Jordyn Jay, founder and executive director of the Black Trans Femmes in the Arts (BTFA) Collective, is creating new lanes of possibility for Black trans femme artists, spaces where creativity, safety, and community can exist side by side. Jay launched BTFA with the intention of filling a gap she saw in the arts world, one where Black trans femmes could not only be represented but supported and resourced on their own terms.

“I wanted there to be a space for other trans femme artists to come together and build a community and create a safe space for us to create and imagine different futures for ourselves,” Jay said.

Through curated programming and vibrant showcases, BTFA amplifies Black trans femme culture while producing tangible outcomes. The collective has helped bring more than 25 original works to life nationwide, while also providing grants to artists to support their livelihoods - a crucial step in allowing artists the stability and freedom to create.

“We've also given several grants to artists to support their livelihoods so they can have the space and comfort to create,” Jay said.

For artists involved with BTFA, that support translates into more than just funding, it creates possibility. BTFA artist Gigi Gatekeeper describes the experience of working within the collective as transformative. “Working with other artists who are also Black trans - it's just magical,” Gatekeeper said. “We have the resources, we have the tools where we don't have to just think about things or just dream about things.”

That impact recently earned BTFA one of the Brooklyn Org’s Spark Prizes, an honor awarded to five nonprofits making meaningful change across the borough. Along with the recognition came $100,000 in unrestricted funding, support Brooklyn Org President and CEO Dr. Jocelynne Rainey describes as an investment with lasting returns.

“It’s important to highlight organizations that are working with communities that are being marginalized,” Rainey said. “Nonprofits like BTFA and the other nonprofits being honored in the Spark Prize are bringing these resources directly to those communities.”

Looking ahead, Jay says BTFA is focused on sustaining and expanding that momentum through a new production lab aimed at teaching artists how to bring their stories to life, including behind the scenes.

“We’re working with artists who are interested in getting into production, so that we can have more folks that are behind the scenes telling our stories,” Jay said. “It’s more important than ever that we tell our stories and show our humanity.”

For Jay and the artists she supports, BTFA isn’t just an arts organization, it’s a future-facing collective redefining what access, care, and creative power can look like.