Number 11- Rest In Power And Peace, Sherrell Faulkner

One of the things I was deeply concerned about when the North Carolina GOP started messing with trans people and passed the unjust HB 2 law was that the ramped up anti-trans rhetoric the North Carolina GOP used to satisfy their trans oppressor gene would result in trans folks in the Tarheel State being targeted for violence or worse.

I feared that the folks who would feel the brunt of the ramped up anti-trans violence would be the North Carolina trans communities of color because anti-trans hate thoughts + anti-trans hate speech = anti-trans violence/ murders.  

Well, that fear became a reality on November 30, 2016 for 46 year old Sherrell Faulkner.  

She was found near a dumpster in Charlotte's gay friendly Plaza-Midwood neighborhood at The Plaza and 35th Street suffering from trauma and was taken to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment.

She died on May 16 from the injuries sustained in the attack, and became the 11th person in 2017 and 10th African-American trans woman to die this year because of anti-trans violence.  

And in a far too common and infuriating media pattern, another Black trans murder victim has been misgendered once again.  This time the guilty party is WCNC-TV.

Faulkner's death is also on the hands of the North Carolina Republican Party and former Gov. Pat McCrory (R), who with their loud and wrong anti-trans rhetoric incited the violence that led to the attack on Faulkner in the first place.

Her family has been notified of her death, and no word as of yet from my North Carolina trans family and media peeps if there is a memorial service planned for her.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police are now investigating this case as a homicide.

If you have information that will lead to the capture, conviction and incarceration of the person of persons who killed Sherrell, please call Charlotte Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or 704-432-TIPS (8477)

And as always, will be keeping track of this case until justice is served.

Rest in power and peace Sherrell.  

Now That Chelsea's Out Of Jail, Can We Do The Same For Ky Peterson?

Chelsea Manning is getting out of jail today and there is mixed reaction about that in many quarters of TransWorld.  I'll admit I'm conflicted about it because while I didn't like the harsh sentence she was given, neither do I condone what she did either.

So now that one of the last acts of President Obama in terms of commutation of Manning's sentence has happened, can we talk about and finally get the community focused on a really serious miscarriage of justice in the Ky Peterson case?

Peterson was a trans man living in rural Americus, Georgia with a supportive family whose world changed on October 28, 2011.

He decided to walk home ahead of his brother and while passing what appeared to be an empty mobile home trailer was hit in the back of the head, rendered unconscious and when he came to was being sexually assaulted by the stranger from the convenience store .

He shot his attacker in self defense who later died, but as you probably guessed, Stand Your Ground doesn't work for Black people.

He found himself being arrested for defending himself from the person who sexually assaulted him and finds himself in jail for 20 years as a result of it with a tentative parole date of July 2021.

It's time to focus our energy on getting Ky out of jail.

Here;s a petition to help get you started, and let's raise our voices to get the media talking about this case and the miscarriage of justice in this one.   You shouldn't have to go to jail for defending yourself against your transphobic rapist .

You can also keep up with what's transpiring in KY's case via the Free Ky website.

Let's step up our game and get justice for Ky Peterson.

Faith and Family Dynamics Panel at Resurrection MCC Today

If you're looking for something to do on this Saturday afternoon, how about joining me and a few Houston community friends for a trans panel focusing on the intersection of faith and family and its impact on the lives of TBLGQ people.

This event will be focused on lifting up the lives and voices of the Black trans community and will include a panel discussion and a memorial to the ten people we've lost in 2017 to anti-trans violence.

The Faith and Family Dynamics event will take place at Resurrection MCC from 1-4 PM,     The church is located at 2025 W. 11th Street in Houston and hope you can join us for it.
 

My Thoughts About Brenda Bostick's Murder

So we now know the name of the tenth person we've lost to anti-trans violence in the US in 2017, and as I feared,  she shared my ethnic background in Brenda Bostick.

