The Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people -- sometimes in the most brutal ways possible -- it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.
Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Remembering the transgender people killed in 2017
This is just the USA list (source Wikipedia and QNotes)
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow |
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, a 28-year-old Native American trans
woman was found murdered in her apartment in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on 7
January, however, she is believed to have died at least several days prior.
Sean Ryan Hake, a 23-year-old transgender man was shot three
times by police and killed in Sharon, Pennsylvania on January 6. The police
were responding to a domestic call for which Hake had threatened their mother
and cut his own throat. Hake's family has filed a lawsuit alleging the police
violated Hake's civil rights.
Mesha Caldwell |
Mesha Caldwell, a 41-year-old black trans woman, was found
shot to death on a road near Canton, Mississippi on 4 January.
Jojo Striker, a 23-year-old trans woman of color, was found
shot to death in a garage in Toledo, Ohio, on 8 February. She suffered one
gunshot wound to her chest.
Jaquarrius Holland, an 18-year-old black trans woman, was
shot during a verbal altercation in Monroe, Louisiana on 19 February.
Tiara Lashaytheboss Richmond, a 24-year-old black trans
woman who was also known as Keke Collier, was shot on Chicago's south side on
23 February, by an unknown assailant while sharing a vehicle with them. She was
found by police on the ground outside, and rushed to the hospital, where she
died around 7:00 AM.
Chyna Dupree, |
Chyna Doll Dupree, a black trans woman, also known as Chyna
Gibson, was shot in New Orleans on 25 February, by an unknown assailant. She
was found by police at 8:30 pm lying in a parking lot outside a shoppingmall.
She had been shot several times, and died at the scene. Her aunt described her
as "a very loving person [who] didn't do nothing to nobody".
Ciara McElveen, a 26-year-old black trans woman, was stabbed
in New Orleans, LA, and left on the side of the road. She was transported to
University Medical Center where she died on 27 February.
Alphonza Watson, a 38-year-old black trans woman, was shot
in the stomach on 22 March in Baltimore, Maryland. She was transported to Johns
Hopkins Hospital where she died. Her mother described Watson as "the
sunshine of our family," a "caring, passionate" person who loved
cooking and gardening.
Chay Reed, a 28-year-old transgender woman of color, was
shot and killed on 21 April in Miami, Florida. Reed’s longtime friend told Mic
about their longtime friendship—describing her as someone who was full of life
and beloved by many.
Kenneth Bostick, a 59-year-old black trans person
identifying as male, was found with severe injuries on a Manhattan sidewalk,
and later died of his injuries. Few details about Bostick's life have been
reported; he may have been homeless at the time of the attack. Early reports
also identified him under his previous name.
Sherrell Faulkner |
Sherrell Faulkner, 46, died on May 16 in Charlotte, N.C. from injuries sustained from an attack in November of 2016. Faulkner was found beside a dumpster, and police are investigating the death as a homicide. “We are asking leaders and community members at every level to consider both the overt and underlying reasons for these killings,” Ames Simmons, Equality North Carolina’s director of transgender policy said. “We must address the root causes of violence against our community, and we cannot rest until the violence stops.” Friends and family also remembered and memorialized her with posts on social media. Police have asked anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or visit their website, at charlottecrimestoppers.com.
Kenne McFadden, a 27-year old black trans woman, was found
in the San Antonio River on 9 April. Police believe she was pushed into the
river, which runs through downtown San Antonio. A high-school friend of
McFadden described her to local media as assertive, charismatic and lovable. No
arrests have been made, but police said they have a person of interest in
custody. Due to media misgendering McFadden, her identity as a trans woman was
not corrected in news stories until June.
Ally Steinfeld |
Ally Steinfeld, 17, was murdered in early September, and her remains were discovered on Sept. 21, in Cabool, Mo. Steinfeld’s sister Ashleigh Boswell described her as “a very loving, outgoing person.” Actress Patricia Arquette, who had a transgender sister, Alexis, who passed away last year, was one of the donors to a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses. “This donation is in honor of Ally,” Arquette wrote. “Who was brave enough to live her truth in a very ignorant world.”
Kendra Marie Adams, a 28-year old trans woman of color, was
found in a building that was under construction and had burns on her body on 13
June, in Ithaca, New York. Police have charged Michael Davis, 45, with Adams'
murder. Adams also went by Josie Berrios, the name used in initial media
reports on her death.
Ava Le’Ray Barrin, a 17-year old trans woman, was shot and
killed in Athens, Georgia, on Sunday, 25 June. She was killed by a person she
knew after an altercation in a parking lot. She has been remembered as a
"social butterfly" and an "amazing girl".
Ebony Morgan, a 28-year-old trans woman of color, was found
shot in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Sunday 2 July. After being found shot in a
residence, she was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced
dead. The local police report uses her previous name but confirmed that she
goes by Ebony.
TeeTee Dangerfield, a 32-year-old transgender woman was
found shot multiple times by her vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia, early morning
Monday, 31 July. She was taken to the hospital and later died of her injuries.
Gwynevere River Song |
Gwynevere River Song, 26, was shot and killed in Waxahachie, Texas on Aug. 12 after an altercation with an individual in their home. They identified as “femandrogyne,” as well as bisexual. “I love you so much, you are missed so much I can’t figure out how I’m going to go on,” Song’s mother, Marcy Mosher, wrote on Facebook. “I promise you I will carry out your wishes.”
Kiwi Herring, a 30-year-old transwoman of color was shot by
police following an altercation in St. Louis, Missouri on 22 August.
Pepper K, aka Phoenix, a 33-year-old trans person was killed
by another inmate while incarcerated in the Mansfield Correctional Institution.
Phoenix was taken to an area hospital and died of their injuries on 25 August.
They had participated in the Black and Pink LGBTQ prisoner online pen pal
program.
Josie Barrios |
Josie Barrios, 28, was discovered deceased at a construction site in Ithaca, N.Y. A can of gasoline was found next to her body, and a man was arrested for her murder, as well as arson. Barrios also went by the names Kendra Adams and Kimbella Rosé. “She would take everything negative thing that people brought about her and every aspect of her personality that could be degraded and blow it back at everyone,” a friend said.
Kashmire Redd 28-year-old transgender man was stabbed to
death in Gates, New York, early on 4 September.
Derricka Banner 26-year-old trans woman of color was shot
and killed in Charlotte, North Carolina in the early morning of 12 September.
Scout Schultz |
Scout Schultz 21 year-old non binary intersex student at
Georgia Tech was shot and killed by police on September 16th after experiencing
a mental break down on campus. Video was taken of Schultz carrying a small
pocket knife while yelling "shoot me!" at police while walking towards
them. Upon investigation it was revealed they had written three suicide notes
in their dorm room.
Stephanie Montez 47-year-old trans woman was shot multiple times near Corpus Christi, Texas 21 October.
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