This article contains sensitive content about transphobic violence and murder.
At least 60 Transgender, non-binary and gender nonconforming individuals were killed in the U.S. in 2021 due to transphobic violence.
Internationally, Transgender Day of Remembrance honors the victims of these hate crimes on Nov. 20.
TDoR originated after the death of Rita Hester, a 34-year-old Black Transgender woman who was murdered in her Allston apartment in 1998. According to the Human Rights Campaign, the candle-lit vigil in 1999 sparked a web movement titled “Remembering our Dead” as well as cities across the nation coming together to honor the victims of anti-Transgender violence.
The Suffolk Interfaith Center honors the Transgender community with an altar where individuals can sit and reflect on the Transgender lives lost every year. Members of the Suffolk community can visit the altar within the Suffolk Interfaith Center and light a candle to pay
respects to the victims.
Jahaira DeAlto Balenciaga, one of the victims listed below, was a resident and Transgender advocate in Dorchester. This violence happens internationally, however this year Boston lost a member of the Transgender community.
These 60 victims are those whose deaths were reported, as transphobic violence often goes unreported or inaccurately reported, according to the Human Rights Campaign. The individual stories of these victims are available through the QR code.
The names of the victims are as follows:
Tyianna Alexander, a 28-year-old Black Transgender woman
Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, a Transgender man
Natasha Keianna, a 37-year-old Black Transgender woman
Bianca “Muffin” Bankz, a Black Transgender woman
Dominique Jackson, a Black Transgender woman
Sandie Crisp, a 61-year-old Latina Transgender woman
Fifty Bandz, a 21-year-old Black Transgender woman
Alexus Braxton, also known as Kimmy Icon Braxton, a 45-year-old Black Transgender woman
Alexander Blake VanDalsen, a 21-year-old Transgender man
Chyna Carrillo, who also went by Chyna Cardenas, a 24-year-old Latinx Transgender woman
Jeffrey “JJ” Bright, a 16-year-old Transgender boy
Jasmine Cannady, a 22-year-old non-binary person
Jenna Franks, a 34-year-old white Transgender woman
Kim Wirtz, a 43-year-old Asian Transgender woman
Diamond Kyree Sanders, a 23-year-old Black Transgender woman
Rayanna Pardo, a 26-year-old Latina Transgender woman
Aidelen Evans, a 24-year-old Black Transgender woman
Krys Brandon Ruiz, a 26-year-old Transgender man
Kim Ramirez, a Transgender woman in her mid-20s
Jaida Peterson, a 29-year-old Black Transgender woman
Brianna Maritza Marquez, a 26-year-old Latina Transgender woman
Dominique Lucious, a 26-year-old Black Transgender woman
Remy Fennell, a Black Transgender woman in her 20s
Tiara Banks, a 24-year-old Black Transgender woman
Natalia Smüt Lopez, a 24-year-old Black and Puerto Rican Transgender woman
Iris Santos, a 22-year-old Latinx Transgender woman
Tiffany Thomas, a 38-year-old Black Transgender woman
Keri “Bobo” Washington, a 49-year-old Black Transgender woman
Jahaira DeAlto Balenciaga, a 42-year-old Transgender woman
T. Hardin, was a 35-year-old Transgender woman
Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, a 41-year-old Indigenous non-binary person
Sophie Vásquez, a 36-year-old Latina Transgender woman
Danika “Danny” Henson, who also went by Pryynce Daniel and Niia Da Don on Facebook, a 31-year-old Black genderfluid Transgender woman
Serenity Hollis, a 24-year-old Black Transgender woman
Nona Moselle Conner, a 32-year-old Transgender woman
Giselle Hartzog, a 30-year-old Transgender woman
Oliver “Ollie” Taylor, a 17-year-old white Transgender boy
Poe Black, who also went by Oliver Jackson and Legion, was a 21-year-old two-spirit person
KC Wilson, a 26-year-old Transgender woman
DeeDee Thomas, a 42-year-old Black Transgender woman
Tierramarie Lewis, a 36-year-old Black Transgender woman
EJ Boykin, a 23-year-old Transgender man who also went by Novaa Ru Watson
Rubi Dominguez, a 29-year-old Latine Transgender woman
Taya Ashton, a 20-year-old Black Transgender woman
Jessica Smith, a 33-year-old Transgender woman
Shai Vanderpump, a 23-year-old Black Transgender woman
CoCo Chanel Wortham, a 44-year-old Transgender woman of color
Pooh Johnson, a 25- year-old Black Transgender woman
Zoella “Zoey” Rose Martinez, a 20-year-old Latina Transgender woman
D’isaya Monaee Smith, a 23-year-old Black Transgender woman
Briana Hamilton was a 26-year-old Black Transgender woman
Kiér Laprí Kartier, a 21-year-old Black Transgender woman
Royal Poetical Starz, a 26-year-old Black Transgender woman
El Cho, a 30-year-old non-binary person
Mel Robert Groves, a 25-year-old Black Transgender man
Keeva Scatter, 34-year-old Transgender woman
Jessi Hart, a white 42-year-old Transgender woman
Jo Acker, a white 26-year-old Transgender woman
Rikkey Outumuro, a.k.a. Tru Starlet, was a 39-year-old Latina Transgender woman
Marquiisha Lawrence, a 28-year-old Black Transgender woman
Say their names and honor their lives.
All gallery images courtesy of todr.translivesmatter.info