As of yet, haven't heard of any memorial service or candlelight vigil happening for Brenda, but if and when I do, I'll pass that information along as I receive it.

But I must admit that Brenda's murder is hitting me a lot harder than the other nine trans women killed so far this year for several reasons.  At age 59, she is the oldest trans women killed in 2017.

Brenda's murder has me in my 'there but for the grace of God' and 'it could have been me' feelings  It's the fact she died as I was celebrating my 55th birthday.  It's the fact that Brenda was just a mere four years older than me when she was brutally attacked and left unconscious on that April 25 evening before she was found near that Chelsea neighborhood Five Guys on Seventh Avenue.

It has me thinking about what I was doing at that moment, and on that date and at the 10:30 PM EDT time she was found I was in Dallas finishing up a hectic first day of our just concluded BTAC 2017 conference in which we had folks from the New York area in attendance.

It's an event in which I got to hug later that week one of my trans elders in Sharyn Grayson, who had just gone through surgery, and promised her I'd do a better job of calling and staying in contact with her.    

It's also Miss Sharyn's 'They're killing our babies' words that reverberate in my head every time I hear the news about one of our young trans sisters dying or I'm in the process of writing the TransGriot stories about their lives tragically being cut short.

Now these wastes of DNA aren't stopping with killing our young trans women, they are going after our trans elders.   And it's sending me into Maya Wilkes mode thinking about it.

It also has me thinking about my trans elders and their safety right now.

If you think that the anti-trans rhetoric being spouted by the Republican party and right wing pastors isn't fueling this spike in anti-trans murders and hate crimes, then you are being willfully clueless about that.

But I have to talk to you cisgender Black people for a moment.  

Once again I have to ask the question, where are you NAACP?   Why aren't you as loud and vocal about the murders of Black trans people as you have been for the Jordan Edwardses, Trayvon Martins and Mike Browns of the world?  

Is it because they aren't being killed by police but by other Black people?   Is it because the people being targeted are Black transgender women?    Is it because the NAACP as an organization has an internal transphobia problem that keeps them from using their gravitas filled voice and bully pulpit to speak out loudly to our community that it is wrong to discriminate against and kill trans people, and the first place it needs to cease and desist is in the Black community?

Where are you Congressional Black Caucus?   Black church?   Black Lives Matter and other orgs working to uplift our people?   Black SGL people?

Black trans women are there standing up for everyone else's movements and causes, but as my sis Diamond Stylz said a few months ago, when will people stand up for and with us?

Let a trans sister know what the problem is so we can address and solve it.

If Black lives matter, then Black trans lives matter as well since we are a part of the kente cloth fabric of the Black community  Brenda Bostick's Black trans life mattered.

 I don't want Brenda's death and the deaths of the other eight Black trans women we have lost in 2017 to be for nothing.  I want something substantive to come from these tragic losses, and to me that substance would be to permanently recognize that Black trans women are Black women, and Black trans people are Black people.

And to borrow Dee Dee Watters' words, 'Before I am trans, I am Black.'   If we realize that undeniable truth in Black Trans World, what's taking y'all so long cis Black America to recognize it?

Yes we Black trans folks, parents of Black trans people and our allies want to hear you say those Black Trans Lives Matter words, pray you mean them and aren't selling us woof tickets when you do so
.
It's even more important to us in a time in which we no longer have a trans friendly POTUS and attorney general in power who sees and hears us at the federal government level, and hostile Republican run state governments gleefully trying to pass unjust anti-trans legislation.

But what we'd love in Black Trans World even more is if your actions as cis Black people and the organizations you are a part of begin to consistently back up those spoken words to prove you love and support your trans siblings.

Unfortunately if and when this happens, Brenda won't be around to see it, and will be resting in power and peace.  But it does need to happen as soon as possible.  

Now There Are Nine - Rest In Power And Peace, Chay

We've lost another Black trans woman to anti-trans violence, and as you probably guessed, she  was misgendered by the media. 

