Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Puerto Rican authorities announced that a transgender woman was fatally shot on Wednesday, September 30. Her name was Michelle “Michellyn” Ramos Vargas.  She was 33 years old and a nursing student.

From The Washington Blade

The Associated Press reported the body of Michelle “Michellyn” Ramos Vargas, 33, was found along a highway in San Germán, a municipality in southwest Puerto Rico.  

Puerto Rican media reports indicate Ramos had been shot several times. Officials told the Associated Press they are investigating whether Ramos’ murder was a hate crime.

Michelle was studying to become a nurse.

Michelle is the 30th trans person murdered in the United States in 2020. Five other transgender people were killed in Puerto Rico including Neulisa Luciano Ruiz (also known as Alexa), Yampi Méndez Arocho, Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos, Layla Pelaez Sánchez and Penélope Díaz Ramírez.

In 2019, we lost at least 25 individuals to this epidemic of transphobic fueled violence. With three months to go, we’ve exceeded that total in 2020. This epidemic is disproportionately targeting BIWOC, especially Black and Latina trans women. That is not a coincidence – it is a reflection of both the contempt for transgender neighbors and our own internalized racism as gay men, lesbians, bisexual folx, and other queer identified individuals who are cis gender and white. We must demand better legislation, better representation, and we must vote.

There is no further information into the investigation at this point.

Rest in power, Michelle. You devoted your life to caring for the health of your community and neighbors. Your courage, bravery, and determination to do so in the midst of an international pandemic speaks volumes abour the kind of person you were and the quality of nurse you would have been. Our lives are collectively impacted by your death. You deserved dignity and respect in your life, you deserve honor and justice in your death.

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 Hardy – Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 27, 2020. Age 24.
25. Tiffany Harris – Bronx, New York, July 26, 2020. Age 32.
26. Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears – Portland, Oregon, July 28, 2020. Age 32.
27. Aerrion Burnett – Independence, Missouri, September 19, 2020. Age 37.
28. Mia Green – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 28, 2020. Age 29.
29. Michelle Ramos Vargas – Puerto Rico, September 30, 2020. Age 33.

Please do not cut and paste this list to share without a link to the post. Thank you.