There are voices that rise gently but powerfully, like wind through canyon walls, unmistakable in their strength, rooted in heritage, and shaped by a journey of resilience and love. Michelle Enfield is one such voice. Born in Lukachukai, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, Michelle walks between worlds, traditional and contemporary, personal and political, with the grace of a storyteller and the tenacity of a trailblazer. Now based in Los Angeles, she is a proud transgender woman, a seasoned HIV counselor, a mental health advocate, and a fierce protector of two-spirit and Native voices in public health. Her work, especially through the Red Circle Project and the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, centers the unique and often overlooked experiences of Native American LGBTQ+ individuals, bringing light where silence once lived. Michelle’s advocacy is not just professional, it’s deeply personal. She’s been shaped by grief, hope, ancestral memory, and a thirst for truth.
Her reflections on growing up among nádleeh in Navajo culture, her unapologetic embrace of feminine identity, and her journey toward self-love offer us a glimpse into a life lived boldly and beautifully, despite the many challenges. Winner of the 2012 Alexis Rivera Trailblazer Award, Michelle has walked the halls of political power and the streets of her community with equal compassion. Whether she's organizing a pow wow, counseling someone during an HIV test, or navigating love with humor and vulnerability, Michelle embodies the kind of authenticity that inspires action and connection. In this conversation, Michelle reminds us that being transgender is not just about identity, it’s about intention. It’s about honoring your truth, daring to lead with both heart and mind, and showing up not only in spaces that expect you, but especially in those that don’t. It’s my privilege to introduce Michelle Enfield, a woman whose story is both a protest and a poem.
Monika: Today, I have the great pleasure and honor of interviewing Michelle Enfield, a proud Navajo transgender activist and advocate. Michelle is an HIV counselor, winner of the 2012 Alexis Rivera Trailblazer Award, and a tireless champion for Native American and transgender communities. Originally from Lukachukai, Arizona, she now lives in Los Angeles, California, where she has worked extensively with homeless youth and provided vital HIV education and support, particularly for Native American populations. Michelle is also a member of the Transgender Service Provider Network (TSPN) and co-chairs the Underrepresented Cultural Communities group with the LA Department of Mental Health. Michelle, thank you so much for joining me!
Michelle: Hello Monika, thank you for having me. I truly appreciate your time and dedication in connecting with transgender advocates and activists from around the world. Conversations like this help bridge communities and amplify voices that are too often overlooked.
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Profiles of Hope: Michelle Enfield, LA County Dept of Mental Health (LACDMH). Source: YouTube. |
Monika: Michelle, your work spans advocacy, counseling, and community engagement, especially around HIV awareness. Could you share how your professional journey began and what initially drew you to this field?
Michelle: I’ve been in the HIV field, professionally, for over five years, although I’ve been involved in HIV for many more. I was introduced to HIV/AIDS via a story in Reader’s Digest when I was a freshman in high school. At the time, I had a boyfriend whom I was intimate with. After the first time we had sexual relations, I read the article and got scared of sex. I learned some information about HIV/AIDS through magazines, but they didn’t make me an expert by any means.
Later on, after high school, while still living on the Navajo Reservation, there were a couple of people I knew, close to me, who died from complications of AIDS, but it wasn’t talked about. My friends and I were told by our departed friends’ families that they had died of walking pneumonia. Of course, there was more to those stories, but no one insisted on getting more than the half-truth that was told.
Monika: When did you decide to move from personal awareness to professional involvement in HIV counseling and education?
Michelle: In 2008, after moving to Los Angeles, I had an opportunity to further educate myself in the field of HIV and became an HIV test counselor. I love talking about safe sex and learning about the complexity of relationships, including sexual practices. As I began to counsel individuals and their partners, I began learning more about myself. Through this process, I became more aware of myself and this term ‘transgender,’ and thus began my advocating journey.
Monika: Michelle, you’ve been deeply involved as the Program Coordinator for the Red Circle Project. Could you explain what this project focuses on and why it’s so important for the Native American and Alaska Native communities in Los Angeles?
Michelle: The Red Circle Project is currently the only HIV prevention program in Los Angeles County that specifically targets the Native American/Alaska Native gay, two-spirit, and transgender community. Los Angeles County has the highest population of Native American/Alaska Natives in the country, so we definitely have our work cut out for us when it comes to outreach. Last year, I was the only staff member at RCP, but this year Kenny Ramos joined as the Prevention Training Specialist.