The location for the ninth US trans murder this year is Miami, FL and it happened at approximately 5 AM EDT this morning according to a witness.  

28 year old Chayvis 'Chay' Darice Reed according to this witness was walking with a group along Northwest 27th Street and Northwest 93rd Street in the West Little River neighborhood.  The witness stated that one person ran across the street, six or seven gunshots subsequently rang out and a person fell to the ground.  

The shooter fled the scene and has not been located at this time.  The witness has home surveillance footage which is being reviewed by Miami-Dade police detectives. 

Chay is the ninth transperson of color killed in 2017, and the eighth Black trans woman this year.  
Of the eight Black trans women killed this year, sadly seven of them have been under age 40.

If you have information concerning Chay's murder that will help capture the perpetrator of it, you are urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477)

If I hear of a memorial service for Chay, will pass along those detail as I receive them.

Dee Dee Watters will also be hosting a moment of silence in Chay's honor starting at 9 PM CDT this evening on her Facebook page.

Rest in power and peace, Chay.  Your trans family will not rest until the waste of DNA who killed you is rotting in a jail cell.

2012 Sage Smith Case Is Now A Murder Investigation

Sage Smith of Charlottesville, VA went missing ironically on November 20, 2012, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, and still hasn't been found four years later.

The 19 year old left her home to meet Erik Tyquan McFadden at the Charlottesville train station, and hasn't been seen by her family and friends since.   McFadden has also gone missing since that time

The case after four years has now been reclassified as a homicide case, which opens it up to more law enforcement resources to be brought to bear on solving it.

With the reclassification, McFadden is now considered a person of interest in the homicide case.

Sage's grandmother Lolita Smith, like myself and others in the trans community, wondered what took so long to get to this step.

“Frankly, I don’t understand why they waited so long,” she said. “It’s been four years. I think the Charlottesville Police Department dropped the ball from day one.”

Here's hoping that the reclassification into a homicide case results in justice being served and us finally learning what happened to Sage..

Rest In Power and Peace, Alphonza

We have now lost eight trans women in 2017 to anti- trans violence.  Seven of them have been African American trans women.

The latest murder happened in Baltimore, MD  yesterday morning, and the person we will be saying her name is 38 year old Alphonza Watson.

Watson grew up in Washington DC, but moved to Baltimore 10-15 years ago.

She was found at 4:15 AM by police officers suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach in the 2400 block of Guilford Ave ion the north side of Baltimore.  She was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital where she died from her wounds several hours later.

Baltimore Police media relations chief TJ Smith stated that witnesses reported an argument between Watson and two men took place before the gunshots happened.   Those witnesses reported that immediately after the gunshots two men were spotted running  and getting into a dark colored vehicle before speeding away from the scene.

Baltimore has been a particular deadly city for trans women.  Since 2005 there have been 14 murders involving trans women, with Crystal Edmonds being the last person killed.

Edmonds case is still open, but the others according to Baltimore PD have been closed.

I'm also refusing to use  the mugshot that has been plastered all over Baltimore media out of respect for the deceased.  If someone who knows her has a nicer photo of our deceased sister, please send it to me so I can then share it with the media,

If you have information that will bring her killers to justice, you are urged to call the Baltimore Police Department at 410-396-2100, text a tip at 443-902-4824 or call Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7LOCKUP  (866-756 -2587).

Rest in power and peace, sis.   The community will not rest until the people who did this are caught and justice is served.

National Day Of Action For Trans Women And Femmes

I warned a few days before the 2016 presidential election that the humanity and human rights of trans people were on the ballot.   Since he took office, Trump has made that warning prophetic along with Republican state parties around their country with their legislative attacks on trans people.

I've been asking where are the orgs in our community and why haven't they been standing up for us like we Black trans women have been for every one else's movements and causes.

