My name is Alana, and I'm a composer and trans woman. The night after the park service erased the word "transgender" from the Stonewall monument website, and "LGB" started appearing on government websites, I wrote a protest song called "You Can't Erase Us." It was my way of responding to the erasure of our community and making sure our voices are heard. Since then, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles has been performing and recording the song, and it has become an anthem for many of us who refuse to be silenced. The song has been featured on ABC 7 news.
Now, we're taking the next step by creating a music video for "You Can't Erase Us." This project is deeply personal to me, and I believe it can inspire hope and visibility for the trans community and our allies. Our budget includes renting a location, hiring crew and dancers, renting equipment, feeding our cast and crew, and promoting the video so it can reach as many people as possible. Every detail matters, and your support will help us bring this vision to life.
My wife and friends and I are producing the music video:
Rebecca Louisell, Director and Video Producer
Donna Miller, Music Producer and Video Producer
Jia Miramontes, Choreographer and Video Producer
I'm asking for your support to help make this important project a reality. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference and help amplify our voices. Thank you for standing with us and showing that Trans, Nonbinary and Intersex people cannot—and will not—be erased.
Lyrics
You can't erase us
We see what you're trying to do
Our friends embrace us
We've resisted longer than you
We won't be silent
Witnessing you breaking the law
Won't take your violence
We see all the harm that you cause
Chorus
This time you've gone too far
Corruption at the highest bar
Sycophants and loyalists
Are lying for the Tsar
The government's betraying us,
Obeying, decaying
They're trying to play us and degrade us
But can't silence who we are.
You won't divide us
Scheming with your billionaire friends
You will not hide us
We know that this isn't the end
We will remember
All the crimes we see you commit
We won't surrender
Show them all that you're unfit
Chorus
This time you've gone too far
Corruption at the highest bar
Sycophants and loyalists
Are lying for the Tsar
The government's betraying us,
Obeying, decaying
They're trying to play us and degrade us
But can't silence who we are.
We have resilience
We won't stop we've come too far
Our family's brilliant
We're gonna protect all of ours
We're not your scapegoat
You blame us to hide your greed
We're going to make it
And you're going to watch us succeed
Bridge
How does it feel?
You're on the wrong side of history!
How does it feel?
To know we'll end in victory?
How does it feel?
To know you'll be exposed?
How does it feel?
Look the emperor has no clothes!
You can't erase us
We see what you're trying to do
Our friends embrace us
We've resisted longer than you
We won't be silent
We're witnessing you breaking the law
Won't take your violence
We see all the harm that you cause
Chorus
This time you've gone too far
Corruption at the highest bar
Sycophants and loyalists
Are lying for the Tsar
The government's betraying us,
Obeying, decaying
They're trying to play us and degrade us
But can't silence who we are.
You can't erase us