Sistahood:

A Story of Strength

"When you don't have stable housing, your biggest thing is where am I going to get my next meal? Where am I going to lay my head for the night?"

-Michelle Anderson, Tiny House Resident

Cast: Michelle Anderson, Lacretia Springer

Production: Millennium Media Label

Executive Producer: Kayla Gore

Director: Jessica Chaney

Cinematography: Jason Thibodeaux

Assistant Director: Sarah Flemming

Edited By: Aaron Baggett

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What We're Facing

1 in 5

Transgender people in the United States have been discriminated against when seeking a home.

1 in 10

Transgender people have been evicted from their homes because of their gender identity.

51%

of LGBTQIA+ elders are concerned about having enough money to pay for housing or bills.

80%

increase in homelessness experienced by gender nonconforming people since 2017.

Meet The Creators

Executive Producer

Kayla Rena Gore works to help coordinate homeless services, conduct direct outreach, and advocate for the rights of TLGBQ people, especially transgender women. She studied Sociology at Southwest Community College in Memphis, TN. She also provides training for CBOs, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations around trans inclusivity. Her organizing work includes fighting for housing equity for all people who are chronically homeless and advocating for the just treatment of transgender people by law enforcement.

Tiny House Resident


Tiny House Resident

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Meet The Crew

Director

Jessica Chaney is a dedicated storyteller and filmmaker, passionately focused on amplifying the voices of women of color and bringing the rich cultural narratives of the South to life. An Alabama native, Jessica’s work is deeply rooted in her Southern upbringing, and she has spent over a decade honing her craft as a filmmaker. She co-founded Not Your Ordinary Films in 2017, a production company that has produced a wide range of projects, including short films, web series, and her debut feature-length film, “I AM.” This documentary poignantly explores the experiences of Black women navigating Anxiety Disorders, showcasing Jessica’s commitment to telling impactful, socially relevant stories.


Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Film from the University of Alabama and a Master of Business Administration from Christian Brothers University. Through her film production company, Jessica continues to push the boundaries of storytelling, aiming to inspire and empower underrepresented communities while creating meaningful connections through the art of film.

Assistant Director

Sarah Fleming is an award winning, Memphis-based filmmaker with over 20 years of experience. She has served as producer, director, and director of photography on hundreds of features, shorts, music videos, and experimental pieces. 


Her award-winning films include the feature documentaries Juvenile (2023), tracing the stories of 5 people navigating the juvenile justice system, and Good Grief (2017), a film about love, death, and camp; Robert (2018), the story of a youth who was transferred to criminal court at the age of 15; Viola: A Mother’s Story of Juvenile Justice (2015), about a mother struggling to meet the needs of her son, Edward, while dealing with her own trauma; Carbike (2014), a narrative short that paints a picturesque portrait of her hometown through the eyes of a visiting couple; and Training Wheels (2011), a charming documentary about 21-year-old Tommy learning to ride a bicycle for the first time.  


Fleming is an engaged member of her community.  In 2016 she was awarded “The Indie Award” (Indie Memphis) for her contribution to independent filmmaking in Memphis. She has been recognized by CODA and the American Advertising Federation for her outstanding service to the arts and cultural diversity.


Additionally, Fleming works professionally as an Assistant Director for clients such as BET, HBO, Google, T-Mobile, and Kia, to name a few. In her downtime, she hangs out with her kids, Mati Lou and Joey, who fill her life with much excitement and little sleep

Our Story

My Sistah’s House was founded in 2016 by two transgender women of color, Kayla Gore and Ellyahnna C. Wattshal, who sought to bridge a gap in services for transgender and queer people of color (TQPOC) in Memphis, TN. in response to a crisis they were witnessing among their own community members. 


Executive Director, Kayla Gore, converted a six-bedroom house she owns into an emergency housing facility with eight beds available for TLGBQ people in need of shelter. My Sistah’s House primarily serves TGNC people of color, many of whom have recently been released from incarceration, are experiencing intimate partner violence, and/or are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.


Expanding on our emergency housing program, MSH volunteer staff set up a bail fund for incarcerated trans women in the area and began offering our clients advocacy, legal, and multi-level resource assistance to help them secure permanent housing and stable income. 

Because we serve a very large number of trans and non-binary people who are experiencing homelessness, MSH now includes our Tiny Homes Project. In the last year, we have raised funds to purchase land to build 20 tiny homes. To date, two homes have been built and as we build more, we are building a support programs to help those who enter the Tiny Homes Project in making the most of this housing opportunity, where they can stay for one year. During the year, Tiny Homes residents can access support services through MSH so that they can prepare to move into permanent housing.


As an ACTION (Act with Communities To Increase Opportunities and address Needs in the South) TIS (Trauma-Informed Space) certified organization, we are equipped to:

  • Recognize how physical spaces can affect individuals’ mental, emotional, social, and physical health and well-being.
  • Practice strategies in our organization to create trauma-informed and healing-centered spaces.
  • Understand the elements and best practices for creating trauma-informed spaces.
  • Connect the principles of trauma-informed care to physical and virtual spaces.
  • Understand the role of trauma-informed spaces in working alongside other justice movements (i.e., meaningful involvement of PLWHA, racial, language, and economic justice).