GetEqual has called for a National Day of Action for today to celebrate the lives of Black trans women, since six of the seven women we have lost to anti- trans violence in 2017 are Black trans women ,

As part of this National Day of Action, several cities are hosting events as part of this day, and these are just a few of the announced events taking place today.

Hope those events will have people show up and show out for them, because we need that to happen

Deenequia Dodds Case Update

Have some more good news to report in the Deenequia Dodds case

To refresh your memory banks, 22 year old Deenequia was our DC sister who was shot during a robbery on July 4 in NE DC and died nine days later in the hospital.

Three men, 26 year old Jalonte Little, 21 year old Monte Tyree Johnson and 21 year old Cyheme Hall have been arrested and charged in this case  with a robbery conspiracy and first degree felony murder while armed that was motivated by Dodds trans status.

These three reprehensible people are also being charged with four other robberies that occurred that day including the trio robbing another DC trans woman.

Little, Johnson and Hall are facing a potential 60 years in jail if convicted, and with the hate crime enhancement, if the judge in the case chooses to do so, bumps up the potential sentence to 90 years in prison.

Longtime DC trans activist Earline Budd praised the indictment in her comments to the Washington Post.

"It sends a message that it's not OK to go around and shoot, harm and kill transgender people," Budd said. "It sends a message that we are human like anyone else." 

Now they just need to enhance the message being sent by finding them guilty of their crime and sentencing them to the maximum sentence allowed 

I will be keeping track of this case as well and seeing if justice is served in Deenequia's case.

BTWI Statement Concerning The Murder Of Jaquarrius Holland

TransGriot Note:  BTWI statement concerning the death of Jaquarrius Holland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

***
We at Black Transwomen, Inc are once again tasked with the sad duty of announcing that we have lost another Black trans woman to anti-trans violence.  The reason we are only discovering that we lost Jaquarrius Holland now is because of media misgendering of her..

BTWI would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jaquarrius Holland, and may she rest in power and peace.

Local television stations KARD-TV and KTVE-TV are guilty of an ongoing problem in trans murder cases in media misgendering of trans women.   It results in not only the delayed recognition and response in the trans community of us honoring our lost trans sisters, it is disrespectful to their memory and can delay justice in these cases.

The 18 year old Holland was living in Monroe, LA, and shot to death in the 3900 block of Grammont Street back on February 19 after an altercation around 10:00 PM CST..   Holland was taken to St Francis Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Holland is now the seventh reported homicide of a trans person in the US in 2017, the fifth in the month of February, and the sixth African American trans person

There is a suspect in this case, and a warrant for second degree murder has been issued for the arrest of Malcolm Derricktavious Harvey.   Harvey fled the scene after the February 19 shooting and the Monroe Police Department is still searching for him.

If you have an information that will lead to the arrest, conviction and incarceration of Malcolm Harvey, please call the Monroe Police Department at 318-329-2600,

***
Black Transwomen,  Inc  is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX  that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities  

BTWI Statement Concerning The Murder of Ciara McElveen

TransGriot Note: The Black Transwomen, Inc Statement concerning the death of Ciara McElveen

***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Transwomen, Inc like the community, is just becoming aware of the tragic death of our fallen sister Chyna Gibson, and we awoke on Monday morning like members of our community to hear the unbelievable news that another trans women was killed in New Orleans' 7th Ward.

Ciara McElveen was stabbed seven times in the 1700 block of Columbus Street and left for dead when the NOPD found her after responding to a call at 9 AM CST.   She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died from her wounds.

BTWI would like to express our deepest sympathy to her family and all who loved Ciara for her loss. We hope and pray that the person responsible for her murder is caught, prosecuted and is convicted of this heinous crime.  If you have information that will lead to that happening, please call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP (7867).  

This makes her the second trans woman killed in New Orleans in the span of 48 hours, the third this week, the fourth in the month of February and the sixth nationally in 2017.

And the infuriating point to us at Black Transwomen Inc is that all four of the trans women killed in the month of February are African-American transpeople.

