Community Forum: “Showing Up for Our Trans Siblings”
March 21, 2026 – 12:30pm
In Partnership with Democracy Maine, Equality Community Center, EqualityMaine, MaineTransNet, Maine Women’s Lobby, Multifaith Justice Maine & PFLAG
First Parish presents a community forum on “Showing Up for Our Trans Siblings,” Saturday March 21, 12:30-3pm, in partnership with Democracy Maine, the Equality Community Center, EqualityMaine, MaineTransNet, Maine Women’s Lobby, Multifaith Justice Maine and PFLAG.
The forum addresses heightened threats to the trans community and focuses on strengthening the efforts of trans allies to 1) understand the reality of life for trans people in Maine and beyond, 2) explore what strong allyship looks like at this important moment in history, and 3) engage in concrete action toward mutual aid and political advocacy. First Parish Unitarian Universalist is at 425 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101.
Speakers and panelists will include Christine Caulfield, board member at the Equality Community Center and Greater Portland Health; Gia Drew, executive director of EqualityMaine; Avery Friend, director of development & communications at Affirming Behavioral Health and newsletter editor at MaineTransNet; Lily James, advocacy director for the Maine Women’s Lobby and board member at First Parish; Chrissy Hart, executive director of Democracy Maine; and Sarah McDaniel, treasurer of PFLAG Portland. (See below for full bios.)
Time for questions and action planning will be followed by a social hour that includes light snacks and information tables hosted by participating organizations.
First Parish and its partners offer this important resource as states across the nation pass legislation threatening the trans community on multiple levels, including limitations on access to lifegiving healthcare, and the denial of accurate identity documents, such as passports and licenses, creating obstacles to voting and travel. The situation for trans youth is especially acute as their lives become fodder for public, divisive debate. Recent actions in Maine, funded by out-of-state political agitators, constitute a direct threat to the Maine Civil Rights Act.
Speakers:
Christine Caulfield – Volunteer and Board Member of the Equality Community Center and Greater Portland Health –Christine is a former career high school social studies teacher who began transitioning in the early 2000s. She is also a veteran, having served twelve years in the United States Marine Corps, and was honorably discharged in 1989 as a captain.
Gia Drew – Executive Director of Equality Maine – Gia is a prominent transgender rights activist, educator, and political leader. She is a former high school teacher and coach who became one of the first out transgender public school teachers in the state.
Avery Friend – Director of Development & Communications at Affirming Behavioral Health, Newsletter Editor at MaineTransNet – Avery has spent the last decade working in schools and nonprofits from Louisiana to Maine. Her primary area of focus is supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Her current roles with MaineTransNet and Affirming Behavioral Health—a start-up clinic dedicated to providing accessible mental health services to queer and transgender Mainers statewide—center and are guided by community-identified needs and trans leaders.
Lily James – Advocacy Director for the Maine Women’s Lobby and Board Vice President at First Parish – Lily’s work at the Women’s Lobby encompasses the organization’s mission to create gender and LGBTQ+ equity and justice through legislative advocacy and systems change.
Chrissy Hart – Executive Director of Democracy Maine, which is a collaboration between the League of Women Voters Maine, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, and Maine Students Vote. – At Democracy Maine, Chrissy joins with others to make government more equitable, inclusive, and accessible by improving elections, protecting and engaging voters, increasing civic engagement, and reducing the influence of private money in politics.
Sarah McDaniel – Treasurer of PFLAG Portland Maine chapter and a land conservation attorney – Sarah is the mother of a transgender son now in his mid-20s who first came out in his freshman year of high school. She has been active on the local PFLAG board for eight years. PFLAG is an ally group for friends and family of people in the LGBTQ+ community.
