BTAC Press Release Concerning The Transphobic Attack On Iyanna Dior

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2020
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Dee Dee Watters BTWI President
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Transwomen Inc (BTWI) and the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC) are shocked, appalled and angered to learn that one of our trans sisters was attacked by a mob of Black men in Minneapolis on Monday.

BTWI and BTAC are thankful that Iyanna Dior is okay, but she is understandably shaken up by the assault. We have reached out and made contact with Ms. Dior and her family, and will announce what we will do for her as a organization

What makes this videotaped assault of Iyanna Dior even more egregious is that it not only is eerily similar to the attack on Muhlaysia Booker last April, it comes at a moment when the entire Black community is calling for justice in the murder of our fellow Texan and Minneapolis resident George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

BTWI and BTAC condemns the attack on Ms. Dior. We call upon law enforcement agencies in the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota to find the perpetrators of this heinous attack, arrest them, and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

The Black community should be our safe haven from the slings and arrows of domestic and foreign transphobes.

But as incidents like this repeatedly prove to us tragically it isn’t.

Our Black lives matter, too. We are beyond fed up as an organization proudly serving the Black trans community of seeing our people being attacked and murdered.

It is profoundly disappointing and hurtful when those attacks come from our own people.

BTWI and TENT Condemn Transphobic Buzbee Campaign Mailer

For Immediate Release

December 13, 2019

Contact: Monica Roberts, BTWI Media Chair, Emmett Schelling, Executive Director, TENT

Phone: 855-255-8636 ext 69
Email: info@transtexas.org or mroberts@blacktranswomen.org

BTWI and TENT CONDEMN TRANSPHOBIC BUZBEE CAMPAIGN MAILER 

There is a runoff in the Houston municipal election tomorrow that features incumbent Mayor Sylvester Turner and challenger Tony Buzbee. Both BTWI and TENT were disappointed to see and hear about this transphobic and homophobic mailer being deployed on the eve of the runoff election by the Buzbee campaign.

“This mailer is additionally disturbing in light of the fact that Texas has unfortunately led the nation in anti-trans homicides. Two of the four trans Texans we lost in 2019 were from Houston. To see trans women being vilified and misrepresented by a candidate running for mayor in the most diverse and fourth largest city in this country to score political points is a shameful day in Houston’s history.” said Diamond Collier, interim Executive Director of Black Transwomen Inc.

Buzbee claimed in an August 2 Pride candidate forum on the Texas Southern University campus that he would be a mayor for all Houstonians. Based on the mailer, along with his subsequent actions garnering the endorsement of longtime Houston-area anti-LGBTQ activist Steven Hotze, it has become clear that was not the truth.

“As a native Houstonian, it is irritating and disgusting to once again see a political candidate attempt to deploy transphobia and homophobia for their personal electoral gain in a municipal election. Spreading this ugly rhetoric has real-world consequences that the Black trans community will have to deal with long after Election Day has passed,” said BTWI President Dee Dee Watters. 

Emmett Schelling, Executive Director of Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) stated, “LGBTQ Houstonians are part of this diverse city that we are all exceedingly proud of, and we urge all Houstonians to reject the false message that the Buzbee campaign is trying to send.”

BTAC Press Release Concerning The Muhlaysia Booker Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2019
Contact Monica Roberts BTAC Media Chair 346-310-0824
Dee Dee Watters  BTWI President
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

As a Dallas based organization, Black Trans Advocacy Coalition expressed our anger and dismay concerning the April 12 hate attack visited upon our sibling Muhlaysia Booker.   We were happy to hear that Dallas police arrested Edward Thomas in connection with that case, and are aware that the investigation into that transphobic mob attack on her is ongoing. 

This afternoon BTAC was shocked, angered, stunned and saddened to learn that the trans woman found dead Saturday morning in far east Dallas was positively identified as Muhlaysia Booker.

The 23 year old Booker was found shot to death in the 7200 block of Valley Glen Drive near the Tenison Park golf course.  As of yet there are no suspects in this case, and if you have any information that will lead to the arrest of the person or persons who killed our sibling, we urge you to call the Dallas Police Department.

BTAC wishes to express our sincere condolences to the family of Ms Booker and all the people who loved her.

Rest in power and peace, Muhlaysia.   You didn't deserve this.  BTAC is committed as an organization to do what we can as a organization and as members of this community to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice.

