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{{Infobox person
| name = Nina Chaubal
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1992}}
| birth_place = [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Software engineer, activist
| known_for = Co-founder and former Director of Operations, [[Trans Lifeline]]
| spouse = Greta Martela (m. 2015)
| years_active =
| awards = Trans Justice Funding Project Community Grantmaking Fellow (2017)
| notable_works =
}}

'''Nina Chaubal''' (born 1992) is the co-founder and former Director of Operations at [[Trans Lifeline]],<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/nina-chaubal-helps-build-community-save-lives-trans-lifeline-n728411|title=Nina Chaubal helps build community, save lives with Trans Lifeline|website=NBC News|date=8 March 2017 |access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629133800/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/nina-chaubal-helps-build-community-save-lives-trans-lifeline-n728411|archive-date=2019-06-29|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/trans-lifeline-needs-help-continue-saving-lives|title=Trans Lifeline needs help to continue saving lives|date=February 24, 2015|website=GLAAD|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-date=December 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201023912/https://www.glaad.org/blog/trans-lifeline-needs-help-continue-saving-lives|url-status=dead}}</ref> the first transgender suicide hotline to exist in the [[United States]]<ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/americas-first-transgender-suicide-hotline-is-now_b_5a3d253ee4b0df0de8b0648c|title=America's First Transgender Suicide Hotline Is Now Live|first1=Jesse|last1=Mechanic|date=December 22, 2017|website=HuffPost|access-date=2022-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007041225/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/americas-first-transgender-suicide-hotline-is-now_b_5a3d253ee4b0df0de8b0648c|archive-date=October 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2018/10/30/a-volunteer-with-trans-lifeline-talks-about-why-people-are-scared-and-dialing/|title=A Volunteer With Trans Lifeline Talks About Why People Are Scared—and Dialing|website=Willamette Week|date=31 October 2018 |access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010081826/https://www.wweek.com/news/2018/10/30/a-volunteer-with-trans-lifeline-talks-about-why-people-are-scared-and-dialing/|archive-date=2019-10-10|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.papermag.com/trans-lifeline-crisis-hotline-2639196886.html|title=The Only Crisis Hotline by Trans People, For Trans People|date=July 22, 2019|website=PAPER|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723150924/http://www.papermag.com/trans-lifeline-crisis-hotline-2639196886.html|archive-date=July 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Canada]].<ref name="auto3">{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/transgender-crisis-line-launches-in-canada-1.2890039 |title=Transgender crisis line launches in Canada |access-date=2022-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218134854/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/transgender-crisis-line-launches-in-canada-1.2890039 |archive-date=2019-12-18 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto7">{{Cite web|url=https://o.canada.com/news/transgender-support-line-launches-for-canadians-as-creators-look-to-expand-trans-lifeline-577069|title=Transgender support line launches for Canadians as creators look to expand | canada.com|date=January 13, 2015|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607120328/http://o.canada.com/news/transgender-support-line-launches-for-canadians-as-creators-look-to-expand-trans-lifeline-577069|archive-date=June 7, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> As a leading LGBTQ+ activist and trans woman,<ref name="auto10">{{Cite web|url=https://chicagoist.com/2016/12/30/ice_is_detaining_a_leading_local_tr.php|title=ICE Is Detaining A Leading Local Trans Activist & Supporters Are Urging Help|website=The Chicagoist|access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407024757/https://chicagoist.com/2016/12/30/ice_is_detaining_a_leading_local_tr.php|archive-date=2019-04-07|url-status=dead}}</ref> when Chaubal was held in immigration detention, the story made national headlines in publications such as ''The New York Times''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/us/transgender-women-fear-abuse-in-immigration-detention.html|title=Transgender Women Fear Abuse in Immigration Detention|first=Fernanda|last=Santos|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 10, 2017|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207092038/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/us/transgender-women-fear-abuse-in-immigration-detention.html|archive-date=February 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Chicagoist]].<ref name="auto10"/> In 2019, Chaubal was the subject of the first episode of ''America in Transition'', a documentary about transgender people of color.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.delmarvalife.com/delmarvalife/the-m-report/tv-review-america-transition/|title=TV Review - America in Transition - DelmarvaLife|access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327064436/http://www.delmarvalife.com/delmarvalife/the-m-report/tv-review-america-transition/|archive-date=2019-03-27|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
Chaubal grew up in [[Mumbai, India]].<ref name="auto"/> At 13 years old, she discovered the word 'transgender' and realized it described her. She found connection with other trans people through the internet.<ref name="auto"/>

