Eli Erlick

Eli Erlick is an American activist, writer, and academic known for co-founding Trans Student Educational Resources and her extensive work in transgender advocacy and political philosophy. After co-founding Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER) in 2011 while still in high school, Eli Erlick went on to become a leading advocate, writer, and academic at the forefront of transgender rights and political philosophy. TSER, a national youth-led organization, focuses on transforming educational environments for trans students, offering a national fellowship program for transgender youth and providing resources to colleges and universities globally. Erlick’s early advocacy included championing California’s School Success and Opportunity Act, the first state bill to protect transgender students, and she was recognized with a $25,000 fellowship from Peace First for her activism in 2013.

In 2021, Erlick and fellow activists erected a bronze sculpture of Marsha P. Johnson in Christopher Park, marking the first sculpture of a transgender person in New York City. She is currently a Ph.D. student in Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, researching the political philosophy of the transgender movement, with forthcoming publications including ‘Rethinking Non/Binary’ and ‘(Trans)forming Education: How Transgender Youth Are Leading the School Justice Movement.’ Erlick also contributes to public discourse through modeling work with various brands and appearances on news programs, leveraging these platforms to further transgender rights and visibility.