One of the reasons why BTAC is extremely angry about this murder besides it happening in our headquarters city, is because back on April 29 Monica Roberts traveled to Austin immediately after the conclusion of our 8th annual conference to represent BTAC and testify in favor of HB 1513, a bill that would have added gender identity to the James Byrd Hate Crimes Act.

Unfortunately, after her testimony and the testimony of several other Texas trans people as to the necessity of us being covered in this hate crimes legislation, the bill was left pending in the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.  HB 1513 has died for this 2019 session. 

Now Muhlaysia has unfortunately joined the ancestors, and the negative message continues to be sent that it is open season on trans people in the Lone Star State and everywhere else in this country.

When will you care that our Black Trans Lives Matter?   When will Texas legislators right the wrong that occurred in the 1999 and 2001 legislative sessions that resulted in trans people being cut from the Byrd Hate Crimes Act?

When will you stop killing us?    When will other Black community organizations join BTAC in not only condemning this and other killings of Black trans people. but commit themselves to coordinated action in our Black community to eradicate anti-trans violence?

BTMI Press Release Concerning The Keir Rice Hate Attack

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April  24, 2019
Contact: Monica Roberts BTAC Media Chair 346-310-0824
Trenton Johnson BTMI President 
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktransmen.org

Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC) and Black Transmen Inc.(BTMI) once again has to raise its collective voice to condemn another attack upon a Black trans Texan, this time in Killeen, TX .

On April 19 Keir Rice was attacked by Garfield David Hicks, the owner of the barbershop when he worked with a child client in his chair.  He suffered a concussion, bruised ribs and a damaged shoulder. 

Rice was also quoted in a KWTX-TV news report that Hicks discriminated against TBLGQ customers, misgendered and deadnamed him repeatedly, and touched him inappropriately.

This is unacceptable on multiple levels.   We also condemn what happened to Mr. Rice in the strongest possible terms would like to see justice served in this case.

If Mr Rice is able to do so, we would love to extend an invitation for him to join us at the Black Trans Advocacy Conference currently talking place in Dallas until April 28.

This transphobic attack upon Mr Rice sadly is more concrete evidence it is past time for the Lone Star State to add Texas transgender people to the James Byrd Hate Crimes Law. 

These attacks are why BTAC enthusiastically supports Rep. Garnet Coleman's HB 1513 that would add gender identity to that existing law.

If there is any community that we Black trans people should feel safe in, it should be the African American one.   Texas Black trans people in the last ten days have unfortunately received the message with the assaults on Mulaysia Booker and now Keir Rice that we are hated by our own people.   

That needs to change, starting today.

BTAC Press Release Concerning Muhlaysia Booker Hate Attack

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April  14, 2019
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair 346-310-0824
Dee Dee Watters  BTWI President
855-255-8636  Ext 11 
media@blacktranswomen.org


Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC) and Black Transwomen Inc (BTWI) as a Dallas based organization is dismayed and angered to hear about the despicable hate attack that happened to our sibling Muhlaysia Booker on Friday.morning.

Booker was involved in a minor traffic accident at the Royal Crest Apartments located at 3558 Wilhurt Ave at 11:25 AM CDT.   Booker then found herself being assaulted by several people in an incident that has been videotaped and circulated on social media.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms our disgust at what happened to Ms Booker.  We call upon the Dallas Police Department to swiftly arrest the perpetrators of this attack and charge them with a hate crime.

In addition, we at BTAC and BTWI would love to extend an invitation to Ms Booker to attend our upcoming Black Trans Advocacy Conference scheduled to take place at the Wyndham Dallas Suites Park Hotel April 23-28.  

While we at BTAC and BTWI agree with Mayor Rawlings that the perpetrators of this hate attack do not reflect the feelings that many Dallasites have about our TBLGQ community, we are still angry that it happened to Ms Booker. 

We are beyond sick and tired of some misguided people in the Black community believing they have a green light to assault and kill Black trans people. 

Black trans people are Black people, and we are an intertwined part of the Black community here in Dallas, the state of Texas, the nation and across the African Diaspora.  This malignant hatred toward Black trans people, and particularly Black trans women needs to end today..

Our Black trans lives matter as much as yours do.  It's past time that the Black community, our community and political leaders, and our legacy organizations recognize that reality.

