Happy 21st Birthday Angie

Today is a day that should have been a happy occasion for a young Latina transwoman who lived in Colorado.

But sadly it isn't thanks to a waste of DNA who is now serving a life sentence in a Colorado prison for his crime.

Today would have been the 21st birthday for Angie Zapata.

I think back to how happy I was when I hit that milestone birthday, and I wonder what Angie would have felt on this day being surrounded by a loving family and friends.

I wonder how she would have celebrated this day, and how far along she would be on her feminine journey now.

I wonder what goals she would have set her sights toward achieving, and what level of youthful optimism and boundless determination she would have exerted to making them become a reality.

I wonder if she would have found someone worthy enough to love her and who was focused on the wonderful person in front of them.

But instead of her family watching her happily blow out 21 candles on her birthday cake and tearing the wrapping paper off numerous birthday gifts, they will be taking a somber trip to the cemetery where Angie has been laid to rest.

It's been two years since she was taken away far too soon, and as the trans community in Colorado and elsewhere strives to never forget what happened to her, we also pray on this day that the pain her family and friends feel over her loss is mitigated as time heals their wounded hearts.

May God bless the Zapata family.

Happy 21st birthday, Angie. Your extended family around the world will never forget you nor allow what happened to you to be forgotten.