Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Her name was Queasha Hardy. She was a 24-year-old Black trans woman who became the latest fatality in the epidemic of transphobic violence. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she appears to have many friends and loved ones who are grieving her death.  Her Instagram feed is filled with images of women whose hair she styled, raving about her talent and skills.

She was a young woman with talent and skills who will never get a chance to see where they could take her.

Initial reporting is deadnaming and misgendering Queasha.

The shooting happened around 1:15 p.m. in the 1700 block of N Harco Drive. Police have identified the victim. She was found nearby suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and died on-scene, police say.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call BRPD’s Violent Crimes Unit at 225-389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

She was shot to death at 1:15 in the middle of the afternoon and left to die. Queasha is the third Louisiana Black trans woman killed in recent weeks. Draya McCarty, age unknown, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Baton Rouge. Shaki Peters, 32, was killed in nearby Amite on July 1, 2020.

Her death is the 24th known in 2020 in the US. All of these victims were under the age of 40, eleven of them 25 and under.. Most were BIWOC. Even as I type this, advocates are seeking to confirm another reported murder in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City. The violence is growing, targeting younger trans neighbors, and almost unchecked by law enforcement.

And Queasha’s friends are seeking to set the record straight with Baton Rouge media, the task that comes with almost every death – accuracy, visibility, acknowledgement.

Rest in power, Queasha. Your impact reverberated throughout your friends and family. I am so very sorry we failed to create a safer world for you. You were loved and will be deeply missed.

My list of transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary neighbors who have lost their lives to violent deaths in the US during 2020.

1. Dustin Parker – McAlester, Oklahoma. January 1, 2020. Age 25.
2. Alexa Negron Luciano – Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. February 24, 2020. Age 29.
3. Yampi Mendez Arocho – Moca, Puerto Rico, March 5, 2020. Age 19.
4. Monica Diamond – Charlotte, North Carolina. March 18, 2020. Age 34.
5. Lexi – Harlem, New York City, New York. March 28, 2020. Age 33.
6. Johanna Metzger – Baltimore, Maryland. April 1, 2020. Age 25.
7. Serena Angelique Velazquezz – Puerto Rico. April 22, 2020. Age 32.
8. Layla Pelaez – Puerto Rico. April 22, 2020. Age 21.
9. Penélope Díaz Ramírez – Puerto Rico. April 13, 2020. Age 31
10. Nina Pop – Sikeston, Missouri. May 3, 2020. Age 28.
11. Helle Jae O’Regan – San Antonio, Texas. May 6, 2020. Age 20.
12. Tony McDade – Tallahassee, Florida. May 27, 2020. Age 38.
13. Dominique Rem’mie Fells – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 8, 2020. Age 27.
14. Riah Milton – Liberty Township, Ohio. June 9, 2020. Age 25.
15. Selena Reyes Hernandez – Chicago. May 31, 2020. Age 37.
16. Brayla Stone – Sherwood, Arkansas. June 25, 2020. Age 17.
17. Merci Mack – Dallas, June 30, 2020. Age 22.
18. Jayne Thompson – Colorado, May 2020. Age 33.
19. Bree Black – Pompana Beach, Florida, July 3, 2020. Age 27.
20. Draya McCarty – Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 2020. Age unknown.
21. Shaki Peters – Amite, Louisiana, July 1, 2020. Age 32.
22. Marilyn Cazares – Brawley, California, July 13, 2020. Age 22.
23. Tatiana Hall – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, approx June 29, 2020. Age 22.
24. Queasha D. Hardy – Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 27, 2020. Age 24.
25. Tiffany Harris – Bronx, New York, July 26, 2020. Age 32.