Our September Shero of the Month is Evonne Kaho of Jackson, Mississippi, known in the LGBTQ community as Queen Mother of the South for the crucial support she provides to transgender women.

Evonne has a passion in all that she does. She feels that she has been an advocate since birth, and she has devoted her life to creating change for Black transgender women who live in the so-called “Bible Belt.” In 2016, Evonne became the first Black transgender woman to serve as the CEO of a Mississippi nonprofit organization, Love Me Unlimited for Life, which serves 82 counties.

Evonne is Mississippi State Lead for Positive Women’s Network – USA, a National Advisory Board member for Positively Trans at Transgender Law Center, and a member of the Mississippi HIV Planning Council. Active in the Transgender Law Center’s ACA Positive campaign, Evonne said of attacks on the Affordable Care Act: “Everyone should be able to access medical care, whenever they need it. Everyone deserves to feel safe. Everyone.”

Evonne has gone above and beyond the call of duty and continues to inspire and motivate those around her with her positive attitude toward life. She has been a tremendous asset to many organizations through her countless hours of service, ensuring that the goals and objectives of programs are accomplished.

Transgender people in Mississippi, in addition to being disproportionately impacted by HIV, experience violence and daily violations with their rights. Evonne started her organization to ensure that transgender people have a chance to be who they are without persecution and to remind others that just like all other Americans, transgender people are entitled to the same life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Evonne’s grandmother, Doris, told her all of her life to stand for what she believes in and to not let anyone choose who or what she would be in life.

Evonne continues to get messages of affirmation from others about the work she is doing. Her teacher, Mrs. AB Howard, expressed to her in a text message: “If u thought I wouldn’t be touched, if you thought that I didn’t feel your pain, I did. I saw you in spirit many years ago.You are wonderful now as you were then,This is how you touched my life then and now.” Evonne counts among her mentors Linda H. Scruggs, Dr. Althea S. Smith, Cecilia Chung, Nsombi Lambright,  and Pat Smith, who always tell her to “Never give up! Because you never know who is letting you down.”