We Honor, We Remember, We Will Never Forget!

We Honor, We Remember,

We Will Never Forget!

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation’s leading civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and same gender loving (LGBTQ/SGL) people, joins communities across the nation and world to recognize International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) . For over a decade, this solemn day has been dedicated to honoring the lives of people of trans experiences, globally, whose lives have been lost due to anti-trans violence. This year alone, there have been 25 deaths reported of individuals who identified as transgender or gender nonconforming—the majority being transgender women of color—and the year is not over.

TDOR was created to honor the life of Rita Hester, a Black woman of trans experience murdered in Boston, MA, on November 28, 1998. Her death inspired the Remembering Our Dead web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like many anti-trans murder cases — has yet to be solved; however, her legacy will never be forgotten. We must continue to demand justice.

On TDOR, advocates and allies must stand together in solidarity to condemn violence based on bias against people of trans experience and work to make the world a more inclusive place where difference is celebrated. As our nation remains piercingly silent on violence that continues to plague the most marginalized members of our community, we must speak truth to power. May we stand together on this day and everyday moving forward to celebrate and affirm the lives of all people of trans experience and people who identify as gender nonconforming.

May we never forget the lives of those lost this year to senseless acts of

anti-transgender hate and violence.

These are the names of reported transgender and gender nonconforming people who have been killed this year, thus far.

India Monroe

Newport News, Virginia

Jojo Striker

Toledo, Ohio

Ciara McElveen

New Orleans, Louisiana

Chay “Juicy” Reed

Miami, Florida

Imer Alvarado

Fresno, California

TeeTee Dangerfield

College Park, Georgia

Anthony “Bubbles” Torres

San Francisco, California

Stephanie Montez

Robstown, Texas

Mesha Caldwell

Canton, Mississippi

Tiara Richmond

Chicago, Illinois

Alphonza Watson

Baltimore, Maryland

Mx. Bostick

New York, New York

Kendra Adams

Ithaca, New York

Gwynevere River Song

Waxahachie, Texas

Derricka Banner

Charlotte, North Carolina,

Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Chyna Gibson

New Orleans, Louisiana

Kenne McFadden

San Antonio, Texas

Sherrell Faulkner

Charlotte, North Carolina

Ebony Morgan

Lynchburg, Virginia

Kiwi Herring

Saint Louis, Missouri

Ally Lee Steinfeld

Licking, Missouri

Candace Towns

Macon, Georgia

NBJC Announces Black

Transgender Advisory Council

In recognition of opportunities to stand with and better support the Black transgender community, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has established a transgender advisory council to strengthen individual and collective efforts to address the unique needs of Black people of trans experience. T he primary goals of NBJC’s Black Transgender Advisory Council are to: 1) advise NBJC on ways to best support the efforts of the Black transgender community; 2) inform the public policy agenda implemented by NBJC by ensuring the inclusion of intersectional issues of racial justice, and gender identity and expression; and 3) help strengthen the Black family and community by creating safe space, and providing resources to encourage and facilitate what can sometimes be challenging conversations required to reduce stigma, eliminate bias and increase inclusion. The members of the Black Transgender Advisory Council are leaders of industry, stalwart advocates and activists who have committed themselves to the work of supporting the Black transgender community. The members of NBJC’s Inaugural Black Transgender Advisory Council are:

Dr. Ayanna Elliott, Chair

Dr. Van Bailey

Londyn De Richeleau

Senior Minister Camarion D. Anderson

Kylar W. Broadus, Esq.

Tiq Milan

Valerie Spencer, MSW

Toni-Michelle Williams

Carter Brown

Grace Dolan-Sandrino

Nala Toussaint

Landmark Transgender Survey

Building upon the groundbreaking 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS)—the largest survey of transgender identity in the nation—NBJC was honored to collaborate with the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) , Black Transmen, Inc. and Black Transwomen, Inc. to produce a detailed report about experiences of Black USTS respondents. The report provides critical insight into the many threats and daily obstacles faced by Black transgender people. While findings from the USTS revealed several crucial challenges to being transgender in the United States, Black respondents reported substantially higher threats, deeper levels of poverty and economic insecurity, negative health outcomes and interactions, and more extreme distress than others surveyed. Many findings are alarming and are cause for immediate public concern.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

We Cannot Remain Silent

By David Johns, NBJC Executive Director

In a moving op-ed in the LA Blade , David Johns, NBJC Executive Director, highlights collective ways communities can support people of trans experience. The piece serves as a call to action for allies of transgender people, especially in the African American community, to equip advocates with strategies that focus on empowering and uplifting our transgender family.

READ THE FULL OP-ED