==Education and career==
In 2009, Chaubal immigrated alone to the [[United States]] on a student visa to attend college<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/being-denied-what-is-integral-to-you-the-struggle-for-transgender-rights/story-n8CTmRqUbFoRIaCEIQwokJ.html|title='Being denied what is integral to you': The struggle for transgender rights|date=July 2, 2016|website=Hindustan Times|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701083038/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/being-denied-what-is-integral-to-you-the-struggle-for-transgender-rights/story-n8CTmRqUbFoRIaCEIQwokJ.html|archive-date=July 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> at the [[University of Illinois]] [[Champaign-Urbana]].<ref name="auto8">{{Cite web|url=https://ssa.ncsa.illinois.edu/isda/about-us/alumn/|title=Alumn – Innovative Software and Data Analysis}}</ref> She undertook an internship at Riverbed Technology in 2011 as a quality assurance software engineer. In 2012, she interned at Google in a similar capacity. Also in 2012, she worked as a programmer at the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] at the [[University of Illinois]].<ref name="auto8"/> In 2013, she came out as trans. As her family was not supportive of her transness, the familial relationship was fractured.<ref name="auto"/>

Chaubal earned her H1B, a visa for foreign workers employed in the U.S. in order to work at [[Google]] as a [[software engineer]], a position she accepted in January 2013.<ref name="auto9">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebar.com/news///246924|title=Trans Lifeline co-founder released from ICE detention|website=The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.}}</ref> In 2014, Chaubal co-founded the [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)(3)]] [[Trans Lifeline]] with Greta Martela.<ref name="auto"/> The organization was the first transgender suicide hotline to exist in the [[United States]]<ref name="auto6"/><ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto5"/> and [[Canada]].<ref name="auto3"/><ref name="auto7"/> The cause was close to the pair, as Chaubal had struggled with suicidal thoughts and Martela had been hospitalized for being suicidal.<ref name="auto"/>

Chaubal remained in her post as a [[Google]] engineer through April 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfweekly.com/news/trans-suicide-hotline-founder-heeds-the-call/|title=Trans Suicide Hotline Founder Heeds the Call|date=December 3, 2015|website=SF Weekly}}</ref> The same month, she took the post of Director of Operations at Trans Lifeline. In February 2015, Chaubal attended the National Conference on LGBT Equality, overseeing a Trans Lifeline booth there.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2015/02/06/lgbtq-denver-conference-draws-thousands-rallies-activists/|title=LGBTQ Denver conference draws thousands, rallies activists|date=February 6, 2015}}</ref> In June of the same year, Chaubal was the subject of one of [[Miley Cyrus]]'s [[Happy Hippie Foundation|Happy Hippie]] Presents #InstaPride Portraits Campaign.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/3918308/miley-cyrus-transgender-rights-instapride/|title=Miley Cyrus: 'You Can Just Be Whatever You Want to Be'|magazine=Time|access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022040120/https://time.com/3918308/miley-cyrus-transgender-rights-instapride/|archive-date=2019-10-22|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mic.com/articles/123122/nearly-3-months-in-here-s-the-impact-miley-cyrus-is-having-on-lgbt-and-homeless-youth|title=Nearly 3 Months In, Here's the Impact Miley Cyrus Is Having on LGBT and Homeless Youth|website=Mic|date=30 July 2015 |access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312204113/https://mic.com/articles/123122/nearly-3-months-in-here-s-the-impact-miley-cyrus-is-having-on-lgbt-and-homeless-youth|archive-date=2017-03-12|url-status=live}}</ref> In the photos, Chaubal appears with her wife and Trans Lifeline co-founder Greta Martela, as well as Cyrus.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/miley-cyrus-instapride_n_7656390|title=Miley Cyrus And Instagram Launch #InstaPride|first=James Michael|last=Nichols|date=June 25, 2015|website=HuffPost|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423175258/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/miley-cyrus-instapride_n_7656390|archive-date=April 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 30, 2015, Chaubal was among the [[Happy Hippie Foundation]] representatives to speak onstage and introduce [[Miley Cyrus]] at the [[MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2256106/happy-hippie-vmas/|title=Here Are All The Beautiful People In Miley's Happy Hippie Squad|first=Rae|last=Paoletta|website=MTV News|access-date=2020-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610093105/http://www.mtv.com/news/2256106/happy-hippie-vmas/|archive-date=2019-06-10|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/gigi-loren-lazzarato-tyler-ford-nina-chaubal-greta-gustava-news-photo/486023574|title=Gigi Loren Lazzarato, Tyler Ford, Nina Chaubal, Greta Gustava...|website=Getty Images|date=31 August 2015 }}</ref>

On Nov. 20, 2015, Chaubal and [[Trans Lifeline]] launched the Canadian branch of their operations.<ref name="auto7"/>