Vigil For Ashanti Carmon Tonight

For those of you in the DMV area, a vigil has been scheduled tonight for our sister Ashanti Carmon, who was killed in the early morning hours of March 30.

Here's the press release for it:

April 2, 2019, Washington, DC

The Transgender community condemns the murder of Ashanti Carmon, a 27-year old transgender woman who was brutally shot multiple times to death in the 5000 block of Jost Street in the town of Fairmount Heights, MD on the morning of Saturday March 30   

The Transgender community and other local LGBTQ organizations joins the Carmon family and friends in mourning this senseless loss.  Her murder reminds us all of how often the transgender community is targeted for violence in our society.   Sadly, violence against transgender people has become far too common in many cities. 

While this murder was just across the Eastern Avenue line and happened in Maryland, Ashanti is well known and loved in the DC area by many.  In looking back on murders it brings us to the shooting death on Eastern Avenue N.E. of Lashai McClean age 23 who was killed in July of 2011.   While this murder may or may not be characterized as a hate crime by police at this time, it is important that each of us works to eradicate transphobia on a personal and societal level.       

There will be a Press Conference prior to the vigil, beginning at 6:30 PM EDT. The vigil will take place on April 02, 2019 at 6:30 pm in the 5000 block of Jost Street near the site of the attack. The LGBTQ community encourages everyone to participate and show solidarity against hatred and violence.  Also, Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced once released.  

Hope you can attend if you are able to do so.

BTWI Statement On The Trans Murders In Dallas and Atlanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2018
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding National DirectorDee Dee Watters BTWI Board Chair 
855-255-8636 Ext 11media@blacktranswomen.org

We at Black Transwomen, Inc are dismayed and saddened about the murders of our trans siblings occuring in our headquarters city of Dallas, TX and in Atlanta, GA where we have a BTMI chapter.

Our condolences and warm thoughts go out to the friends and families of Carla Patrica Flores-Pavon, the still unidentified Black trans sister whose body was pulled out of White Rock Creek on May 12, and Nino Fortson.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office is still working to ascertain the cause of death for our unidentified sibling, and once that is determined we will pass that information along as quickly as we receive it.

We also mourn the untimely passing of our Latinx sister Carla Pavon, and thank Ana Andrea Molina and the Organizacion Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) for the opportunity to be present at the vigil organized by OLTT for Ms Pavon at the Cathedral of Hope on May 13.

Ms. Pavon was the ninth trans person we have lost to anti-trans violence in the US, and we join OLTT in expressing our desire for the swift capture, prosecution, and punishment of the person who killed Carla so that justice can be served for her family and all who loved her.   

BTWI leadership has been working in close cooperation with the Dallas Police Department to help get accurate information out as expeditiously as possible in these cases.  We are diligently working to ensure that we identify our sister so that the investigation into her death can commence and the perpetrator can be brought to justice. 

In Nino Fortson's case, there are many members of our Atlanta BTMI-BTWI family who knew Nino  personally and are devastated after hearing the news of his tragic May 13 murder.

Fortson was unfortunately the tenth trans person and first trans masculine person killed in 2018, and we mourn his loss as well.   Our transmen also face anti-trans violence aimed at them, and his murder is an unfortunate reinforcement of that reality. 

We at BTWI along with our BTMI brothers in Atlanta and beyond are hoping that the perpetrator of our fallen brother's May 13 murder is swiftly captured and punished for his crime.

BTWI Statement Concerning The Kashmire Redd Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


September 6, 2017

Contact Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion D Anderson BTWI Founding  National Director
855-255-8636 EXT 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

We have lost 17 trans women of color to anti-trans violence in 2017, and today it saddens us as an organization to announce that an 18th person and our first trans masculine person has died due to the plague of anti-trans violence visited upon our community.

He is 28 year old Kashmire Nazer Redd of Gates, New York.  

We at Black Transwomen Inc, our brother organization Black Transmen, Inc. The Black Trans International Pageantry System and Black Trans Advocacy express our deepest condolences to Kashmire Redd's family and all who loved him.

He received multiple stab wounds during a domestic dispute with his partner in their apartment in the early morning hours on Monday.   Redd stumbled out of the apartment, collapsed and was alive when Gates PD arrived on the scene at 4:30 AM EDT, but succumbed to his wounds after being taken to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Redd is the 15th Black transperson we have lost to anti trans violence.  What also continues to sadden us is that 15 of the 18 people we have lost in 2017 are under age 40, and 17 of the 18 have been trans women of color.

