Jessica Baxter
Happy National Coming Out Day! Today is a day to celebrate courage, authenticity, and the power of living our truth. I am so proud to be part of this vibrant, resilient community, and deeply grateful for every person who has the strength to come out and stand in their truth this year.
This year, I also want to acknowledge how difficult it has been, particularly for members of the transgender community, and especially for those of us who serve or have served within the federal government. On July 11th, I was removed from my Senior Executive Service position as the Assistant Director of Human Resources for the U.S. Marshals Service after nearly 27 years of exemplary federal service. No reason was given. I was told the Attorney General exercised "Article II powers" to remove me. For a moment, it felt like everything I had worked for had been taken away. My record of service, my leadership, my dedication, none of it mattered in that moment. But what I quickly realized was this: while they could take away my position, they could not take away my voice, my integrity, or my purpose. That experience has fueled my commitment to something even bigger: building spaces of belonging, visibility, and pride. It gave me the time and focus to pour my energy into organizing "Kicking Out Transphobia" here in Washington, DC, an event that brings people together through sport, community, and advocacy.
This year, we doubled the number of participants and will be making donations to Rainbow Railroad and SMYAL, two incredible organizations doing life-changing work for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The outpouring of love and support from my community has been overwhelming. Friends, allies, and colleagues, many from across the federal service have reached out with encouragement, solidarity, and strength. It reminded me that when one of us is targeted, we all rise together.
