Family and friends of Merci Mack gathered Saturday, July 4 outside the Reverchon Community Center for a vigil in memory of the Dallas trans woman, who shot to death in the parking lot of a South Dallas apartment complex on June 30.

Mack’s family was joined by community members at the vigil, which was organized with the support of the Nu Transgender Movement as well as the North Texas chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

More than 100 people came to pay their respects and show support for the Mack family. 

Nu Trans Movement CEO Shannon A. Walker began the vigil by performing a song that listed the names of 19 trans people killed in the first six months of of this year, ending with Mack’s name.

Mack was the fourth Black trans woman killed during Pride month, and the 19th trans person to die violently this year. Three more names have been added to the list since the vigil, bringing the 2020 death toll to 22. (See here for a complete list.)

Following Walker’s song, the focus shifted to powerful speeches by community members and members of the Mack family, including Merci’s mother and sisters. Several spoke out against misogyny, homophobia and transphobia in the Black community and the dire need to put an end to the violence perpetrated against women in general and trans women specifically.

Merci’s mother Michelle, after taking a few moments to compose herself while surrounded by her family, addressed the crowd in disbelief. “I still can’t believe this happened. … I haven’t seen a body yet.” 

Numerous studies have shown that Black trans women face devastating amounts of discrimination, a fact Walker , the Dallas trans woman shot to death in the parking lot of a South Dallas apartment complex on June 30, in a conversation with Dallas Voice.

“We wanted to bring awareness to the community in regards to the problem of Black men killing Black trans women during the Black Lives Matter movement,” Walker said, “because the Bblack community has such a long history of homophobia and transphobia.

“We need to be inclusive and learn to coexist and preach love in the household.”

To that end, the Nu Trans Movement runs a Peer Navigation program helping local trans youth move through their transition, from name change and gender marker change to helping direct them to HRT and compassionate care.

“We are here,” Walker pledged. “We aren’t going anywhere.”

— Steven Monacelli