40 year old Doris Carrasquillo has been arrested and charged with second degree murder in this case, and is currently being held without bail in the Monroe County Jail. We at BTWI, BTMI, BTIPS and BTA pray that justice will be expeditiously served in this case

Rest in power and peace, Kashmire.

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning The Trump Trans Military Service Ban

TransGriot Note:  The BTA statement concerning the reinstatement of the trans military service ban

Black Trans Advocacy is saddened to hear that President Donald Trump is continuing the Republican assault on the humanity and human rights of transgender Americans by reinstating the ban on trans military service that was rescinded by the Obama Administration just last year.

What we find particularly odious about this is that it was done exactly 69 years to the day in 1948 that president Harry S Truman issues his executive order desegregating the US military.

There are 15,500 trans people serving in our military, and many of them are doing so with distinction. In addition, the RAND Corporation study done on the costs of transition related medical care at only $2.4 to $8.4 million, a miniscule amount considering the entire military health care budget is $7.8 billion dollars.

It was past time to allow qualified trans people who met the requirements for service in our armed forces to be able to do so.  Some of those people who have or are serving in the US military are part of our Black trans family.

We at Black Trans Advocacy hope that this misguided decision is reversed as soon as possible.  

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning The Senate Passage Of SB 3

TransGriot Note: The BTA Statement concerning the passage of SB 3

Black Trans Advocacy is not shocked to see our Republican controlled Texas Senate continue their misguided and reprehensible attack on the humanity and human rights of transgender Texans via the Lois Kolkhorst authored SB 3.

This unjust bill passed out of committee on an 8-1 vote July 21 and in the Senate yesterday by a 21-10 margin after 8 hours of debate.   Last Friday Texans including our Mr Black Trans International king Trenton Johnson by a 12-1 margin expressed themselves via personal appearance in Austin to deliver in person testimony or sent  written testimony to the Senate State Affairs Committee urging them not to pass the unjust SB 3 or SB 91 bills authored by Kolkhorst.

We thank Sen Sylvia Garcia who isn't a member of Senate State Affairs, but sat through the nearly 11 hours of testimony given on that bill, and Sen Judith Zaffirini who was the lone NO vote in committee.

We thank the ten Senate Democrats who stood up for the humanity and human rights of transgender Texans, and condemn Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr for disingenuously lying during the debate to claim he has never voted for discrimination while joining all 20 Senate Republicans to enable discrimination against trans Texans. .

Yes senator, you did vote for discrimination back in March when you voted to pass SB 6 out of committee and then did so on the Senate floor.

We urge House Speaker Joe Straus and the members of the House State Affairs Committee to do the right thing for our state and kill this legislative abomination before it costs us more convention business beyond the $66 million we have already lost.  

We at Black Trans Advocacy would also like to see this SB 3 bill die before we lose any more Texas trans women to anti-trans animus.

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning HB 46 and HB 50

TransGriot Note: The Black Trans Advocacy statement concerning HB 46 and HB 50

As a Texas based organization that serves the Black trans community, we are once again raising our voice to join those from across Texas in opposition to HB 46 and HB 50.

You would think that after fair minded Texans made it clear they didn't want the unjust and transphobic SB 6 and HB 2899 bills to become Texas law, and hundreds of Texas citizens including some of our BTA members came to Austin to overwhelmingly testify against those legislative travesties, that the Texas Republican majority would have given up on trying to aim legislative oppression at transgender Texans after those bills died during the regular session.

It's why we are outraged that the Texas Republican Party is wasting $800,000 of our tax dollars on a special session that starts on July 18 designed to oppress transgender Texans and other groups they don't like for their political gain.

It is for this and other reasons that Black Trans Advocacy,  Black Transmen, Inc., Black Transwomen, Inc., the Black Trans Advocacy Conference and the Black Trans International Pageantry System are expressing our vehement opposition to HB 46 and HB 50.

Those anti-trans bills, far from being about 'privacy issues' as the Texas Republicans have repeatedly claimed, are nothing more than naked legislative oppression aimed at the Texas trans community.
Unfortunately, it is our Black trans community and other trans communities of color that will be disproportionately affected by the negative repercussions of it should these bills unfortunately pass.  

