The Tampa Bay Lightning honored transgender student Mary Jane Taylor as the 11th Lightning Community Hero of the 2016-17 season at the Amalie Arena during a game against the Washington Capitals Dec. 3.
Taylor serves as the founder and president of the Trans Support Group at Jefferson High School and was recently invited to speak to Hillsborough County School’s principals and assistant principals on safety and awareness for the transgender population.
“Within the last two years, there has been a dramatic increase in transgender deaths across the United States. Along with the increase in deaths, transgender people are ranked in the top five for most likely to be unemployed, homeless, and at risk for sexual transmitted disease. Only three percent of transgender students across America attend a university or accredited school. Taylor strives to be the change she wants to see,” the Tampa Bay Lightning released in a statement.
Taylor, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program, will donate $25,000 to Community Tampa Bay and receive a scholarship grant of $25,000 to assist in her educational pursuits.
Taylor is the 240th Lightning Community Hero since the program was introduced in the 2011-12 Lightning season. Since its inception, the program has granted $12.15 million to more than 300 non-profits in the greater Tampa Bay area.
