Jevon Martin. (Photos by Nora Dayton)
Launched in 2017, FLUX is an affinity group with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation that aims to “raise the profile of the trans and nonbinary community by leveraging social events, creating safe spaces, and innovative advocacy initiatives.” Since its inception, FLUX has cemented itself worldwide, with chapters located from the United States to Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and India.
Jevon Martin, president of the Houston chapter, points out that the situation regarding anti-trans legislation in Texas is different from his home state of New York, with much more work needing to be done here.
“I feel like Texas is behind the times. A lot of the work I’ve done in New York, such as helping pass marriage equality, has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve been a part of. Coming to Texas and seeing that trans rights are being taken away, I feel like we’re starting over from square one here,” he explains.
Born in 1970 in Harlem, Jevon has always been acquainted with advocacy work. Just a year before his birth was the Stonewall uprising, which marked a significant shift in queer liberation. 1970 was also the year of the first Pride parade in New York City.
Waving the FLUX flag in the Pride Parade.
“The ’70s was, like, unimaginable,” he says. “Bell bottoms, turtlenecks, platform shoes, Afro wigs, pro-Black, you know? That was the ’70s for me.”
Even though Jevon grew up surrounded by progressive values and came from a middle- to upper-class household, he and his family became a target of racial violence when they moved into a Jewish neighborhood in the Bronx. It was a stressful time, and he yearned to fit in somewhere. Obtaining his early education in private schools made it more difficult. He remembers being called “Sasquach” by his schoolmates for being “big.”
Jevon credits Monica Roberts for his move to Texas in 2021. Roberts, a transgender journalist and activist who empowered Black trans voices through her writing and advocacy, tragically passed away in 2020. Jevon and his wife, Christina, attended Roberts’ funeral during the time when they were looking for a house for themselves and their family. The inspiration they felt during that funeral led them to consider Texas as a place to call home.
“We ended up buying a house online during the pandemic. We never even saw the house in person—only through a video. It was all for Monica,” Jevon recalls.
Landing in Texas with the goal of continuing Monica Roberts’ legacy led Jevon and other trans advocates to create the Monica Roberts Resource Center. Jevon was also aware of the need for a FLUX chapter in Houston, having previously attended events sponsored by the New York chapter.
As FLUX Houston’s president, Jevon recruits people for its board, runs board meetings, and assists in producing events that celebrate community while promoting sexual health and equality. He also emphasizes his role in partnering with other trans-led organizations and amplifying their reach by publicizing events they may be hosting.
March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to celebrating transgender people, raising awareness about discrimination, and acknowledging their contributions to society. FLUX works tirelessly to raise visibility and provide support to trans folk all around the world, and Jevon takes pride in having been a part of it for so long.
Before coming to Houston, Jevon volunteered for Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Empire State Pride Agenda.
When asked what he envisions trans visibility to be, Jevon defines it as the ability for trans people to access resources without difficulties. “Being able to thrive in a world that was not built for us. That would definitely show me that we’ve succeeded,” Jevon emphasizes.
Currently, Jevon is in charge of FLUX Houston, the Monica Roberts Resource Center, and Princess Janae Place, a New York-based nonprofit helping unhoused trans individuals. He is also a grand-marshal nominee for this year’s Pride parade. Next up for FLUX Houston is its first-ever Poetry Slam event on March 29, and an annual pool party in September.
For more info, visit bit.ly/FLUX24.