We at BTWI are just as fed up with this pattern of anti-trans violence aimed at our sisters as those of you who care about our Black trans feminine community.

Our motto at BTWI is Every Voice Matters.   When a trans person's voice is stilled, we are going to ensure that their voice and the voices of all Black trans women are heard in this and other cases when it comes to our lost sisters until justice is served.  

Rest in power and peace, Ciara

***

Black Transwomen,  Inc  is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX  that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities   

Rest In Power and Peace, Ciara McElveen

At this point I'm pissed off.

I just went to a memorial service yesterday here in Houston for Chyna Gibson, and I woke up this morning to news of another NOLA trans woman being murdered.

Our fallen sister's name who was fatally stabbed there mere hours after Chyna Gibson was shot and killed Saturday in New Orleans East is Ciara McElveen.

She was found in New Orleans' 7th Ward after New Orleans police responded to a call at 9 AM CST at North Claiborne Ave and Columbus Streets.

NOPD arrived in the 1700 block of Columbus Street and discovered McElveen suffering from multiple stab wounds   She was taken to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

According to a witness, McElveen was arguing with the driver of the vehicle being sought in this killing.  The driver got out of the car after reaching across to the driver's side, opened the door, pulled McElveen out by her head, slammed her face into the ground and then drove off.

She is the second trans woman in New Orleans to be killed in the last 48 hours, the fourth this month, the third nationally in the span of a week and the 6th overall in 2017.

And as you probably guessed, the initial reporting misgendered her.

McElveen had no family members in the NOLA area, and according to NOPD spokeswoman Dawne Massey, NOPD is still conducting interview with witnesses and friends of hers,

NOPD is looking for a car, possibly a black Camaro in connection with this murder . If you have further information on this case that will lead to the arrest and convictions of the people who did this, please call call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP (7867).

I will be keeping you updated about the details concerning this latest murder until an arrest, prosecution and conviction happens for the person who took Ciara's life..

Rest in power and peace, Ciara,   Your community will not rest until justice is served in this case.

My Sisters, I Want You To Grow Old

It's a subject I've talked about twice in the over 10K posts on the blog, and the deaths of two thirtysomething Black trans women just days apart from each other has me thinking about it again.

Growing old and celebrating birthdays  beyond your 35th one as a Black trans feminine person..

We've heard that statistic about the average age of a Black trans person being age 35, and much of it has to do with the unacceptable levels of anti-trans violence aimed at us.

While there are some things that we can do on our end to help ensure we reach advanced birthdays, much of the heavy lifting in this case is going to have to be done by our society.

It is past time for people to stop attacking the humanity and existence of trans people.   We're not going anywhere, so y'all need to get over it.   Our trans lives are not subject to political or theological debate.

We exist.  Deal with it.  We are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.

That means that it's not acceptable behavior for you as a cis male to hurt maim or kill us if you happen to find out that the attractive woman that you got a hard on for in the club or as she was minding her own damned business and going about her day is transgender.   .

It also means cis women, that it is not acceptable behavior,just because you are jealous of that trans woman who is getting more male attention than you, to set her up for a hate crime by shadily whispering 'that's a man' in some brother's ear.

My sisters, I want you to know what it's like to be my age, Tracie Jada O'Brien's, Justina Williams', Gloria Allen's or Miss Major's age.   I would love to see some of y'all with gray hair. or how fab you will look when you hit 35, 40 or 50.   I want to see how your fab trans lives evolve,   I can't be a mentor to you if I don't have you around to pass down your history and some of my life experiences to.as was done for me by my trans elders

I want my Black trans sisters to be able to age gracefully, have and experience the amazing lives I know they are capable of having.

I want to see you grow old.   Is that too much to ask for, society?    

