Lead With Your Heart: The Story of Miss Major

LEAD WITH YOUR HEART — the story of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy

WHEN:  Saturday, March 29th, 2025 – 7:00 pm
WHERE:  Tree of Life UU Congregation, 5603 West Bull Valley Road, McHenry

Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation is honored to host a screening of MAJOR! which explores the life and campaigns of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a formerly incarcerated Black transgender elder and activist who has been fighting for the rights of trans women of color for over 40 years. MAJOR! will be shown on Saturday, March 29 at 7 pm at the church, 5603 W. Bull Valley Road in McHenry.

The film is co-sponsored by Tree of Life, McHenry County NOW, and McHenry County Citizens for Choice.  Admission is free and open to the public. Freewill donations will be held to support the work of the Transformative Justice Law Project which provides free legal services for trans and gender non-conforming people.

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy is a veteran of the Stonewall Rebellion and a survivor of Attica State Prison, a former sex worker, an elder, and a community leader and human rights activist. She is simply “Mama” to many in her community. Her personal story and activism for transgender civil rights intersects struggles for justice and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people (LGBTQ+) from the 1960s to today. At the center of her activism is her fierce advocacy for her girls, trans women of color who have survived police brutality and incarceration in men’s jails and prisons.

MAJOR! was an official selection at over 60 film festivals around the world and garnered 20 awards for best documentary. Miss Major’s story offers a roadmap for social justice movements lead by and for transgender women of color, and a unique opportunity to learn from living elders.

Light refreshments will be provided and an open discussion will follow the movie.

“MAJOR! is both a challenging and inspirational film,” states Chaplain Dave Becker, pastor at Tree of Life, “ and it is particularly relevant at this moment in time when so many of the rights that Miss Major fought so hard for are being rolled back. Hosting this film is part of our faith’s larger commitment to honoring the inherent worthiness and dignity of all people which includes our trans and gender non-conforming siblings.”

This program was organized by the Tree of Life’s Welcoming Congregation Team, members of the congregation who help lead the church community’s commitment to welcome, inclusion, and belonging of the LGBTQ+ community with the congregation. Tree of Life has been engaged in the national Unitarian Universalist Association’s Welcoming Congregation Project since 2004.