Black Trans Woman, Chae’Meshia Simms, Fatally Shot in Richmond

Black Trans Woman

On Monday, November 23, Chae’Meshia Simms was killed in Richmond, Virginia. She was found dead in the driver’s seat of her mother’s car at 6 AM. The car wrecked while moving and police responded. Police said they have identified the victim of a homicide on Cheatwood Avenue in Richmond’s North Side.About 5:40 a.m. Monday, officers […]

22-year-old Asia Jynaé Foster shot to death in Houston on Trans Day of Remembrance

On November 20, Asia Jynai Foster was killed. Asia was 22 years old and a Black trans woman living in Houston, Texas. November 20 was also the Trans Day of Remembrance, an international observation of trans neighbors who have been killed. According to Outsmart A 22-year-old Black transgender woman was shot and killed in west […]

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) 2020 Honors 37 Trans Neighbors Lost

TDOR Transgender Collage

“It may be a sad song but we’re gonna sing it again. I will continue to fight and push for the voices of black transgender women to be uplifted until the day I die. We deserve to be heard, to be loved, and for our very existence to be acknowledged.” —Riah Milton’s sister, Ariel Mary […]

Three Additional Trans and Gender Nonconforming Murders Come to Light Just Before TDOR

A horrifying discovery this night before Trans Day of Remembrance – reports of the violent deaths of three more gender non-conforming and trans neighbors came to light. Thank you to The Advocate for excellent reporting on heartbreaking and tragic stories. Photo of Yunieski Carey Herrera via The Advocate Miami transgender performer and activist Yunieski Carey […]

On Day 171, Our Dog Died

My dog died

At 3 AM this morning, we rushed our dog to the ER vet office and had to put her to sleep. She was 14 or thereabouts. We adopted Ana from a rescue in May 2008. She was about two years old and had been removed from an abusive home with a broken pelvis. Her foster […]

For Your Consideration: The Case to Appoint Sue Kerr to Pittsburgh LGBTQIA+ Commission

Pittsburgh LGBTQIA Commission

In July 2020, Pittsburgh City Council unanimously approved the formation of a new commission focused on the LGBTQ community to replace the current Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee established in 2008 by Mayor Ravenstahl. Commissions serve the City residents, not just advising the Mayor. This is a change I first proposed in July 2019. From TheTrib: […]

Yahira Nesby, 33, is the Most Recent Black Trans Woman Murdered in 2019

Yahira Nesby

  Yahira Nesby was a 33-year-old Black trans woman who has lived in the Brooklyn and Bronx boroughs of New York City. She was born and raised in North Carolina where she had attended Vance High School and Central Piedmont Community College. According to the New York City Anti-Violence Project, Yahira participated in New York’s […]

Suspect charged in murder of 17-year-old Washington State trans teen, Nikki Kuhnhausen

Nikki Kuhnhausen was 17 years old when she disappeared from her hometown of Vancouver, Washington to allegedly meet up with a 25-year-old man she met on Snapchat. That was June 6, 2019. After she was reported missing, David Bogdanov was named a person of interest in her disappearance. Nikki would have turned 18 on July […]

The Pittsburgh Nation #NaBloPoMo2019 #NaBloPoMoPgh

The prompt Have you ever met a stranger from Pittsburgh while traveling? Tell us about that experience. I’ve been so busy blogging about the election that I almost forgot NaBloPoMo! I meet Pittsburgh folks all of the time. So much that I often try to wear Pgh gear when traveling to draw them out. In […]

Black Trans Woman Alicia Simmons Found Dead in Her West Philadephia Home

Alicia Simmons, 37, of West Philadelphia was found dead in her apartment on November 3, 2019. Police are investigating the cause of death and have been careful to state there is no evidence of a suspicious cause.  Philly Gay News reports: Deja Alvarez, trans activist and co-chair of Philadelphia’s LGBT Police Liaison Committee, posted on […]