Andrea Zekis is a cartographer, transgender activist, and a tireless advocate for equality in Arkansas, where she has made her home since 2005. Originally from the Chicago area, Andrea came out as a transgender woman at the age of 30, after years of navigating her identity and life changes. Her journey of self-discovery transformed her from someone cautious and reserved into an open, adventurous, and determined individual, embracing new challenges from changing careers and faith to even becoming a stilt walker. As executive director of the Arkansas Transgender Equality Coalition and consultant to the Human Rights Campaign in Arkansas, she has played a pivotal role in advancing transgender rights and creating supportive spaces for her community. Andrea’s work spans statewide initiatives and national advocacy, reflecting her belief in the power of grassroots action and coalition-building to drive meaningful change. Her dedication to uplifting transgender voices, fostering inclusion, and mentoring others has made her a guiding light for many, and her personal journey embodies the possibilities of living authentically, even in the American South.
Andrea’s activism is deeply rooted in her belief that visibility and leadership matter for the transgender community. She helped found the Arkansas Transgender Equality Coalition at a time when few transgender individuals were involved in advocacy work in the state, and she continues to lead campaigns that address discrimination in employment, healthcare, and public life. She has been instrumental in advancing legislation like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and supports initiatives such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Project One America to promote equality across Southern states. Beyond politics, Andrea emphasizes the importance of community and connection, recognizing that support networks are essential for transgender individuals, especially in areas where resources are limited. Through her work, Andrea demonstrates that advocacy, personal growth, and a joyful, authentic life are not mutually exclusive but interconnected paths toward building a more inclusive society.
Monika: I am delighted and honored to have the opportunity to interview Andrea Zekis, a cartographer and transgender activist from Arkansas, USA. She is the executive director of the Arkansas Transgender Equality Coalition and a consultant for the Human Rights Campaign in Arkansas. Hello, Andrea!
Andrea: Hello, Monika! Thank you for the opportunity to explain myself! Ha! Ha! Seriously, I appreciate the chance to talk with you about the work I do and the community I serve.
Monika: Could you tell us a little about your background and how you came to live in Arkansas?
Andrea: I’m 36, originally from the Chicago area, but I have called Arkansas home since 2005. At the time, I was married, living as a man, and working as a journalist. Since age three, I knew there was something different about myself, but I did not learn the word transgender until I was 18 years old.
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| Andrea shows how much she loves her adopted Arkansas as she prepares to meet with lawmakers in Washington, DC. |
Monika: How did your journey of coming out as a transgender woman shape your life?
Andrea: After several attempts to live my truth, I came out as a transgender woman at age 30 and proceeded to make a series of changes in my life. I became a much more open, fun-loving person, got divorced, and changed my faith, my career, and my outlook on life. I went from someone with a serious fear of heights to a stilt walker. I listened to the person inside and those times in my life when I was truly present and built my life around those moments. Now, I have a very satisfying life professionally and personally, and I never expected it would happen in the American South. I am an outlier, but from my experience, I see an incredible world of possibility for other transgender people. To quote New York, New York, “If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere.”
Monika: You have been a strong advocate for transgender rights in Arkansas. Can you tell us how you first became involved in activism?
Andrea: When I started working on rights issues for transgender people, there were very few transgender individuals involved in advocacy in Arkansas, and even fewer included in decision-making within the state’s small LGBT organizations.
Monika: How did the idea for a statewide transgender-led organization come about, and what role did you play in it?
Andrea: The concept of a transgender-led statewide organization, the Arkansas Transgender Equality Coalition, seemed like a far-fetched idea at the time, and its founding remains the most incredible effort I have ever been part of. I began as a support group leader in Little Rock for the Center for Artistic Revolution, but as I kept seeing people experiencing discrimination and living in fear, I realized there was a greater need to address rights issues.
Monika: Can you give examples of some of the campaigns and initiatives you have been involved with?
Andrea: I played a key role in gaining Senator Mark Pryor’s support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2013, the Keep Fayetteville Fair campaign in 2014, and I continue to support the Human Rights Campaign’s Project One America, which is a major initiative to advance equality in three Southern states.
Monika: Could you describe the current situation for transgender people in Arkansas?
Andrea: The Arkansas transgender community is a community in crisis. The state’s known transgender population has grown substantially due to local and national advancements in transgender rights, but Arkansas does not have enough legal, medical, and other resources to meet their needs. There are transgender people who live outside Little Rock and Fayetteville who travel up to two hours to access medical services.
Monika: What kinds of changes are most urgently needed to support the transgender community in the state?
Andrea: There is a need for more education and greater transgender inclusiveness in the state’s businesses and organizations to make positive change possible. The political system in Arkansas is more aware of transgender people than ever before, but progress to advance transgender rights on the state and local levels is being resisted by groups who oppose equality and by legislators who do not want to see LGBT rights in Arkansas.