BTWI Statement Concerning The Gibson Murder

TransGriot Note:  The Black Transwomen, Inc statement concerning the murder of Chyna Gibson

***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

BTWI is horrified to learn that mere days after we have communicated our dismay, shock and anger over the killing of Keke Collier. that we must now discuss the murder of another trans woman

Chyna Gibson had gone home to New Orleans to like thousands of other people, celebrate Mardi Gras and be with her family during that festive time.  

Instead, she was brutally murdered.  Shot ten times and left to die in the parking lot of a New Orleans strip mall.

BTWI would like to express our condolences to Chyna's family, friends and all who loved her.  She was well known in the pageant and ballroom community as Chyna Doll Dupree, and she will be missed.

Rest in power and peace, Chyna

We are also asking that if you have information that will expeditiously solve this murder and lead to the arrest, conviction and incarceration of the person who committed this heinous crime, to please call NOPD Homicide Detective Robert Barrere at 504-658-1111.  You can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP (7867)

Chyna's trans life that was tragically cut short matters, as did the lives of Keke Collier, Jo Jo Striker, Mesha Caldwell and Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow.   We at BTWI 'are tired of the anti-trans violence and hatred aimed at us and now at our trans kids by the Trump Administration.

We exist.  Our trans lives matter to ourselves and all who love us. BTWI will do our part to fight for the humanity and human rights of Black trans women and our Black trans kids to ensure they live quality lives.

***

Black Transwomen,  Inc  is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX  that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities  

Rest In Power and Peace, Chyna Gibson

I just wrote a post about trans woman Keke Collier being killed in Chicago earlier this week, and now I'm having to announce that we have lost another trans sister in Chyna Gibson

New Orleans Police responded to a call Saturday night around 8:26 PM CST in the 4300 block of Downman Road and found the body of the 31 year old Gibson lying in the parking lot of the Bella Plaza shopping center in New Orleans East between two vehicles in front of a clothing store.

And as usual, at least one NOLA news station, WWL-TV misgendered her.

She had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead on the scene.  Gibson is now the fifth US trans woman murdered in 2017, all women of color.

She was well known in the ballroom community as Chyna Doll Dupree, and the New Orleans native had gone home from California to celebrate Mardi Gras.

NOPD Homicide Detective Robert Barrere is in charge of the investigation, and can be reached at 504- 658-1111 if you have any information concerning this murder.

The Orleans Parish coroner will be releasing further details about this case.

What also has me upset about hearing about this latest murder just down I-10 east is that last month a YouTube video surfaced of two cisgender males harassing and hunting trans women in the New Orleans area.

You can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP  if you have information that will lead to the apprehension of the person or persons who committed this crime.

Rest in power and peace, Chyna.    We will not rest until the person who did this is brought to justice and rotting in a jail cell.

BTWI Statement About The Collier Murder

TransGriot Note:  The Black Transwomen, Inc (BTWI) statement about the Collier killing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

***

Black Transwomen, Inc is saddened to hear the news that we have lost another sister to anti-trans violence.  On Tuesday morning 24 year old Keke Collier was found lying in the street in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood suffering from three gunshot wounds she would subsequently succumb from.

BTWI expresses our condolences to Collier's family and all who loved her for her untimely death

Collier is unfortunately the fourth trans person we have lost to anti trans violence in the United States, and the second this month.    Collier becomes the third African American trans person after 41 year old Mesha Caldwell in Canton, Mississippi and 23 year old Jo Jo Striker in Toledo, Ohio to die this year.

The fourth person we have lost in 2017 to anti-trans violence was 28 year old Native American Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow or Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

BTWI laments the loss of all these women, and are particularly upset and angered about the three women under the age of 30. These women were taken from us before they had a chance to explore the full potential of their lives.

BTWI Board Chair Dee Dee Watters is asking that we have a national moment of silence starting at 9:00 PM CST for five minutes for Keke and all the trans women we have lost in 2017.

BTWI's motto is that Every Voice Matters, and these women's voices were stilled before they had the opportunity to find their voices in society.  We're here to ensure that trans women survive, thrive and become the best persons they can be.  BTWI also exists to send the unmistakable message that our Black Trans Lives Matter.  