The dehumanizing anti-trans rhetoric they have used to try to pass the failed SB 6 and HB 2899 has already resulted in the death of one of our Texas trans sisters in Kenne McFadden of San Antonio.

We are also disturbed about Rep. Scott Sanford's harmful rhetoric attacking Texas trans kids and their parents, and the legislative attack on the humanity of Texas trans kids..

Once again, Black Trans Advocacy urges fair minded Texas legislators to resist the anti-trans extremism coming from the Texas Republican Party, and spend the next 30 days of this special session coming up with policy solutions for the problems that ail the Lone Star State.

BTWI Statement Concerning The Barrin Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2017
Contact Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion D. Anderson  BTWI  Founding Executive Director
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Transwomen, Inc. is saddened that we must comment on the death of another trans woman of color in Ava Le'Ray Barrin.
 
What saddens and infuriates us as an organization that seeks to represent and empower Black trans women is that Ava was just 17 years old and hadn't even had a chance to follow her dreams yet.

And as usual, the Atlanta and Athens, GA media outlets reporting on the story once again played into the infuriating pattern of disrespectfully misgendering a Black trans woman in death.  

On Sunday June 25 Athens-Clarke County police responded to an 11:45 AM EDT call concerning an argument taking place in the Rivercrest Apartments on 1020 College Ave.   When they arrived they found Barrin lying in the parking lot of the complex suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead at 12:45 PM EDT.

Ava has become not only the 14th trans woman murdered in the US in 2017, she unfortunately is now the youngest one killed this year.   She is also the 12th African American trans person killed this year.

All 14 of the murdered US trans women are women of color, with two of them being Native American and Latina.    What also is distressing to us is that eleven of the 14 people we have lost this year are under age 40.

21 year old Jalen Brown is in custody in the Athens Clark County Jail without bail, and has been charged with murder and aggravated assault in this case.

A candlelight memorial service was held for Barrin Monday night, and funeral arrangements are pending at this time.  BTWI's Dee Dee Watters will be doing a Facebook Live moment of silence in Ava's honor starting at 9 PM CDT.

BTWI, our brother organization Black Transmen, Inc, the BTMI Atlanta Chapter, the Black Trans International Pageantry System, and Black Trans Advocacy joins your family and all who loved you in expressing our condolences for your far too soon death.

Rest in power and peace, Ava.

***

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 Kenne McFadden Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2017
Contact  Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion D. Anderson  BTWI Founding National Director
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

For the 12th time this year, we at Black Transwomen, Inc must release a statement regarding the murder of another African-American trans woman.

We are also saddened to note that the latest murder has happened in Texas.

As a Texas based organization, Black Transwomen, Inc is and continues to be adamantly opposed to the transphobic SB 6 and HB 2899 bills proposed by the Republican controlled Texas Legislature, and were deeply concerned about the anti-trans rhetoric and outright lies being uttered by Texas conservatives in order to pass this unjust legislation.

We wondered when the anti-trans animus being fomented in our state would result in one of our Texas trans people being murdered.

The answer to that question was April 9, when the body of 27 year old Kenne McFadden was found floating in the San Antonio River near its world famous Riverwalk as many of us were up in Austin fighting those transphobic bills.

But because Kenne was misgendered by the San Antonio media, we are just now finding out about our lost sister two months after the fact..  

We at Black Transwomen, Inc. our brother organization Black Transmen, Inc, the Black Trans International Pageantry System and Black Trans Advocacy express our deepest condolences to Kenne's family and everyone who loved her.

We are also beyond tired of this ongoing pattern of media misgendering of trans murder victims that happens far too often to trans women of color.

Kenne is the 12th trans woman we have lost to anti-trans violence in 2017, and 11 of the twelve US murder victims have been African American.   Native American Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow of South Dakota is the only (so far) non Black trans person killed.

What also continues to sadden us at Black Transwomen, Inc is that nine of the dozen souls we have lost to anti-trans hate are under age 40.

Kenne's case has been reclassified as a homicide by the San Antonio Police Department and we are pleased to note there is a person of interest already incarcerated on other charges who is a suspect in this case.

We pray that if this currently incarcerated person is indeed the perpetrator of the crime, that justice will be expeditiously served.

Rest in power and peace, Kenne.

