John,
Each year on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we pause to remember, honor and mourn the lives of transgender people lost to violence in the last year. In 2020 alone, at least 38 transgender and gender non-conforming individuals have been lost to anti-trans violence, with potentially more lost but unknown. Over 380 lives have been lost worldwide. Last year, the American Medical Association categorized these losses as an "epidemic" - and it is one that has only continued to spread.
Each of these souls were robbed of their right to exist. In a world that far too often singles out transgender people, it is our duty to remember those lost - and do everything we can to ensure more are not claimed by violence.
Here are the known names of those we lost this year:
Mia Green, 29, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aerrion Burnett, 37, Independence, Missouri
Gia Valentina Romualdo Rodríguez, 46, Miami, Florida
Isabella Mia Lofton, 21, Brooklyn, New York
Elie Che, 23, The Bronx, New York
Shelley Lynn Rose, 16
Kee Sam, 24, Lafayette, Louisiana
Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears ("Rocky Rhone"), 32, Portland, Oregon
Queasha Hardy, 24, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Tiffany Harris ("Dior H Ova"), 32, The Bronx, New York
Marilyn Monroe Cazares, 22, Brawley, California
Angela Martinez Gómez, 42, Santa Monica, California
Summer Taylor, 24, Seattle, Washington
Bree Black, 27, Pompano Beach, Florida
Shaki Peters, 32, Amite City, Louisiana
Draya McCarty, 28, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Merci Mack, 22, Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas
Tatiana Hall, 22, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Brayla Stone, 17, Sherwood, Arkansas
Brian Powers ("Eagle"), , Akron, Ohio
Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells, 27, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Riah Milton, 25, Liberty Township, Cincinnati, Ohio
Name Unknown, 16-20, Chicago, Illinois
Selena Reyes-Hernandez, 37, Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois
Tony McDade, 38, Tallahassee, Florida
Jayne Thompson, 33, Orchard Mesa, Colorado
Helle Jae O’Regan, 20, San Antonio, Texas
Nina Pop, 28, Sikeston, Missouri
Johanna Metzger, , Baltimore, Maryland
Henrietta Robinson, 79, Miami, Florida
Ashley Moore, 26, Newark, New Jersey
Lorena Borjas, 59, Queens, New York
Lexi "Ebony" Sutton, 33, Harlem, New York
Monica Diamond, 34, Charlotte, North Carolina
John Scott Devore/Scottlyn Kelly Devore, 51, Augusta, Georgia
Camila María Concepción, 28, Los Angeles, California
Alex McCray, 22, St. Louis, Missouri
Dustin Parker, 25, McAlester, Oklahoma
Say their names. Thank you to PFLAG for the above.
LGBTQ Victory Institute