On Feb. 22, 2016, Chaubal appeared on [[KGNU]] 88.5 FM to discuss the continued need for trans crisis support.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.kgnu.org/2016/02/outsources-trans-suicide/|title=Outsources: Trans Suicide|date=February 23, 2016}}</ref> In April 2016, Chaubal appeared on the panel "Suicidality Among Transgender Populations: New Directions in Understanding and Treatment" at the [[American Association of Suicidology]] Conference.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spsmchat.com/2016/04/08/aas16-summary-of-conference-proceedings-as-curated-from-social-media/|title=#AAS16 – Summary of Conference Proceedings as Curated from Social Media|date=April 8, 2016}}</ref>

In January 2018, Trans Lifeline's Board of Directors dismissed Chaubal and Martela, after an internal audit discovered that they had [[#Embezzlement|misdirected over $350,000 of the organization's funds]]. Chaubal subsequently took a post at Hustle as a software engineer, then transitioned to work at [[Even.com]] in the same capacity.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 2019, Chaubal was the subject of "Where Is My Refuge?", the first episode of ''America in Transition'', a documentary about transgender people of color.<ref name="auto1"/> Also in 2019, Chaubal began organizing an intentional living community, art space, and small [[business incubator]] in the [[Mojave Desert]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pittsburghcurrent.com/reelq-america-in-transition/|title=ReelQ: America in Transition|date=March 31, 2019}}</ref>

===ICE detention and release===
On Dec. 28, 2016, while driving from [[California]] to her home in [[Chicago]] through a checkpoint in [[Wellton, Arizona]], Chaubal was stopped and detained by ICE agents, who asked for her passport. She produced a photo of it, which is when they saw that she was designated as male on it, contrasting with her gender expression in-person. They also noted that she was in the country on an expired work visa, although she was legally married to a U.S. citizen, Martela. She was then transported to a holding facility in Arizona, eventuating in her admission to [[Eloy Detention Center]],<ref name="auto10"/> which has a reputation for violence against [[LGBTQ+]] detainees.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Warner|first1=Tim|title=LGBT detainees describe harrowing life inside Eloy|newspaper=Washington Blade|url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/12/08/lgbt-detainees-describe-harrowing-life-inside-eloy/|date=December 8, 2016|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810133726/https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/12/08/lgbt-detainees-describe-harrowing-life-inside-eloy/|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/immigration/2016/04/30/transgender-women-ice-detention-eloy/83685642/|title=Transgender women describe journey of fear in ICE detention in Arizona|first=Laura|last=Gómez|website=azcentral}}</ref> She was released Jan. 2, 2017 after posting $4,500 bond, which she was able to do with the help of an online [[crowdfunding]] campaign.<ref name="auto9"/>

=== Embezzlement ===
In January 2018, a Trans Lifeline internal review involving independent legal and financial professionals revealed that Chaubal and Martela had made $353,703 of unauthorized purchases for personal benefit and side projects. The Board of Directors immediately removed the co-founders from the organization and began seeking mediation.<ref name=TransLifeline-LeadershipTransition>{{Cite web |author=Trans Lifeline Executive Team & Board of Directors |date=2019-02-21 |title=The Leadership Transition, 2017 Taxes, and How We're Moving Forward |url=https://translifeline.org/the-leadership-transition-2017-taxes-and-how-were-moving-forward/ |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=Trans Lifeline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Trans Lifeline |title=An Update on the Trans Lifeline Leadership Transition |url=https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=45c137600e210e5bdb6b92227&id=9f1ca3aba4 |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=us12.campaign-archive.com}}</ref><ref name=TransLifeline-990-2018>{{Cite web |author1=Ken Schwencke |author2=Mike Tigas |author3=Sisi Wei |author4=Alec Glassford |author5=Andrea Suozzo |author6=Brandon Roberts |date=2013-05-09 |title=Nonprofit Explorer — TransLifeline — Full Filing |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/472097494/201940289349300939/full |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}</ref> Chaubal and Martela were able to repay $8,585, and in June 2018, agreed to repay the remaining amount over the next ten years, in lieu of lawsuit or other recovery attempts.<ref name=TransLifeline-990-2018 />

==Awards and honors==
*In 2017, Chaubal was designated a Trans Justice Funding Project Community Grantmaking Fellow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.transjusticefundingproject.org/introducing-2017-tjfp-community-grantmaking-fellow-nina-chaubal/|title=Introducing 2017 TJFP Community Grantmaking Fellow, Nina Chaubal!|date=April 26, 2017|access-date=January 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427122716/https://www.transjusticefundingproject.org/introducing-2017-tjfp-community-grantmaking-fellow-nina-chaubal/|archive-date=April 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Chaubal married Greta Martela in 2015.<ref name="auto4"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaubal, Nina}}
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian transgender women]]
[[Category:1992 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:People from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Women founders]]
[[Category:Indian founders]]

Nina Chaubal - Revision history

Leonwim: adding new post added tags