Transgender Day of Remembrance, 2008

Today is the 10th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Events have been held all over the world to commemorate the lives of those transgender individuals who have been murdered as a result of transphobic hatred.

Duanna Johnson — a transgender woman who was beaten by Memphis police while handcuffed and in custody. She was sprayed with mace, hit with a closed fist by an officer who wore handcuffs around his knuckles, ignored by medical staff, and called abhorrent transphobic names. Her attack was caught on tape, and Duanna dared to speak out against the violence and injustice that was committed against her. And two officers were rightfully fired, but wrongfully apparently not prosecuted.

Now, Duanna is dead. She was shot, and her body was found lying in the street. Just left there. She was 42 years old.

Again this year there are far too many people on this list. In a time when we are hopeful about getting our diversity act together in this country, we are reminded once again of the fear and hatred in this world. These crimes are particulary disturbing to me. But we can't shorten this list if we don't raise awareness that it happens.
Their names and faces are here in remembrance.

Kellie Telesford, 18
Location: Thornton Heath, UK
Cause of Death: Strangled
Date of Death: November 21, 2007

Brian McGlothin, 25
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Cause of Death: Shot in the head with an automatic rifle
by Antonio Williams who is serving a six year sentence.
Date of Death: December 23, 2007

Gabriela Alejandra Albornoz
Location: Santiago, Chile
Cause of Death: Attacked and stabbed
Date of Death: December 28, 2007

Patrick Murphy, 39
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Cause of Death: Shot Several times in the head
Date of Death: January 8, 2008

Stacy Brown, 30
Location: Baltimore, MD
Cause of Death: Shot in the head
Date of Death: January 8, 2008

Adolphus Simmons
Location: Charleston, SC
Cause of Death: Shot to Death (Aldophus was 18 yrs. old)
Date of Death: January 21, 200

Simmie Williams Jr., 17
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Cause of Death: Shot to death
Date of Death: February 22, 2008


Ashley Sweeney
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Cause of Death: Shot in the head
Date of Death: February 4, 2008
The age of Ashley Sweeney is unknown, she was only described
as a young transgender woman.

Sanesha (Talib) Stewart, 25
Location: Bronx, NY
Cause of Death: Stabbed to Death
Date of Death: February 10, 2008

Luna (no last name reported)
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Cause of Death: Brutally beaten to death
and tossed into a dumpster.
Date of Death: March 15, 2008

Lloyd Nixon,45
Location: West Palm Beach, Florida
Cause of Death:Repeatedly beat in the head with a brick.
Date of Death: April 16, 2008

Felicia Melton-Smyth
Location: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Cause of Death: brutally stabbed to death by Francisco Javier Hollos,
who said he killed her because she would not pay for sex.
Felicia was an HIV activist on vacation from Wisconsin.
Date of Death: May 26, 2008

Silvana Berisha
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Cause of Death: Stabbed to Death
Date of Death: June 24, 2008

Ebony (Rodney) Whitaker, 20
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Cause of Death:Shot
Date of Death:July 1, 2008


Rosa Pazos
Location: Sevilla, Spain
Cause of Death: Was found in her apartment,
she had been stabbed in the throat.
Date of Death: July 11, 2008

Juan Carlos Aucalle Coronel, 35
Location: Lombardi, Italy
Cause of Death severely beaten causing fractures
to the head and face before being run over by a car.
Date of Death July 14, 2008


Angie Zapata,18
Location: Greeley, Colorado
Cause of Death: She was found in her home with two
severe fractures in her skull.
Angie was murdered by 31 year old, Alan Ray Andrade.
Date of Death: July 17, 2008

Jaylynn L. Namauu, 35
Location: Makiki Honolulu, Hawaii
Cause of Death: Stabbed to Death
Date of Death: July 17, 2008

Samantha Rangel Brandau, 30
Location: Milan, Italy
Cause of Death: beaten, gang raped and stabbed numerous
times before being left for dead.
Date of Death: July 29, 2008

Nakhia (Nikki) Williams, 29
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Cause of Death: Found near the dumpster next to her home,
she had been shot.
Date of Death: August 20, 2008

Ruby Molina, 22
Location: Sacramento, CaliforniaCause of Death: Drowned
Date of Death: September 21, 2008
Ruby’s naked body was found floating in the American river.

Aimee Wilcoxson, 34
Location: Aurora, Colorado
Cause of Death: undetermined (Police have yet to reveal cause)
Date of Death: November 3, 2008
Aimee was found dead in her bed.

Dilek Ince
Location: Ankara, Turkey
Cause of Death:Shot in the back of the head
Date of Death: November 11, 2008

Teish (Moses) Cannon, 22
Location: Syracuse, New York
Cause of Death: Shot
Date of Death: November 14, 2008

Ali
Location:Iraq
Cause of Death:executed for being transgender
Date of Death:2008, Month is Unknown