County Health Department HIV Epidemiology Program - Transgender Health Study Interviewer

Los Angeles County Health Department HIV Epidemiology Program - HITS Program Manager

Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center - Program Manager

Unique Woman's Coalition's Chief Operating Officer.

QueenShannon@theuwc.org

Lucas@theuwc.org

Board of Directors, Treasurer

Training & Tech Team

AJ@theuwc.org

Board of Directors

Brand Ambassador

Training & Tech Team

I am Aj Singleton AKA ACE Gorgeous Gucci , a transmasculine entrepreneur CEO Founder of Fiber Consulting. Fiber Consulting is a sales and marketing company, and we also have a community outreach program to help low-income families. We have a management training program to help staff develop leadership skills. 

I currently reside in Pomona, California. I was primarily raised in Los Angeles County in the foster care system. At the age of 18, I was able to develop a relationship with my biological mother and little sister. We have a great relationship that I didn't think was possible growing up. 

I'm currently a member of the Black Chamber of Commerce. I’ve been working in the LGBTQIA community for the past few years. In 2018 I was the 1st African American transman to hold the MX Pageant Title in Orange County. I'm passionate about helping people grow and to be the best version of themselves. I enjoy dancing, adult-only roller skating sessions, and participating in the ballroom scene. When I'm not working, I'm either playing Call of Duty or watching Marvel/DC.  My favorite food is soul food & BBQ Ribs.  My future goal is to open a non-profit to help at-risk youth & help the transmen experience.

QueenVictoria@theuwc.org

Board of Directors, Development

Cristina@theuwc.org

Board of Directors

Vanessa@theuwc.org

Brand Ambassador

Training & Tech Team

Vanessa Warri is a Nigerian-American researcher, strategist, and advocate, committed to the liberation, empowerment, and safety of Black transgender women, queer and transgender people of color, and all communities existing at the various intersections of oppression. For over 12 years Vanessa has provided empowerment based direct services and peer education for transgender communities, LGBTQQIA+ youth, and the incarcerated.

Some highlights of her professional background include lobbying in collaboration with Beyond Emancipation and Casey Family Programs within California state government for the California Fostering Connections to Success Act, which was signed into law in September 2010 – extending the maximum age of foster care from 18 to 21, and serving as a 2012 mayoral appointee on the San Francisco Youth Commission. In addition, Vanessa co-founded the Transgender Advocates for Justice and Accountability Coalition (TAJA) in memory of a client and friend Taja De Jesus, who was murdered in San Francisco in 2014, and worked as a research associate for the UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, where she facilitated several behavioral health interventions aimed to improve transgender women’s engagement with a primary healthcare provider.

As a 2018 Point Foundation scholar, Vanessa attends the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), pursuing a double major in Anthropology and Sociology. Vanessa hopes to be able to support younger queer and transgender people of color in their educational attainments by creating initiatives that center their experiential expertise in research about them. In addition, Vanessa provides support to the UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center as the Assessment and Engagement Specialist where she is currently leading evaluation efforts to improve supportive services for queer and trans students of color and increase interdepartmental collaborations on campus. Her independent research primarily focuses on the efficacy of peer-developed and driven social empowerment initiatives for Black transgender women that address social determinants of health outside of the healthcare engagement realm. Vanessa's seeks to improve self-efficacy and quality of life among Black transgender women by engaging them in educational literacy and professional development initiatives and creating sustainable paths towards higher education and gainful employment.

Nina@theuwc.org

Brand Ambassador

Training & Tech Team

Nina Barkers is the Programs Coordinator for the AMAAD Institute a premiere nonprofit organization catering towards the Black LGBT community overall. Hailing from the great city state of Port Arthur, Tx by way of New Orleans, La, she has been serving the community for over 10yrs. She has worked in many different areas such as HIV prevention, counseling, linkage, education and advocacy. She orchestrates overall program execution, communication, engagement and coordination of events. She is grateful for the opportunity to keep elevating the culture she represents.

Kyler@theuwc.org

Brand Ambassador

Kyler is an actress, model, singer, and dancer. Born and raised in Ohio, made in NYC and a new resident to LA, she advocates for equity in representation throughout performing arts and all media. Currently, she serves as an ambassador for the Unique Women's Coalition, the first Trans led organization in Southern California to be founded, organized for and by Transgender women of color. Through the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Kyler also focuses on uplifting Trans/Gender Non-Conforming voices throughout the community emphasizing in visibility of trans experiences to youth.