Friend,

Black trans lives matter.

Tony McDade, a Black trans man, was murdered by Tallahassee police just two days after officers in Minneapolis robbed George Floyd of his life in an extrajudicial execution. Tony was at least the 12th transgender or non-binary person who has been violently killed this year.

The evidence makes clear that police violence against black transgender people is not a series of isolated incidents but a pattern. More than one-third of Black transgender Americans have experienced harassment by police, and they are arrested and incarcerated at disproportionately high rates. Additionally, we know that Black transgender women face more fatal violence than other members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

As we recognize Pride Month and speak out against police brutality and systemic racism, we must remember that our fights for Black lives and LGBTQIA+ rights are not separate -- these injustices intersect and are intertwined, so we must unite to fight racism, anti-Blackness, police brutality, transphobia, and homophobia with transformative changes at every level of government.

At the core of this fight is the fundamental truth that every single person should be free to live without fear of being discriminated against, hurt, or murdered simply for existing. And as our country works to move forward with real, tangible change, we must move forward with the solidarity and the urgency that our Black transgender neighbors deserve.

So no matter if you are at a protest, posting on social media, or talking to friends and family members this week, make sure you say it loud and clear: Black trans lives matter.

Thank you for listening and for being with me in this fight,

Pramila Jayapal