Lexi, 33, was a Black Trans Woman Murdered in Harlem

I don’t have many details about the life of Lexi “Ebony” Sutton. She was 33. She has friends who mourn her. I’m not sure if Ebony was a nickname, a house affiliation, etc. There are far too many details about the horrific murder that took her life in Harlem in the early hours of Saturday […]

Monica Diamond, 34, Black Trans Woman Murdered in North Carolina

Monica Diamond

Monica Diamond was 34-years-old Black trans woman living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Monica was the co-owner and founder of NC Phyne Promotion Company LLC, an event promotion company. She also was the co-CEO of the International Mother of the Year Pageantry System — a pageant that honors LGBTQ mothers. On March 18. Monica became the […]

How a Fishing Boat Sinking in North Carolina Resonates with Pittsburgh. Please read.

Papa's Girl sinks

There are four reasons you should donate to this crowdfund. I grew up in a steelworkers family and understood from early on that it was a dangerous, difficult job. We weren’t allowed to touch my father’s work clothes, not to keep them from being mussed but to keep us from being exposed to the chemicals. […]

Trans Man Dustin Parker, 25, Killed in Oklahoma on New Year’s Day

Dustin Parker trans man Oklahmoa

25-year-old Dustin Parker is believed to be the first transgender or gender non-conforming person to die a violent death in 2020. Dustin was working as a cab driver in McAlester, Oklahoma when he was killed by gunfire early on New Year’s Day. McAlester police are investigating after a man was found fatally shot inside a […]

Suspect charged in murder of 17-year-old Washington State trans teen, Nikki Kuhnhausen

Nikki Kuhnhausen was 17 years old when she disappeared from her hometown of Vancouver, Washington to allegedly meet up with a 25-year-old man she met on Snapchat. That was June 6, 2019. After she was reported missing, David Bogdanov was named a person of interest in her disappearance. Nikki would have turned 18 on July […]

Coroner Reports Death of Black Trans Woman Elisha Stanley was Accidental

Elisha Stanley Cause of Death

Earlier this year, we reported on the September 16 death of 46-year-old Pittsburgh native, Elisha Stanley, who had traveled to her hometown to visit family. Elisha was a Black trans woman and her death was sudden and unexpected so understandably people were very concerned both for the loss of her as an individual and the […]

And I Owe It All To You – Remembering my friend, John Ruffing

Dr. John Ruffing

Dear John, It will be 12 years Saturday since you died. I’m frightened by how quickly the memorials to you are overwhelming the memories with you. I guess that makes sense – we met when I was 15 years old and struggling to figure out all of the things. I was 37 when you died. […]

Black Trans Woman Alicia Simmons Found Dead in Her West Philadephia Home

Alicia Simmons, 37, of West Philadelphia was found dead in her apartment on November 3, 2019. Police are investigating the cause of death and have been careful to state there is no evidence of a suspicious cause.  Philly Gay News reports: Deja Alvarez, trans activist and co-chair of Philadelphia’s LGBT Police Liaison Committee, posted on […]

Black Trans Woman Brianna ‘BB’ Hill, 30, was Murdered in Kansas City this week

Brianna Hill transgender Breonna Hill

Please be sure to read the notes at the bottom of this post regarding updated information on deaths of our neighbors whose identities are unconfirmed or the cause of death is not yet determine to be suspicious. There are some discrepencies in the numbers being reported. I don’t claim to be exactly right, but I […]

Itali Marlowe, 29, of Houston is the 20th Known Transgender Person Killed in 2019

Itali Marlowe

Itali Marlowe was just 29 years old when she was shot to death by Raymond D. Williams on September 20, 2019. It was a little past 2 PM in the afternoon when the Houston woman was found dying in her driveway near the home she shared with Williams. Itali was a Black trans woman. Williams […]