Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

On the literal eve of the Trans Day of Remembrance comes word of another loss, the 48th trans neighbor swept up in the campaign of terror acknowledged on TDoR.

A 35-year-old Black trans woman was killed by gunshot on Sunday, November 7 in Memphis, Tennessee. Danyale Johnson was found in a parking lot around 1 AM after the shooter left her lying in the parking lot and stole her car. Her death was confirmed by non-profit We Care Tennessee

From FOX 13

Memphis police are looking for the gunman who is responsible for shooting and killing a [person] at a Memphis motel on Sunday, [November 7]

According to police, a [person] was shot at the Bellevue Inn around 1 a.m.

Police said the [individual] was shot in the parking lot of the motel and later died as a result.

After the shooting, the gunman jumped into the victim’s 2010 black Nissan Altima and took off, according to police.

Danyale was transported to a local hospital, but did not survive.

Her mother organized two vigil balloon releases in her honor and is crowdfunding for support with funeral expenses.

Danyale was born and raised in Memphis, part of a large extended family. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 2002 and studied at University of Memphis.

Tragically, Danyale’s two younger brothers also died this past year.

If you have information, the Memphis Police Department urges you to call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.

Danyale is the forty-eighth trans, nonbinary or gender nonconforming person reported killed in 2021. Forty-three of these neighbors have been BIPOC. She is the 33nd victim who identified as Black. 30 of these victims were under the age of 30. That we know of, as many deaths go unreported or unacknowledged. 2021 is now the most violent year on record for our trans neighbors in the United States, surpassing the previous total of 44 deaths in 2020.

Rest in power, Danyale. Your entrepreneurial spirit, your zest for life, and your lovely spirit will be missed. Your family has endured so many tragedies and there is little comfort to be found except to honor those bonds. You deserved many more years to grow, prosper, and achieve. I am sorry we failed to keep you safe.

May your memory be a revolution.

This post has been updated to resolve conflicts in the dates. Danyale was shot and died on Sunday, November 7, 2021.

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.
27. Oliver “Ollie” Taylor — Gervais, Oregon, May 19, 2021. Age 27.
28. Thomas Hardin — York, South Carolina, May 2, 2021. Age 35.
29. Poe Black / Oliver Jackson — Slab City, Niland, California, May 11, 2021 (estimated). Age 21.
30. EJ Boykin / Novaa Watson — Lynchburg, Virginia, May 14, 2021. Age 23.
31. Taya Ashton — Suitland, Maryland, July 17, 2021. Age 20.
32. Shai Vanderpump — Trenton, New Jersey, July 30, 2021. Age 23.
33. Tierramarie Lewis — Cleveland, Ohio, June 12, 2021. Age 30.
34. Miss CoCo — Dallas, Texas, August 7, 2021. Age 44.
35. Pooh Johnson — Shreveport, Louisiana, August 23, 2021. Age 25.
36. Disaya Monaee Smith — Dolton, Illinois, September 6, 2021. Age 32.
37. Brianna Ulmer Hamilton — Chicago, Illinois, September 17, 2021. Age 25.
38. Kier Laprice (Kartier) Solomon — Dallas, Texas, September 30, 2021. Age 21.
39. Royal Poetical Starz — Miami Gardens, Florida, October 2, 2021. Age 26.
40. Mel Robert Groves — Jackson, Mississippi, October 11, 2021. Age 25.
41. Zoella “Zoey” Rose Martinez – Seattle, Washington, August 31, 2021. Age 20.
42. Jo Acker– Boise, Idaho, October 25, 2021. Age 26.
43. Jessi Hart – Banks, Oregon, early October 2021. Age 42.
44. Rikkey Outumuro – Centralia, Washington, October 30 or 31, 2021. Age 39.
45. Marquiisha Lawrence – Greenville, South Carolina, November 5, 2021. Age 28.
46. Jenny De Leon – Tampa, Florida, November 2, 2021. Age 25.
47. Angel Naira – Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, November 11, 2021. Age 36.
48. Danyale Johnson – Memphis, Tennessee, November 7, 2021. Age 35.

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

Haven Bailey — Villa Park, Illinois, May 24, 2021. Age 25.