Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, a 41-year-old Indigenous Non-Binary person is the most recent transgender or gender non-conforming person victim of fatal violence. Whispering Wind was shot to death by a 19-year-old man during a botched robbery attempt of their home.

Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, 41, died of a single gunshot wound sustained during an attempted robbery of the residence, police say. The incident occurred around 11:25 p.m. Bear Spirit was transported to a local hospital, where she died during emergency surgery at 1:15 a.m. on May 4, according to police.

The 19-year-old was charged Monday with burglary, robbery, and conspiracy to commit burglary and robbery in connection to the incident. There were two unidentified accomplices, it is unclear who shot Whispering Wind.

Whispering Wind Bear Spirit wrote this about their identity on their facebook profile. Note that I am using they/them pronouns because I am not 100% certain of their pronouns. Some friends use she/her on social media as does the media, while others use they/them.

I am Shawnee by Birth and Potowatomi by Relations 

I do not know what nation Whispering Wind Bear Spirit belonged to, but the Shawnee Nation has long ties to this region in Western Pennsylvania. A friend of mine of the Seneca Nation explained to me that likely Whispering Wind was born into the Shawnee Nation and is likely in a relationship with someone of the Potowatomi Nation. It feels important to at least acknowledge this, using their own phrasing.

Whispering Wind’s family member Tammy posted this about arrangements

I’ve picked out a beautiful Native American urn with a white bear spirit on it. I will be creating a memorial place for her at our cabin, appropriately named the bear house by Sadie. She will finally have a permanent and peaceful home with us.

We will monitor the investigation and advocate for justice for her lost life.

Whispering Wind Bear Spirit is the twenty fifh trans, nonbinary or gender nonconforming person reported killed in 2021. Twenty-three of these neighbors have been BIPOC.  Whispering Wind Bear Spirit is the first reported Indigenous person and second non-binary person to be reported dead in 2021. In total, there have been twenty-five murders or suspicious deaths in the first 122 days of 2021, an average of one death every 5 days. 16 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. Also please note I have to write another similar post about a murder on the same day in Atlanta. Three people murdered on the same day.

Rest in power, Whispering Wind Bear Spirit. Your choice to try to peacefully resolve an armed confrontation was brave and generous to those around you. You will be greatly missed.

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.

** 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