Sayer Johnson, Alex Johnmeyer, and Rae Larson recognized the need for a larger trans presence following the 2013 PrideFest. The three cofounders organized the Metro Trans Umbrella Group (MTUG) to unite the trans community, to promote education and visibility in the St. Louis metro area, and to identify gaps in resources throughout the community. In 2014, MTUG registered as a nonprofit corporation in the State of Missouri. In 2018, FOCUS St. Louis recognized MTUG at its 21st Annual “What’s Right with the Region!” celebration in the Improving Racial Equality and Social Justice category. The MTUG headquarters are located at 3133 Oregon Avenue in St. Louis. Presently, MTUG engages in a variety of activities that include hosting support groups; assisting local transgender people with housing, employment, food security, and legal issues; operating a speakers bureau; and maintaining the Trans Memorial Garden. Its largest fundraiser is an annual twenty-four-hour telethon, which brings together queer artists, hosts conversations with organizations like Planned Parenthood and SQSH (St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline), interviews local leaders and activists, and provides drag and burlesque entertainment. MTUG also received grants from the Trans Justice Funding Project. Another annual MTUG event is an art exhibition entitled “Transcending the Spectrum.” According to the MTUG website, the first exhibition was held in 2013. The event unites the community by providing LGBTQIA+ artists living and working in St. Louis a venue in which to show their work.