Stacey Monroe, left, and Daniela Calderon-Rivera (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
A rally for Daniela Calderon-Rivera was held on the steps of the Frank Crowley Criminal Courts building on Thursday, Nov. 21, a day after Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Calderon-Rivera was waiting at a bus stop in Northwest Dallas when Domingo Ramirez-Cayente shouted homophobic and transphobic slurs at her before shooting her multiple times. She survived and he was arrested. Bail was set at just $25,000 and he can’t be found.
At the rally, Calderon-Rivera’s friend Stacey Monroe called on the Dallas police chief and Dallas County Sheriff to work with the FBI and Mexican Consulate to find Ramirez-Cavente and bring him to justice. She also asked Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot to assign a fugitive detective to find him.
“We’re calling on government officials to do their jobs,” Monroe said.
Calderon-Rivera also spoke, thanking everyone for coming out to support her.
“I’m not doing well,” she said. “I have moments of pain and anxiety. I fear for my safety.”
She said her fear was because her assailant is free. She said she’s struggling with depression. But her attending the rally was good for her, she said.
“All of you here have motivated me,” she said.
Jaime Morales was another speaker at the rally. He was angry more people from the LGBT community didn’t attend to support someone in the community who was attacked because she’s a member of the community. He said one thing everyone can do is contact the Dallas police chief and Dallas sheriff to ask them to find Daniela’s attacker and bring him to justice.
— David Taffet
