BUFFALO, N.Y. – Outside Evergreen Commons, the colors of the trans pride flag waved Saturday night. Inside, Trans Wellness Conference organizers welcomed more than 200 members of the trans community and their allies.

"I remember attending the first one, and it was just a few people. So, to see how many people have come and how it grows every year is really spectacular," said Harper Bishop with Queers for Racial Justice.

Organizers say part of what people like about this conference is that it's a chance to socialize, but it also includes presentations on topics important to the trans community, like how to stay safe when pulled over by law enforcement.

Cameras weren't allowed in Evergreen Commons to protect the identities of people who attended. It's a reminder that despite positive moves forward—like Buffalo's 2015 expansion of a law that lets people sue if they're discriminated against, including on the basis of gender identity and expression—challenges remain.

This past year saw President Trump tweet that he wanted to bar transgender people from serving in the military, and even in communities with protections like Buffalo, unfair practices can happen.

"It is still difficult for other trans people because a lot of people don't know that those protections are put in place, they don't know that it's illegal to discriminate, so they do anyway or they just don't care," said Cameron Schraufstetter, a transgender wellness specialist with The Pride Center of WNY.

A free legal clinic was part of this year's conference, which was funded by grants awarded to the Pride Center of WNY's Transgender Health Initiative—the only such program in the state outside of New York City.

Advocates say the conference is an example of the movement taking steps forward.

"I can tell you the dark and the dreary, but I can also tell you so many stories of hope and resilience and people being able to feel comfort," said Bishop.