IBM Statement Opposing Texas Discriminatory Laws

With the potential of an anti-trans special session increasing, Texas based companies that opposed SB 6 and HB 2899 are starting to speak up, with IBM being the first to release a statement opposing the passage of any discriminatory laws.

“IBM has a longstanding commitment against discrimination in any form and believes that an inclusive and welcoming environment is the best way to attract talented individuals to our company.   

As a major employer in the state, we urge the Texas legislature and Governor Abbott not to pass or enact laws that will allow for the discrimination of any person based on who they are. These laws do not reflect IBM’s values of diversity, acceptance and inclusion that we have upheld for decades, and they have no place in the 21st Century.” 

– Diane Gherson, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, IBM

Thank you IBM.  Any other Texas based company wish to speak out in opposition to a special session specifically for the purpose of passing an unjust law?.

BTWI Statement Concerning The Faulkner Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 26, 2017
Contact  Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion D. Anderson  BTWI Founding National Director
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org


It is with a heavy heart that we at Black Transwomen, Inc must release a statement concerning the murder of another Black trans woman

Sherrell Faulkner was attacked and found suffering from trauma near a dumpster on November 30, 2016 in the gay friendly Plaza-Midwood neighborhood in northeast Charlotte, NC.   She succumbed to her injuries on May 16.

The attack we must point took place after a contentious North Carolina gubernatorial election in which transphobia was served up by the North Carolina Republican Party and its incumbent governor Pat McCrory that he subsequently lost.

The 46 year old Faulkner is now the 11th trans woman in the US we have lost to anti-trans violence.  All eleven of them have been women of color, with now ten of them being African American.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg PD is classifying this case as a homicide investigation, and if you have any information that will lead to the arrest, conviction and incarceration of the perpetrators of this crime against our fallen sister you are urged to call Charlotte Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or 704-432-TIPS (8477)

Dee Dee Watters will be doing a moment of silence for Sherrell starting at 9 PM CDT

Rest in power and peace, Sherrell.  We will say your name because your life mattered, and we won't rest until the people who took you from us are brought to justice.

BTWI Statement Concerning The Bostick Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2017
Contact  Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion D. Anderson  BTWI Founding National Director
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Transwomen, Inc is saddened to once again having to discuss losing another Black trans woman to anti trans violence in 2017.

The latest murder happened in New York, and her name is Brenda Bostick.

This 58 year old Bostick is the ninth Black trans woman who has been murdered in the last first five months of 2017, the tenth trans women in the US, and sadly the eldest person we have lost.

All ten trans women who have been murdered in the United States this year have been trans women of color.  Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow in South Dakota, the lone non-Black trans woman killed in 2017 so far was Native American  

Ms. Bostick was found unconscious and severely beaten outside of a Five Guys restaurant on Seventh Ave at 10:30 PM EDT on April 25..  She was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center when she succumbed to her injuries on May 4..   It is not known at this time if she regained consciousness while in the hospital, and an autopsy to discover the cause of death will be performed by the medical examiner soon.

The NYPD is investigating this case as a homicide, so if you have any information that will lead to the capture, prosecution and incarceration of the killers of Ms. Bostick, you are urged to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) .  

BTWI Statement Concerning The Love Field TSA Harassment Of Our BTAC 2017 Attendees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding National Director
855-255-8636 Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org


Black Transwomen, Inc along with Black Transmen, Inc, the Black Trans International Pageantry System (BTIPS) and Black Trans Advocacy are dismayed to learn that several trans masculine and trans feminine attendees of our just concluded BTAC 2017 Conference were harassed by TSA security at Dallas Love Field as they were returning home on April 30.

Seven of our attendees from Birmingham, six trans feminine, one trans masculine told their local Birmingham media in a television interview they were harassed by TSA agents when an identification issue arose with three of them at the DAL Love Field checkpoint. The Birmingham group missed their flights because of the issue and had to fly out of DFW to get home.

We were subsequently advised this morning by another trans masculine attendee from Baltimore that he was harassed and subjected to additional screening while transiting the Love Field checkpoint earlier that Sunday morning.

Black Trans Advocacy has since discovered while investigating these reports that the Dallas Love Field TSA checkpoint has a negative history with transgender travelers.  Even more disturbing to us, the Dallas TSA at Love Field when confronted about those incidents has been uncooperative and tone deaf when it comes to getting the obvious TSA transphobic travel issues resolved.

