Both Anthony and Chikesia’s cases coincide with a flurry of very public racial incidents highlighting threats to Black bodies in public spaces, including at Starbucks and Yale University. Most recently , Deja Smith, a Black transgender woman and celebrity makeup artist, was denied service at a Texas Chicken and Burgers restaurant in Harlem, New York—a community that, despite aggressive gentrification, remains Black in occupants and culture. The discrimination against Deja was captured on video as non-Black and presumably non-queer patrons were served without incident or question, while Deja and her colleagues are told the items they requested are unavailable. These incidents are beyond troubling and require a national discourse rooted in impactful policy changes. Most importantly, a sense of reconciliation and healing for all communities are needed—no matter their background or status in society.
