Today we’d like to introduce you to Amari McGee.
Hi Amari, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Honestly, how I got here today is still a small mystery to me. I can say that the power of social media and the people I’ve surrounded myself with have paved the way of who I am today and what I stand for. My family, friends, and the people I’ve been surrounded with have made a huge impact on my activism and work for the Black and Transgender community. Being Black and Transgender isn’t an easy intersectionality to be in, on both sides. Being Black, we are being discriminated against, oppressed, and face a multitude of disparities. Being Transgender, we aren’t even looked at as humans. People find us disgusting, a disgrace to God (or a higher power), and/or mentally unstable. But when I see myself, I see strength, happiness, and authenticity. That’s my overall goal in life. Happiness. So, when I first got started in my work for activism and coaching, it was when I came out as Trans in 2018. Although I knew years ago, I kept it in the shadows because I was concerned about what my family and friends would think. When I came out, the process wasn’t the easiest. I had no prior knowledge of the community at all. So, I educated myself by getting involved in higher education and personal experience. Once I educated myself, I decided to come out to my family. Their reactions weren’t something I expected. They fully supported my decision to transition. Now I would like to point out that you don’t hear many Transgender individuals having successful coming out stories because they don’t have family acceptance. That’s why you may hear a lot of LGBTQ+ youth and/or young adults end up either homeless, cause self-harm, or both. Hearing that my family was supportive made me emotional. It opened a new door for me. I remember that night right after I told them, I went to social media to share the good news. Hundreds and thousands of people had started to like and comment on my post by congratulating me, welcoming me into the community, and sharing their stories. Not too long after that post was posted, I got direct messages on all my social media accounts from LGBTQ+ individuals asking for my advice on how they should come out to their families, how I started my transition, and other general questions. I still get them today. When people would direct message me about their stories and ask me how they should navigate their journeys, it was touching. Almost every story I would get would be heartbreaking because people felt that they have no one in their corner and they never will. I didn’t want another person to feel that because they don’t deserve that feeling because they want to be happy. So, I decided that I wanted to change that for people. That’s why I do what I do now. All the roles I play now I’m passionate about because I know how it feels to be lost, lonely, and incomplete. It feels like you’re at the lowest point and you’ll never get out. No one deserves that, so I try my best to make sure my clients are their most authentic selves no matter who’s watching. So we should be free to be whoever we are because at the end of the day… that feeling is valid.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road and honestly it never will be. Trying to bring awareness to a group that many feel shouldn’t exist or “doesn’t make sense” will always be a struggle for not only myself, but for others like me. This includes the Black community especially. The Black community, not all but most, feel it’s a disgrace to be homosexual, let alone be Transgender. Now whether that’s based upon religion, just the inability to be open-minded etc., we’ll never make progress. A huge topic within the Black LGBTQ+ communtiy is: Why are Black Transgender Women constantly being killed? We kill our own people because we shame homosexuality in the Black community. We, as a community, see homosexuality as a gateway to hell or some form of embarrassment. Being human is not an embarrassment. Being human will not get me into hell. Everyone on this Earth from birth was given a path before they ever came out. So, the path that over a million of us chose to go down was made for us just like everyone else. Also, sometimes people are afraid to come and learn more because they still haven’t come out yet, some people feel they know all the answers already, and many people still don’t support the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. We have let others know that it’s okay to seek out for more help or information. We all don’t know the answers, so it’s good to find resources to help you gain more knowledge and that’s what I do. I just want to inform others of the community they represent and the resources available to them. Most LGBTQ+ individuals don’t have many resources, we learn as we go. I just want to help so that we know sooner rather than later. So these factors won’t last long, it will take some time to solve. We (as a community) just want happiness, love, respect, and equality. So until that day comes, what I do for a living will never be smooth, but I’ll continue to fight for it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m actually versatile in my work. I do a few different things. I’m a LGBTQ+ Life Coach, Transgender Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Content Creator, and Activist. I’m mostly an activist not only for the LGBTQ+ community, but I specialize mostly with the Transgender community. Besides activism, I do content creation and motivational speeches to discuss issues with the LGBTQ+ community, educational lectures on the community, and how to empower your identity after coming out. I’ve been known for my content work from Youtube and social media where most of my content discusses self-empowerment and identity empowerment. I can say that that’s what I’m most proud of. That I can be able to help others find their own level of empowerment to help them live better lives. I’m proud that I can be that mentor or guide for Transgender youth and young adults who have no one else. I make it my duty to let those who I’ve helped in the past and present know that I’m always there when they need someone. Sometimes, I’m their only support system and the only reason why they have the confidence to embrace who they are. That’s my main objective for what I do so I’m proud to have met that goal. I think what sets me apart from others would be that I’m generous, humble, and personal with everyone I meet. I don’t honestly care about the financial aspect of what I do, so most events, classes, and other things I host and run are free and accessible to everyone. Others would say I’m credible as well. I don’t provide false information to anyone I help. I provide the most accurate and credible information to give the best advice or suggestion to my clients. Especially because everyone’s journey with transitioning is different. That’s why I do so much reading in books, scholarly articles, research studies, and more. I ensure that no information I give to my clients is inaccurate.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Honestly, I would say everyone plays a role, but there are a few people who I can point out who have played a huge role in my success. My Uncle Owen and Auntie Tanya were the very first people I came out to. They supported me from the very beginning. They didn’t question me, they didn’t neglect how I felt, or say I was a disgrace to the family. They are the reason why I stand so strong on my identity and embrace it the way I do. My mother is another key person in my success. She is another person who ensures that I stand strong on who I am and continues to share how proud she is of all the work I do within the community. My mentors, Kia and KB have also been huge influences on who I am and how I go about doing business. Kia was the first person to introduce me into the LGBTQ+ community and break down how business works. KB has truly been a person who shows and teaches me more about empowerment and confidence. Both of my mentors have never given up on me since I’ve met them. They both make sure that I continue to learn, grow, and develop not only professionally, but personally as well. All of the people I’ve listed have been the greatest blessings I’ve ever received. I would be the person I am today without any of them and I thank every single one of them for all they’ve done.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@amarimcgee.com
- Website: www.amarimcgee.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mariiiwrld
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/mariiiwrld
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/mariiiwrld
- Other: https://www.anchor.fm/translessonplan
