In less than two days, the MTG community has raised $450,000 for Trans Lifeline, a US and Canada-based service that offers emotional and financial support for trans people.
As reported by Erin in the Morning, the fundraiser was started by Brian ‘The Professor’ Lewis, who runs the YouTube channel Tolarian Community College, named after the academy of the same name.
“I’m giving TEN PEOPLE each one box of Collector Boosters from Lorwyn as a thank you for donating,” Lewis posted earlier this week. “Just donate in multiples of $4 to @translifeline.org until Feb 7 at 10am PST!
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“I wanted to remind my kid and people like him that they are magic.”
After Donald Trump took office last year, over 1,000 anti-trans bills were considered in the US, and 126 were passed, a noticeable increase from the 701 considered in 2024, and the 51 that were passed. In 2026 alone, in less than two months, three anti-trans bills have already been passed — this is why services such as Trans Lifeline are vital, as the pressure against trans folk only continues to mount.
“Even though I feel that it is not my place to speak for others from communities that are affected by recent policy, I just want to help and I believe that I’m not alone in this endeavor,” he told Erin in the Morning. “I want all people during this political moment to know that you’re not alone, and even though it may feel overwhelming, there’s even more of us who are happy to help.”
“If Trans People Are Dead Then We Can No Longer Exist”
With burgeoning support for the fundraiser, storefronts like Crow’s Nest Comics in Seattle added to the prize pool with even more rewards — like a signed copy of Seanan McGuire’s ‘Magic: Soul and Stone’ comic collection — to incentivize donations.
Other raffle prizes include MTG merch, booster packs, a 1907 copy of Peter Kropotkin’s book ‘Mutal Aid’, and of course a variety of MTG decks and cards.
“Magic is political because if trans people are dead then we, a trans-owned and ran comic/game store, can no longer exist,” the shop said. “Also most of our players wouldn’t exist. So! Go donate!”
Trans Lifeline told Erin in the Morning that they are “once again in awe of Brian’s ability to rally the MTG community,” showering Magic: The Gathering fans in support for their efforts.
“In order to maintain our standards of safety for our callers, we can’t accept government grants for services, so we truly rely on grassroots fundraising like this to sustain our organization,” Trans Lifeline explained. “We’ve been doing our best to increase our operator capacity to meet rising demand these last few years, and this fundraiser has already had a tremendous impact on keeping our organization grounded, resourced, and ready for the year ahead.”
Donations remain open until 10am PST / 6pm GMT later today.
- Franchise
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Magic: The Gathering
- Original Release Date
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August 5, 1993
- Player Count
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2+
- Age Recommendation
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13+
- Length per Game
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Variable
