People of transgender experience are part of a beautiful community that is constantly under social and political fire, especially in relation to healthcare, just because people… do not like them…? Really? There are people preaching to “eradicate transgenderism” and working to restrict rights from healthcare to bathroom access for a group that makes up less than 1% of the global population and aren’t hurting anyone. These restrictions also lead to a massive increase in suicide rates for the transgender community, especially when family or friends are unsupportive on top of the restrictions. It is a time where we have to push through the mess and the gunk, Breaking Free from it all and standing strong once again. With my sculptural series “Breaking Free”, I wanted to capture the feeling of breaking and shaking off the mess, standing back up and standing proud while finding and freeing yourself along the way. The figures were created through carving and pulling pieces away from a much more square form, being first molded in wax before being poured in bronze and requiring further cleanup. This constant shaping and grinding and cleaning attests to the constant work trans people put into finding and becoming their true selves, and just how much time and effort it truly takes. The doors were created in representation of the phrase of being “in the closet”, with the locks representing the many different factors which can hold us back from discovering or becoming our true selves. As the figure finds themselves and finds their pride, these limiting factors also fall away. So, in a time when transgender people face increasing social and political attacks, this project serves as a testament to their resilience.