Grief Is No Excuse for Racism

Grief Is No Excuse for Racism

You can condemn Rahmael Holt for his actions. You can condemn the content of his character. But condemning him for being black eliminates your moral high ground. And you know what I mean. You know the things people are saying. Do you push back? Using the murder of a young cop to unleash your racist […]

Ashley Ugolotti, 27, Deserves to Be Remembered For Her Whole Self

I have written so many ‘In Memoriam’ blog posts over the years, that I’ve asked a graphic design friend to create a suitable image I can use in lieu of generic images. Then I burst into tears because that feels so terrible, even though it feels equally necessary. This came to mind last week when […]

Ebony Morgan is 15th Trans Woman of Color Murdered in 2017

Lynchburg, Virginia was the home of 28-year-old Ebony Morgan as well as the location where she died from a gunshot wound on Sunday, July 2. Ebony is the 15th trans woman of color and the 13th Black trans woman to be murdered in the US in 2017. According to the Lynchburg media, police responded to […]

Will There Be Justice for Kala Thomas? #SayHerName

Kala Thomas was 25 years old, raising four children as a single, working black mother in Garfield with the support of her extended family. On May 23, her body was discovered in the hillside behind her home. Her abandoned car was found the next day. Six weeks later, police have not identified any suspects. I […]

Her Name Was Kala Thomas

She was 25 years old and lived in the Garfield neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s East End. Her name was Kala Thomas. She was a mother to two sets of twins, according to WPXI. According to her Facebook page, one set are school aged and the youngest are just three months old. Oh, those sweet babies. Kala […]

RIP Chyna Gibson aka Chyna Doll Dupree, 31, Shot in New Orleans

Devastating news from New Orleans this Mardi Gras weekend as we learn about the murder of Chyna Gibson, known in the ballroom community as Chyna Doll Dupree.  From TransGriot New Orleans Police responded to a call Saturday night around 8:26 PM CST in the 4300 block of Downman Road and found the body of Gibson […]

Sometimes I Flinch

Earlier in the month, I had a little Facebook spat with another woman in a local progressive women’s group. She objected to my framing of the killing of Sean Hake and we went back and forth for a while. I had the impression she was connected to  law enforcement officer and was taking my analysis […]

Two Spirit Lakota Woman Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow Second Reported Trans Murder in 2017

Jamie Lee Wounded Knee

Just days after reporting on the first reported murder of a trans woman in 2017 and the updated last reported murder in 2016, I’m blogging again about another murdered trans woman of color. Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow was 28 years old, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and a resident of Sioux Falls, South […]

TWOC India Monroe Murdered on Dec 21 and We Just Found Out

India monroe trans

Less than 24 hours after learning about the first transgender person reported murdered this year comes word of a trans sister, India Monroe, who was murdered in December, but misgendered. From Mic.com A transgender Virginia resident known to friends as India Monroe was killed on Dec. 21 in Newport News, Virginia, though she was misgendered and […]

Mesha Caldwell of Mississippi is First Reported Trans Woman Killed in 2017

Mesha Caldwell Mississippi

Mesha was 41 years old, worked as a beautician and stylist in her hometown of Canton, Mississippi. According to her Facebook profile, Mesha had been a student at Jackson State University. Her friends describe her as stylish and someone who looked good in anything she wore. Her body was discovered at 3:45 PM along a […]