Three Girls Like Us-One Year Later

35 year old Coko Williams of Detroit was one of three African-American transwomen killed during the month of April 2012 along with Paige Clay in Chicago and Brandy Martell of Oakland.

Coko's brutal April 3 slaying and subsequent disrespecting by a local media outlet set off a bloody month for African-American girls like us. 

On April 16 we got the word that 21 year old Paige Clay was found shot to death in an Chicago west side alley.  

The month closed with 37 year old Brandy Martell being shot April 29 while sitting behind the wheel of her car at 13th and Franklin Streets in downtown Oakland.

I wish I could write in this post the wastes of DNA who committed these crimes against our transsisters have been arrested, are awaiting trial or are rotting in jail for doing so.  But unfortunately, at this time I haven't been able to confirm there have been arrests in any of the three cases.

If you have information about Coko's killing, you can contact Detroit police at (313) 596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at www.1800speakup.org or by texting CSM and your tips to CRIMES (274637).

If you have information concerning the Martell case please contact the Oakland Police Department at 510-777-3333


In the meantime life has moved on.   Our tears have dried, these women have been laid to rest and all the people whose lives they touched on one level or another.have or are still grieving their loss with candelight vigils marking the one year anniversary of them being taken away from us. 

What irritates many of us in addition to them being taken away from us far too soon is what we lost.   Paige was just beginning her life at age 21, Coko and Brandy were ages 35 and 37.  All were contributing their skills and talents in their own ways toward making their Chicago, Detroit and Oakland communities better.

The other common thread in their lives besides being girls like us and dying in the same month was they were all loved by the people whose lives they touched
 
The people who killed them may be walking around free right now thinking they got away with it, but on one level or another they will face justice, be it from the legal system or the karmic kind.    

But one thing is certain.  Coko, Paige and Brandy we will never forget.