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Essex County honors trans and nonbinary advocates in first Trans Visibility recognition
Summary
Essex County Commissioners held the county’s first formal recognition of Trans Awareness Week/Month, commending two local advocates — Amani Hayes of Project T and Shannon Cuddle — for leadership in advocacy, school safety and community support.
Commissioner Adoree Murray Thomas opened the meeting of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners by announcing the county’s first formal recognition of Trans Awareness Week and Trans Awareness Month and by introducing two honorees.
The board read commendations for Amani Hayes, program manager for Project T (Trans Empowerment and Action), and Shannon Cuddle, a longtime education and safe-schools advocate. Reginald Bledsoe, identified in the record as executive director of the Essex County Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, joined Murray Thomas in presenting the acknowledgements.
In her remarks, Murray Thomas said the resolution commemorating Trans Awareness represented a milestone for the county and praised the honorees’ frontline work. Bledsoe said involving transgender and nonbinary people in conversations that affect them has been a long-standing shortfall in public bodies, and he framed the recognition as an effort to correct that gap.
Amani Hayes thanked the board and described her service-oriented motivation. Shannon Cuddle, introduced as a leader in the safe-schools movement and founder of the New Jersey Safe Schools Coalition, spoke about educational and policy work, referenced earlier advocates (including Babs) who advanced protections, and thanked the county and its partners for continued support.
The board invited family and colleagues forward for group photos and moved into its formal business.
The county’s recognition does not create new legal obligations but signals formal support from the Board of County Commissioners and highlights community partners working on education, harm reduction and transgender services.
