Three Additional Trans and Gender Nonconforming Murders Come to Light Just Before TDOR

A horrifying discovery this night before Trans Day of Remembrance – reports of the violent deaths of three more gender non-conforming and trans neighbors came to light. Thank you to The Advocate for excellent reporting on heartbreaking and tragic stories. Photo of Yunieski Carey Herrera via The Advocate Miami transgender performer and activist Yunieski Carey […]

Facemask Q&A with Dre Cortes and Lex Londino of Bows for Beaux Co.

Queer Masks

No matter where you procure your masks, please wear them properly and stay safe! One important part of the Pittsburgh MasQUe ProjecT is highlighting safe and affirming places for trans and queer folx to purchase masks. In addition to this Q&A series, we maintain a list on the project homepage. This Q&A was crafted to […]

87 Trans Stories From Western Pennsylvania Honor Trans Awareness Week 2020

Transgender Awareness Week

The week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, we have Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues the community faces. Since 2015, the #AMPLIFY project has curated first person Q&A’s with members of the region’s LGBTQ community. The archive is meant to be a permanent resource to understand […]

34 Reasons to Vote on Tuesday

This year, an unprecedented 34 transgender and non-binary neighbors have lost their lives to transphobic violence.As I completed my ballot earlier this month, I whispered their names. When I write a new memorial post, I carefully read the list and say their names exhorting them to wrap their arms around the most recently lost neighbor.Joe […]

Angel Haynes, 25, is Most Recent Black Trans Woman Shot to Death

Angel Haynes was a 25-year-old cosmetologist from Jackson, Tennessee. On Sunday, October 25, she became the latest Black trans woman lost to gun violence. Angel was traveling to Memphis and stopped at a motel along the way. At 2:19 AM, police responded to reports of gunfire and found Angel’s body in her room with at […]

UPDATED: Trans Woman Sara Blackwood Killed in Indianapolis on National Coming Out Day 2020

  An Indianapolis trans woman named Sara Blackwood is the latest victim of gun violence in the United States. She was shot to death walking home from work on National Coming Out Day, October 11 around 10 PM. From Fox 59 in Indianapolis According to police, the shooting occurred in the 2500 block of E. […]

Black Trans Woman Brooklyn DeShauna Smith, 20, Killed in Shreveport, Louisiana

Brooklyn DeShauna Smith

  It has happened again. On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, the body of Brooklyn DeShauna Smith was discovered at 2:15 in the afternoon in a Shreveport, Louisiana apartment complex. Cause of death was gun shot. Brooklyn was a 20-year-old Black trans woman. Brooklyn was born and raised in Shreveport. She studied cosmetology at Bossier Parish […]

Black Trans Woman Felycya Harris Found Murdered in Georgia

Just days after last reporting on the murder of a trans woman in Puerto Rico comes word from Augusta, Georgia of the murder of a 33-year-old Black trans woman, Felycya Harris. Her body was discovered at 1:30 in the afternoon near Meadowlark Drive on Saturday, October 3 with evidence of at least one gunshot wound. […]

24-Year-Old Black Trans Woman Kee Sam Murdered in Louisiana in August

Kia Sam Transgender Woman

In August, a Black trans woman known as Kee Sam was murdered. She was 24 years old according to sources on Facebook. She was a native of Lafayette, Louisiana where she was killed, but had recently relocated to Baton Rouge. Her death is the 30th we’ve reported on this year, far outpacing previous years. According […]

Trans Woman Michelle Ramos Vargas Found Shot to Death in Puerto Rico

Michelle Ramos Vargas

Puerto Rican authorities announced that a transgender woman was fatally shot on Wednesday, September 30. Her name was Michelle “Michellyn” Ramos Vargas.  She was 33 years old and a nursing student. From The Washington Blade The Associated Press reported the body of Michelle “Michellyn” Ramos Vargas, 33, was found along a highway in San Germán, a municipality […]