TRANSCEND Trans Athlete Retreat

The TIE Foundation's inaugural retreat, the TRANSCEND Trans Athlete Retreat, was a 5-day retreat at the Imiloa Institute in the beautiful Savegre jungle of Costa Rica. View a sample day, as well as more information about the retreat here. TRANSCEND provided space, healing, and community for 34 trans masculine athletes of color, especially during the challenging times of unprecedented anti-trans discrimination and decreased access to sports.

Demand for the retreat was extraordinary: in total, the retreat received 176 applications (160 from prospective participants and 16 from therapists and facilitators) reflecting the urgent need for affirming spaces for trans athletes. Schuyler interviewed more than 60 finalists before selecting the final cohort, and these stories and needs directly shaped the retreat’s curriculum and support structure. From this highly qualified pool, Schuyler assembled a multidisciplinary team of three identity‑aligned therapists, one yoga facilitator, and two additional workshop facilitators to support participants throughout the week.

TRANSCEND was brought to you by Schuyler’s nonprofit, the Transgender Inclusion and Education (TIE) Foundation. With the help of the TIE Foundation's sponsors, TRANSCEND subsidized every single participant's costs such that no one paid full price. TIE covered well over 80% of the total retreat costs for most participants, ensuring accessibility regardless of income.‍

READ MORE ABOUT TIE'S WORK HERE