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| Her tattoos are her diary. Taken in January 2014. |
Monika: What kinds of activities and events does the Red Circle Project organize to engage and support the community?
Michelle: The Red Circle Project provides a safe, supportive environment with HIV education, along with culturally competent resources, referrals, innovative materials, and programming. Annually, March 20 is recognized as National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and RCP commemorates this day by sponsoring the “Celebrating All Life & Creation” Pow Wow. This pow wow is held in West Hollywood, and in 2014, it took place on June 28. It’s a special event because it brings many non-Native communities together and raises awareness not only of HIV but also of Native American culture. We also hold monthly support groups and reach out to the community daily to raise awareness of HIV and two-spirit history. Be sure to check out the Red Circle Project on Facebook.
Monika: How do you feel transgender stories and characters have been represented in films, newspapers, and books so far?
Michelle: It’s a challenge to portray the transgender individual and community to the general population. For the transgender community to tell their own stories is one thing, but having stories written about them that portray them in a positive light, and then bringing those stories into mainstream media, requires an extreme amount of finesse. Recently, the advocacy work of Janet Mock and Laverne Cox has added more emotional substance to the works that are out there, which, hopefully, will allay people’s opposing perspectives of the transgender community and encourage audiences to challenge their own long-standing beliefs about what socially defines a transgender individual.
Monika: What is your overall perspective on the current situation of transgender women in American society?
Michelle: I find the transgender community much like a child. Before I became involved and started advocating, I thought the community was passionate and radical. Now that I’m part of it, I see that it places a lot of expectations on those outside the community for assistance, much like a child depends on their caretaker. The community needs to become more self-aware and begin searching within for the strength to grow up. Many communities show resilience, and that is definitely true of the transgender community, but we cannot keep telling stories of the challenges we’ve faced and expect others’ sympathy to be the foundation of our strength.
Monika: How do you think the transgender community can build on its strengths and grow beyond these challenges?
Michelle: We need to tell stories about how we overcame challenges, note the lessons learned, then make a plan for what to do next, and actually follow through. Although many trans women are making great political advancements, like Mara Keisling and Joanne Keatley, I’d like to see more transgender individuals involved in areas beyond the usual spaces where we expect to see trans women.
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Profiles of Hope: Michelle Enfield, LA County Dept of Mental Health (LACDMH). Source: YouTube. |
Many trans people pursue careers in social services, but that’s not the only field where we can make a difference. We need representation everywhere. Ubiquity creates normalcy. I want to see more trans representation in fields like math and science, imagine a smart woman who can articulate social solutions but can also “solve for x.” We need more trans people showing off their brains alongside their beauty. I’m not great at math myself, so I try to log on to Khan Academy at least twice a week.
Monika: During your transition, did you have any transgender role models who inspired you? I read that you were particularly influenced by Caroline “Tula” Cossey, the British model and actress. Could you tell me more about that?
Michelle: I saw Tula on a television show, and as much as she was a pioneer in her own right, what she did for me was to actually say the word “transgender.” I hadn’t heard that word before, and I didn’t know any words that defined what I was doing, not to be confused with who I was, because at the time, I was living on the Navajo Reservation just being me, makeup and all, clueless that my personal experience was actually political. Without her courage to pursue her passions and to become the public figure she was, it probably would have taken me a little longer to begin this self-reflection that includes me as someone they call “transgender.” This journey has taken me from being genderless on the reservation to this, sort of, walking protest.
Monika: What was the most challenging part of your coming out experience?
Michelle: Coming out? I’ve always thought that ‘coming out’ is a very Western way of thinking. I was always just me, feminine and curious. But my comparable experience to ‘coming out’ revolved around hormones; making the final decision to begin taking them, that is. I never felt like a girl, and I don’t know how that feels, but I do know that I’ve always exhibited feminine ways.
I also know that my choice to express myself the way I do requires a great deal of courage. I vacillated about whether or not to take hormones, not knowing if Mom would still love and accept me after I did. Finally, I decided that my happiness was ultimately going to lead me to a life I believed in, and that hormones would extend the way I navigated through life. My mother’s love and acceptance are still there post-hormones, which remains a huge influence on me.
Monika: How have transgender women traditionally been recognized and valued within Navajo culture and history?