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| Introducing Bernie Sanders. (YouTube) |
Monika: Beyond legal and political challenges, what other difficulties do transgender individuals face in Arkansas?
Andrea: At the same time, transgender people still encounter a lack of acceptance at home, mostly due to religious differences, high rates of suicide, and difficulties in securing employment because of the absence of anti-discrimination laws. There is a need for healing and grassroots efforts that include transgender individuals in advancing rights for everyone.
Monika: How would you describe President Obama’s approach to transgender issues during his time in office?
Andrea: President Obama said the word “transgender,” and that is more than I can say about any other acting president. I have seen greater advancement in transgender rights and inclusion under his presidency, and I find his attitude to be a significant step forward for our community.
Monika: Considering that American politics often involves interaction with various interest groups, how effective has the transgender community been in advocating for its goals?
Andrea: At the federal level, I see organizations that serve the interests of transgender people making significant progress in many areas. Much of the positive change at the state level in Arkansas, whether it involves new policies for updating documents, employment protections, or changes to how we access healthcare, has come through implementation at the federal level.
Monika: How does the situation in Arkansas compare to other states when it comes to transgender advocacy?
Andrea: The state level varies widely from one state to another. States like California, with a larger and better-funded LGBT movement and often more supportive lawmakers, can achieve much more for the transgender community than a state like Arkansas. Here, the transgender community has had some success in coalition with other groups, only to see many of those wins overturned by oppositional forces. Lawmakers in Arkansas often try to limit our ability to secure legal protections.
Monika: The transgender movement is often seen as part of the broader LGBT community. Do you think the transgender community can effectively promote its own issues within that larger group?
Andrea: I see the cause as the same. Whether I am talking about sexual orientation or gender identity, we are mainly addressing shared discrimination based on gender stereotyping. Where marriage equality benefits everyone in the LGBT acronym, the transgender rights movement has been crucial in establishing transgender discrimination as sex discrimination.
Monika: Can you give an example of how transgender leadership has made a difference within the broader LGBT movement?
Andrea: We are now seeing discrimination based on sexual orientation beginning to follow the same path. The movement is stronger when we work together. I saw this through the effort to pass ENDA in the U.S. Senate, where a transgender-inclusive bill passed in 2013 after previous non-inclusive efforts had failed. Right now, transgender people have not only an opportunity to promote their cause but also a chance to lead.
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| One of Andrea’s favorite hobbies is stilt. walking. Here she is in front of the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. |
Monika: Is there anyone in the U.S. transgender community whose political activism could be compared to Harvey Milk’s work for gay rights in the 1960s and 70s?
Andrea: If we are talking about Harvey Milk as a politician, I do not know if we have had a single face of the transgender movement. Someone I have found inspiring is attorney and former Oklahoma candidate for office Brittany Novotny. She ran her own campaign as an out transgender woman, and after losing, she ran the campaign of another transgender woman, Paula Sophia, in a heavily Democratic district in Oklahoma City. There is talk of another transgender candidate emerging in Oklahoma. I find Ms. Novotny’s courage in fighting these battles very inspiring.
Monika: Are there transgender figures who, like Harvey Milk, capture the imagination and hope of the wider public?
Andrea: If we are talking about someone who can captivate the imagination and hope of people in the way Harvey Milk did, there are more examples. The best example is Laverne Cox, who may have more of an Ellen DeGeneres-style impact on American society than a Harvey Milk-style one.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation for transgender women in American society?
Monika: How would you describe the current situation for transgender women in American society?
Andrea: It is improving, but still troubling. Transgender women, especially those of color, continue to face incredible violence and public hostility, particularly when accessing gender-segregated spaces and participating in sports activities.
Monika: How does this situation relate to broader issues of gender equality in the United States?
Andrea: While much of the violence and discrimination faced by transgender women is linked to their transgender status, American society still has a long way to go in ensuring equality for all women. It is socially acceptable for a woman to dress as a man, but it is often not acceptable for men to be seen as women, because there are still segments of society that view being a woman as degrading. That is paraphrasing Madonna.
Monika: At what age did you transition, and how challenging was the process?
Andrea: I transitioned at 30, but it required a great deal of preparation. I spent years figuring out how to make my life happier and better, making positive changes until the only step left was to become a woman. By the time I came out to my family and friends, many had already suspected something and wanted me to be happy. I had to end my marriage, which meant losing my home and my dog, but I gained so much more in return.
Monika: How did your environment and connections in Arkansas influence your transition?
Andrea: Keeping my job and scaling back my life to focus solely on my work and my transition allowed me to have a smoother experience. Arkansas is a state where knowing people helps navigate the process, so I connected with local organizations and met other transgender individuals. It truly takes a village to raise a happy and healthy transgender woman.
END OF PART 1
The main photo credits: Arshia Khan.
© 2015 - Monika Kowalska
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