BTA has already contacted Congressmember Eddie Bernice Johnson's office this morning asking for assistance in resolving this matter.  We also contacted Dallas City councilmember Adam Medrano, whose district includes Love Field.  We will be reaching out in the coming days to other Dallas area officials to do the same.

The just concluded BTAC 2017 conference now in its sixth year, ran from April 24-30 and set an attendance record with over 300 people.  Those attendees from around the Unites States, Jamaica and Brazil spent several days in the DFW area not only attending our event and experiencing our BTAC hospitality, but spent their hard earned money outside the conference host hotel with area businesses. 

#BlackTransPeopleTravel, and sometimes we do so by air.  We deserve and demand the same dignity and respect that other travelers receive when they transit Love Field's TSA checkpoint.

Harassing our conference attendees transiting through Dallas Love Field or any TSA security airport checkpoint is unacceptable to BTA, and we demand that TSA Dallas take immediate steps to educate and train their local employees about the existence of transgender travelers and our travel issues so this doesn't happen again.             

BTWI Statement Concerning The Death Of Chayvis 'Chay' Reed

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

Black Transwomen, Inc is saddened and angered to hear about the loss of another precious life to anti-trans violence in the person of 28 year old Chayvis Darice 'Chay' Reed of Miami. FL.

We at Black Transwomen, Inc express our deepest condolences to Ms. Reed's family and all the people in her all too brief life who loved her.

According to a witness a group of people were walking up a sidewalk in the West Little River neighborhood near the intersections of Northwest 27th and Northwest 93rd Streets when one of them ran across Northwest 27th Street at approximately 5 AM EDT.   Six or seven shots subsequently rang out according to the witness and that person fell to the ground.

The shooter fled the scene and is being sought by Miami-Dade police.  The incident was captured by the home surveillance cameras of the witness, and the video is being reviewed by Miami-Dade police detectives.

We at BTWI are also upset and angered to note that once again, a deceased Black trans woman has been misgendered and disrespected in the local media.  

Reed is the ninth trans woman of color murdered in the US in 2017, and the eight African-American trans person killed  this year.   Out of those eight Black trans women we have lost this year, seven of them are under age 40.

If you have any information that will bring Chay's killer to justice, you are urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305- 471-TIPS (8477)

Rest in power and peace, Chay.   Know that all who love you will not rest until justice is served in this case.
   

Upcoming BTAC 2017 Press Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April  18, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Trans Advocacy is pleased to announce our upcoming Black Trans Advocacy conference in Dallas that will be held from April 24-30 at the Dallas Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria.

This is the sixth annual BTAC conference with attendees from all over the United States gathering to discuss issues of importance to the Black trans community.

Black Trans Advocacy is also pleased and proud to be at this upcoming BTAC conference celebrating the fifth anniversary of the founding of Black Transwomen, Inc.

As a Texas headquartered organization, we are not only concerned about SB 6 and HB 2899 and vehemently oppose both pieces of unjust legislation, but also lament the loss of seven African American trans women this year to anti-trans violence,   We are also concerned about the disrespectful media coverage they have gotten when the media reports their deaths and the lack of funding that goes to Black trans led organizations. .

We will also be discussing at this April 28 press conference BTA's thoughts about the current state of Black trans America, our Black Trans Advocacy conference, and other issues of importance to our community.  .

We are inviting members of the media to attend a press conference that will take place at the conference hotel starting at 12:30 PM CDT on Friday, April 28 at our conference host hotel, the Dallas Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria.

The hotel is located at 14901 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75204 and we at BTA look forward to seeing you there.    
  
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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 Alphonza Watson

TransGriot Note: BTWI  Statement concerning the death of Alphonza Watson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2017
Contact: Monica Roberts BTWI Media Chair
Carmarion Anderson  BTWI Founding President
855-255-8636  Ext 11
media@blacktranswomen.org

Black Transwomen, Inc is once again dismayed and saddened to note the death of another of one of our trans sisters in 38 year old Alphonza Watson of Baltimore, MD.

She was found shot in the stomach in the 2400 block of Guilford Ave and later died from her gunshot wound at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Two males were seen leaving the scene in a dark colored vehicle

She is the eighth trans woman., and the seventh Black transwoman to die in 2017.

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 ,sister.  We won't rest until the persons who killed you are brought to justice