DeOnyae-Dior Valentina

I’m DeOnyae-Dior Valentina—a powerhouse advocate, visionary scholar, dynamic artist, and unstoppable force for justice. I lead bold, unapologetic change for the liberation of marginalized communities, with work rooted in the lives and struggles of Black and brown people, trans folks, LGBTQ+ youth, system-impacted survivors, and people living with or vulnerable to HIV. As a proud multiethnic trans woman of Black, White, Burmese, and Puerto Rican descent, I’ve transformed my lived experiences—including surviving the child welfare system, homelessness, and systemic neglect—into fuel for healing, liberation, and radical transformation.

From grassroots organizing to national leadership, I bring brilliance, fire, and clarity to every space I enter. I serve as a Lived Experience Advisor with the Center for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities and have held roles with Stand for Children, VOICES Corp, and Indiana Youth Group—driving youth-led reforms across Indiana. In public health, I worked as Transgender Health Research Manager at Trans Solutions and have consulted nationally with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Center for States, and Foster Success. As External Affairs & Advocacy Officer for the Central Indiana LGBTQ+ Young Adult Group and a Board Member of the International Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed, I fuse organizing, radical education, and art to build collective power.

In 2025, I was named a National Urban Leaders Fellow and selected as a 2025–2026 Policy Fellow with Positive Women’s Network-USA. I’m also an alum of NMAC’s Next Gen Emerging Leaders Fellowship. I’ve been honored with the Emerging Leader Award from the National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, the Torch Award from the National Trans Visibility March, and the Youth Policy Advocate Award from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. As the Legislative Debrief Writer for the 50501 - Indiana Chapter, I break down policy shifts so my community can fight back and build forward.

As a scholar, I center transformative justice and care-driven policy change. As Dior Da Don Dolly, I blend divine femininity, trans brilliance, and lyrical activism. My debut album, Don Energy, Doll Mentality, is an anthem of survival, power, and unapologetic self-expression. Whether I’m writing, organizing, or rapping—I’m building a world where Black, Brown, and trans people thrive.