BTWI hopes and prays that the perpetrator of this crime is swiftly caught and justice is served in this case.  We urge those of you who may have information that could possibly help expeditiously solve the Collier case to call the Chicago Police Department.


***

Black Transwomen,  Inc  is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX  that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities
   

Rest In Power and Peace Keke Collier

I'm sad to announce we have lost another young trans woman to anti-trans violence.

The latest trans murder happened in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood on Tuesday, and our sister we lost way too soon is named Keke Collier.

Chicago Police responded to a call of shits fired in the 7300 block of South May Street around 6:14 AM CST and found when they arrived Collier lying in the street suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest, arm  and hand.

The 24 year old Collier was transported to Advocate Christ Hospital where she succumbed to her wounds.   She is now the fourth trans woman in the US, all trans women of color, who has been murdered in 2017.

Three of the four trans women who have been murdered this year are Black, and one was Native American.  The thing that is also pissing me off about this murder is that once again, Keke was another under 30 trans woman.

Chicago Police are investigating this crime, and are looking for a dreadlocked man wearing a black hoodie and a red vehicle who was spotted fleeing the scene.   Shasha Lauren, a peer navigator at Chicago House, reportedly talked to a witness who stated they say Collier get into a car with a man   of the

If you have any information that will bring her killer to justice you are asked to call them.

A vigil has already been held for Collier,and if there is word of a memorial service, I will pass it along as soon as I receive it.    I'll also keep track of what happens in this case until justice is served for Keke, her family and all who loved her.

Rest in power and peace, Keke..

Tschan Andrews' TedX Talk

Tschan Andrews is a former model, activist, writer and former model who in this TedX talk tells her story and experience as a Black trans woman, and how these two facets of her identity intersect.

She is also one of our international trans sisters based in London, and talks about the trans experience from a much needed Black international perspective.   She is willing to use any platform to campaign for the inclusivity,  awareness and human rights for not just that group of the population, but for all. 

This is her TedX talk at University College London that was posted on January 18 entitled 'Transploitation: The Reality of Being A Black Trans Woman'

Mistrial In Zelle Ziona Case

Have some bad news to report in terms of one of our slain sisters receiving justice in Zelle Ziona.

Last month Rico LeBlond went on trial in Montgomery County, MD for the October 2015 murder of 21 year old Zelle Ziona.  He was charged with first degree murder, and was facing life in prison if he was convicted.

But unfortunately, after several days of testimony the jury deadlocked at 10-2 in favor of conviction, Circuit Judge Anne Albright declared a mistrial.

The Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office is planning to retry the case again.

We believe that we will obtain a guilty verdict in the next trial," said Ramon Korniloff, the spokesperson for the attorney's office.

Her trans siblings, Zelle's family and all who loved her hope that is the result of the next trial as well.

Rest In Power and Peace, Jo Jo Striker

I'm sorry to ruin Valentine's Day for y'all but it's my sad duty to report that we have lost another trans woman to anti-trans violence and hate.  We go to Toledo, Ohio for the latest news about the third trans person murdered in 2017

23 year old JoJo Striker was found dead on the evening of February 8 at in a vacant north Toledo garage at 215 Austin Street just before 7 PM EST .

Striker died from a single gunshot would to her torso and as you probably guessed as to why I and other media is just now finding out about out lost trans sister is because once again, local media are misgendering her along with her family.

I'm really sick of this repeatedly happening to Black trans women and tired of the media disrespecting her.   I'm also upset that once again, we have had another Black trans woman violently taken from us before her 30th birthday.

The Toledo PD investigation into this crime is ongoing and they have no leads so far in this case.  If you have any information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the waste of DNA who did this, please call Crime Stoppers at 419-255-111

Rest in power and peace JoJo.   You trans siblings and all who loved you won't rest until the person who did this is brought to justice and rotting in a jail cell.