Mourning the Murder of Quartney Davia Dawsonn-Yochum, 32, Los Angeles

Quartney Davia Dawsonn-Yochum

Her name was Quartney Davia Dawsonn-Yochum. She was also known as Kourtney Yochum. She was 32 years old. She had two dogs. She also happened to be a trans woman of color. And now she is dead, after a former partner shot her in the afternoon of Tuesday, March 22, in Los Angeles near her home. […]

The Tragic Killing of Jasmine Sierra, 52, TWOC from Bakersfield CA

Jasmine Sierra Trans

A complicated tragic story involving the death of a trans woman of color in Bakersfield, California. From The Advocate: Police found the body of Jasmine Sierra, a transgender woman of color, on January 22 in an apartment on the 1000 block of Monterey Street, according to a report from local TV station KBAK. Police say […]

TWOC Maya Young, 25, Fatally Stabbed in Philly

Maya Young Philadelphia

Terribly sad news from Philadelphia – Maya Young, a 25 year old trans woman of color, was stabbed to death Saturday February 20. Police have released no motive and do not have anyone in custody. Please note the cited media report uses her old name.  Misgendering and detailing Maya’s own criminal history – even though […]

#AMPLIFY Trans Voices on the Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience

Transgender Day of Remembrance 2015

Today is the International Trans Day of Remembrance as well as a day to honor trans resilience. In lieu of our usual Friday #AMPLIFY profile, we are sharing these previously published Q&A posts with transgender neighbors living in Western Pennsylvania. Visibility is an important component of resiliency and a luxury many of us may not […]

Zella Ziona, 21 of Maryland, Most Recent Trans Woman of Color Murdered

Zella Ziona Transgender

More heartbreaking news, this time from Gaithersburg, Maryland where 21-year-old Zella Ziona became the 22nd transgender woman to be murdered in the US during 2015. A witness told ABC7 he saw the victim, identified as Zella Ziona of Montgomery Village, surrounded by four or five teenagers. There was an argument, then he says one of […]

Arrest and Update in the Murder of Kiesha Jenkins

Kiesha Jenkins

Last week, 22-year-old Kiesha Jenkins was murdered in Philadelphia. Kiesha was a trans woman of color and a student at Temple University. Kiesha, known to some as Kesh, was the victim in an ugly violent attack. Police have not made any arrests as of yet, but they are considering she was the victim of a […]

Trans Woman of Color Kiesha Jenkins, 22, Murdered in Philly

Kiesha Jenkins

  Just moments after I blogged about the murder of Melvin in Detroit, I read about the murder of Kiesha Jenkins – a 22 year old trans woman of color in Philadelphia. Kiesha uses the name Tatted Godess Kesh on her Facebook profile where dozens of friends are posting tributes. Kiesha Jenkins, 22, was shot […]

RIP Keyshia Blige, Another TWOC Whose Death Went Undiscovered

Keyshia Blige

We are on the road to participate in Erie Pridefest this weekend when I read this news on Facebook via The Guardian – another trans woman of color had been killed earlier this year, but the information didn’t hit the news until now. The reason? Misgendering by the police and the media. Her name was Keyshia […]

Another TWOC Murdered in Kansas City Missouri, #SayHerName Jasmine Collins

Transwoman Murder

Reporters covering the murder of TWOC Tamara Rodriguez in Kansas City have brought to light another death that occurred on June 23 but went unacknowledged because of misgendering. 32-year-old Jasmine Collins was stabbed to death, allegedly over a pair of shoes. From The Advocate: Police in Kansas City, Mo., tellThe Advocate that a 32-year-old trans […]

Tamara Dominguez Is Most Recent Trans Woman Murdered in 2015

Tamara Dominguez Trans

The week of August 9, 2015 may be one of the worst in LGBTQ history, specifically transgender history. This past ten days saw the actual death OR discovery of the death of six transgender women of color. The sixth sister lost to this horrifying epidemic was Tamara Dominguez of Kansas City, Missouri. She was 36. […]