Michelle: The nádleeh is the term used in my culture: a more feminine male who is seen as a contributor to the community. They sometimes expressed themselves femininely and had significant others of the same sex. They weren’t ostracized; rather, they were valued for strengthening the community through ceremonial inclusion, herb gathering, caregiving, and serving as mediators between individuals. Growing up, I encountered many feminine males among both family and family friends, but nobody talked openly about their femininity. They were just ‘fun’ to be around.
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| Michelle and Anthony. Taken on the Navajo Reservation; November 2013. |
Monika: Are you involved in political advocacy or lobbying efforts? In your view, how much impact can transgender women have in shaping political change?
Michelle: I have walked the San Francisco City Halls with the likes of Masen Davis and Jameson Green, and to the halls of Washington D.C. with Kylar Broadus, to advocate for several bills aimed at benefiting the transgender community. It is a great feeling to be part of a larger movement that helps individuals become more productive citizens. I think that any person involved in politics can make a difference, now, whether they make an objectively positive difference remains to be seen. We can’t just vote and assume our vote will create the change we want. We need people in politics who can create policies and ensure those policies are implemented. We have to trust ourselves and stop expecting others to do what we cannot.
Monika: How has love shaped your life and personal growth?
Michelle: I’m a mess when it comes to love because I fall deep and I fall hard! At the moment, I’m very satisfied with the “someone” in my life, Anthony. His creativity, intelligence, and sharp wit inspire me to become a better person every day. This isn’t to say there aren’t others in my life who do the same, but Anthony is in a different category.
Monika: You mentioned self-love as well. Could you elaborate on why that is so important to you?
Michelle: Self-love is extremely important. I’ve been in love with others for the wrong reasons, and it felt like I was dying inside because I wanted more from them than what I could give to myself. It’s crucial to remember who you are and, no matter who you’re with or how they treat you, good or bad, that you keep pursuing the goals you’ve set for yourself. The love and respect you give to yourself are priceless.
Monika: Do you like fashion? What kind of outfits do you usually wear? Any special fashion designs, colors, or trends?
Michelle: I like fashion, but I don’t necessarily understand it. That is, I don’t always look as great as I think I will when I put an ensemble together, but I’ll wear it anyway! As far as color goes…I go through phases of all black, black with a splash of color, all color, but, inevitably I’ll go back to all black. I’ve been told I resemble a bruja.
Monika: What do you think about transgender beauty pageants?
Michelle: There are many stereotypes that fall upon many communities and highlighting some of those stereotypes sometimes undermines the more substantial contributions people can make.
Although I’ve participated in a beauty pageant, I think that we should start looking at other strategies that develop and showcase mental attributes that transgender individuals possess. By embracing what’s below the surface will enhance the surface; I’m not sure it works the other way around, yet, in the transgender community.
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Michelle Enfield - SF Trans March 2013. Source: YouTube. |
Monika: Many transgender ladies write their memoirs. Have you ever thought about writing such a book yourself?
Michelle: Yes, I have! I’ve hitchhiked across the country, been asked to be in commercials, almost married for money, and have driven a semi-truck while sitting on the truck driver’s lap. I have so many stories to tell, and when I do, they’re going to be raw, so stay tuned….
Monika: Having transitioned yourself, what would you recommend to all transgender women struggling with gender dysphoria?
Michelle: Mental strength should be worked on first. There are many people who will challenge the transgender community and debate on whether your transition is valid utilizing language, e.g. literal definitions of man and woman. Then, emotional strength should be worked on.
There will be many words used and positions taken that will sometimes seem to undermine your journey. Sometimes the words used will seem offensive and may cause some emotional damage, but the words are only words until they are given power. If you have mental agility, you should be fine no matter where you are on the transition “spectrum.” A strong sense of self is the foundation of every other decision made in your life.
Monika: Are you working on any new projects now?
Michelle: I sit on the L.A. County Commission on HIV and there are always projects in the works; one project we just began involves a comprehensive needs assessment of the Native American/Alaska Native community in Los Angeles County.
I’m also a member of the Transgender Service Provider Network and we are continuously working to better the local community. Currently, with the Affordable Care Act being implemented, we are strategizing ways in which the community will have fewer challenges when accessing HRT.
Monika: Michelle, thank you for the interview!
Michelle: My pleasure. It’s great what you are doing, Monika. I enjoy scrolling down my Facebook wall and coming across other transgender individuals who are doing such great work all across the world. Thank you for bringing awareness to both the transgender community and the non-transgender community.
All the photos: courtesy of Michelle Enfield.
© 2014 - Monika Kowalska
