Arlington Trans Youth Quilt (2026)
The Arlington Trans Youth Quilt project, organized by Equality Arlington, an LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit in Arlington, Virginia, asked youth to anonymously express their identity, joy, and strength at a time of intense political attacks against transgender and non-binary youth and adults. There are 54 decorated squares in the middle 6-by-9 grid of this quilt made by transgender and non-binary youth between the ages of 5 and 19 years old in Arlington County, responding to the prompt “What does Freedom to Be mean to Me?” The outer border of 34 squares was made by allies and parents, enclosing and by extension, protecting, the youth and their right to be who they are.
Created by Arlington youth and allies, Winter-Spring 2026.
Sponsored and organized by Equality Arlington.
The Arlington Trans Youth Quilt Project was launched in a time of crisis for the transgender community, as a call-back to the AIDS quilt of the 1980s and 1990s.
The AIDS quilt launched in 1985 during deadly and harrowing times for the LGBTQ+ community, as AIDS spread and killed millions of people and much of the world refused to help. In response, a group of activists launched the AIDS quilt project to honor their loved ones who’d been pushed out of society, voices silenced; it grew to become the largest piece of community artwork in history, with over 50,000 panels.
Photos: Phuong Tran, @ruabietbay on Instagram.
Today, trans youth face a similarly hostile world. Powerful forces across the country are attempting to erase their very existence. In 2025, the Trump administration launched an unprecedented set of attacks on Arlington’s trans and non-binary youth and the organizations that serve and support them. Arlington and neighboring schools are being threatened with the loss of federal funding, hospitals have been forced to stop offering gender affirming care, insurance companies have been pressured to drop vital coverage, kids have been removed from sports teams, and many states have revoked basic rights and privileges. Many trans people, fearing for their safety, have chosen to leave the country.
This quilt is meant to give voice to the
trans and non-binary youth under attack.
Through the quilt, trans and non-binary youth assert their right to celebrate their identity and their right to live openly as their true selves. While the AIDS quilt was a memorial to lost lives, this quilt is a celebration of joy and the rich diversity of our youth. However, the black square acknowledges that there are kids whose voices can’t be on this quilt because they are no longer with us. There are kids who fear sharing their truth, even in this safe format. There are kids who can’t be out to their family and friends. The black square is a reminder that despite all the joy on this quilt, we are still in a battle for the very lives of transgender and non-binary people in this country.
Video: Nick Knock, Arlington Community Foundation.
Here are close-ups of a few squares that were designed, crafted, and sewn together by our community. You can view a full photo catalog that includes every square here.
Quilt Squares
All squares were hand-stitched onto the quilt face by allies at a community event on March 7, 2026. Final quilt assembly by Kristi Huckabone. The quilt was publicly unveiled at Arlington Central Library on April 8, 2026.