Muhlaysia Booker recently murdered, speaking at a rally in Dallas in April 2019. Photo credit, TIME Magazine.
Our hearts are heavy and a fire rages in a deep place within our collective community as candles are lit to honor each precious life that is taken away from us at the hands of violence and discrimination.
This year there has been five reported murders of black trans women.
Dana Martin, Montgomery, Alabama
Ashanti Carmon, Washington, DC
Claire Legato, Cleveland, Ohio
Muhlaysia Booker, Dallas, Texas
Michelle Washington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Communities across the country and beyond are outraged and in mourning. In moments like this when we are heartbroken, devastated, and scared–we also know that all of us deserve to live full lives without fear of violence and death at nearly every turn. Today and everyday, we ask that you lift up yourselves, each other, and our beloveds.
Our sisters, our siblings, our communities can’t wait any longer-especially each and every trans woman of color—specifically black trans women. We have to do more then agree this targeted violence is unacceptable. It is our duty to recognize this as an emergency and show up in ways like never before to support their leadership, listen, and invest in their vision and survival.
Trans Justice NOW.
