Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Note: this post originally listed the wrong date, a date in the future. The correct date is May 8, 2021. I apologize for the confusion. 

Serenity Hollis, a 24-year-old Black trans woman, was murdered in Albany, Georgia on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Her family believes it may have been a hate crime and local police aren’t ruling that out.

Serenity was found with fatal gunshot injuries in the 700 block of West Highland Avenue in Albany, a Georgian town about 150 miles from Atlanta. The investigation is ongoing.

Serenity was born in Orlando, Florida then moved to Birmingham and relocated to Albany in 2019. She recently celebrated her birthday on February 24. She had just moved into her first apartment in December and later that month started working at Sanderson Farms. While she mentioned some non-specific harassment in the workplace, she seemed to be pleased with her work situation.

Serenity’s sister Sara told FOX31 news that she had previously had trouble with violence in this area. Note: deadnaming and misgendering at the link.

“It’s a high crime area that definitely needs to be cleaned up. Its some things that have to be changed over in that area. Before my [sibling] was actually killed maybe two and a half years ago my [sibling] was stabbed multiple times at the House of Jazz,” Sara said. “So this was not the first time that something like this has happened to them. I’m not sure whether its just a high crime area or a high rate of prostitution or drugs.”

Serenity is the twenty-seventh trans, nonbinary or gender nonconforming person reported killed in 2021. Twenty-five of these neighbors have been BIPOC. She is the 19th victim who identified as Black.  In total, there have been twenty-seven  murders or suspicious deaths in the first 122 days of 2021, an average of one death every 4,8 days. 17 of these victims were under the age of 30. So far. That we know of as many deaths go unreported or unacknowledged.  Note – in this summary, I include suspicious deaths that as you can read below are often later confirmed homicides. Rest in power, Serenity. Your life was cut short far too soon. Your family loves you so much and continue to advocate for justice in your name. I am so sorry you did not get to celebrate another birthday. I am sorry we didn’t create a safer world for you. May your memory be a revolution.

Our list of transgender, gender, and non-binary neighbors lost to violence in 2021. Please do not copy or share this list without attribution.

1. Tyianna Davarea Alexandra – Chicago, Illinois. January 6, 2021. Age 28.
2. Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín – Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. January 9, 2021. Age 21.
3. Dominique Jackson – Jackson, Mississippi. January 25, 2021. Age 30.
4. Bianca ‘Muffin’ Bankz – Atlanta, Georgia. January 21, 2021. Age 31.
5. Fifty Bandzzz – Baton Rouge, Louisiana. January 28, 2021. Age 21.
6. Alexus “Kimmy” Braxton – Miami, Florida. February 4, 2021. Age 45.
7. Chynaa Carrillo – New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. February 18, 2021. Age 24.
8. Jeffrey ‘JJ’ Bright – Ambridge, Pennsylvania. February 22, 2021. Age 16.
9. Jasmine Cannady – Ambridge, Pennsylvania. February 22, 2021. Age 22.
10. Jenna Franks – Jacksonville, North Carolina, February 24, 2021. Age 34. **
11. Diamond Nicole ‘Kyree’ Sanders – Cincinnati, Ohio. March 3, 2021. Age 23.
12. Rayanna Pardo – Los Angeles, California, March 17, 2021. Age 26. ***
13. Aidelen Evans – Port Arthur, Texas, March 2021. Age 24 ****
14. Dominique Lucious – Springfield, Missouri, April 8, 2021. Age 26.
15. Jaida Peterson – Charlotte, North Carolina, April 4, 2021. Age 29.
16. Remy Fennell – Charlotte, North Carolina, April 15, 2021. Age 28.
17. Tiara Banks – Chicago, Illinois, April 21, 2021. Age 26.
18. Natalia Smüt Lopez – San Jose, California, April 23, 2021. Age 24.
19. Tiffany Thomas – Dallas, Texas, April 21, 2021. Age 38.
20. Iris Santos – Houston, Texas, April 23, 2021. Age 22.
21. Jahaira M. DeAlto – Boston, Massachusetts, May 2, 2021. Age 42.
22. Keri Washington – Clearwater, Florida, May 1, 2021. Age 49.
23. Danny Henson – Baltimore, Maryland, May 4, 2021. Age 31.
24. Whispering Wind Bear Spirit – York, Pennsylvania, May 4, 2021 Age 41
25. Sophie Vasquez – Atlanta, Georgia, May 4, 2021. Age 36.
26. Serenity Hollis – Albany, Georgia, May 8, 2021. Age 24.

** Jenna’s death was originally reported as suspicious, but has since been reported as a homicide. *** Rayanna’s cause of death was originally undetermined, but has since been reported as a homicide. **** Aidelen’s cause of death was unspecified, but has since been reported as a homicide

We are also still monitoring these suspicious deaths from 20/21 (in addition to the 44 documented killings.)

• Fendi Mon’ezah Armstrong – Lithonia, Georgia, November 11, 2020. Age 39
• Kimberely Patricia Cope – Athens, Georgia, December 27, 2020. Age 40.
• Natasha Keianna – Detroit, Michigan, January 12, 2021. Age 37.
• Bonaire ‘Bonnie’ Black – Atlanta, Georgia, December 31, 2020. Age 19.
• Koko Nia Labeija – Chicago, Illinois, Found June 2020, Identified April 2021, Age 19