Reina Gossett

Reina Gossett
Gossett (fourth from left) appearing with other panelists at MOMA, March 2016
Born	1982/1983 (age 33–34) Massachusetts, U.S.
Residence	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Columbia University
Occupation	Activist • filmmaker • writer
Website	reinagossett.com

Reina Gossett is an activist, filmmaker and writer based in New York City, currently the 2016–2018 Activist-in-Residence at Barnard Center for Research on Women. A transgender woman who identifies as queer, Gossett is most notable for her work in transgender activism and economic justice, through her work with the Sylvia Rivera Law Project and Queers for Economic Justice.

Gossett grew up in a feminist household in Massachusetts. Her mother is a union organizer and her father is a self-defense instructor and anti-imprisonment advocate. Her sibling Che Gossett is a scholar studying AIDS activism and anti HIV criminalization work.

Reina and Che went to a bilingual elementary school in the Roxbury where “the teachers were abusive,” and later attended suburban schools where they “went from living in poverty to going to school with wealthy people like Mitt Romney’s kids.”

Gossett moved to New York City for college in 2002 and has lived there ever since.

Gossett attended Columbia University. She received a B.A. in Comparative Ethnic Studies. While at Columbia, she served on the President’s Council on Student Affairs, a group which sought to advise the president on professors intimidating students amidst the MEALAC Scandal. She was also a chaplain's’ associate and a member of Students Promoting Empowerment and Knowledge. In addition, she taught creative writing classes at Rikers Island in New York.

Gossett has worked at various organizations dealing with transgender activism, economic justice, and prison abolition. She served as the Membership Coordinator for Queers for Economic Justice. At the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, she served as the Director of Membership. She has been a featured speaker about transgender issues at GLAAD.

Along with Critical Resistance, Gossett organized a campaign with low income LGBTGNC that prevented the NYC Department of Corrections from building a $375 million jail in the Bronx. Gossett has done prison abolition work through a video series, titled No One is Disposable: Everyday Practices of Prison Abolition, with Dean Spade.