Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has declared today — Tuesday, May 18, 2021 — as Dallas Black Transgender Day of Awareness and Visibility. The proclamation comes in the wake of continuing violence against the transgender community — especially Black trans women — across the country and here in Dallas, including the April 24 murder of Tiffany Thomas, 38, in Dallas. Police have said they have no suspect in her death at this time.

Tiffany is one of at least 25 transgender/non-binary/gender-non-confirming people who have died violently so far in 2021, according to a list published by the Human Rights Campaign. Other such lists put the number higher.

The proclamation signed by Mayor Johnson reads:

“Whereas, the Black Transgender Day of Awareness and Visibility will help raise the visibility of Black transgender people in the City of Dallas and address issues that members of the community face; and
“Whereas During Dallas Black Transgender Day of Awareness and Visibility, transgender people and their allies will educate the public about who transgender people are, share experiences and stories, and advance advocacy around the issues of discrimination, prejudice, and violence that affect transgender people; and
“Whereas the City of Dallas recognizes the significant contributions made by Black transgender women whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence, including the Black trans women murdered in Dallas; and
“Whereas, May 18 was chosen as Dallas Black Transgender Day of Awareness and Visibility in order to honor and celebrate all the trans people whose lives were tragically ended; their lives will never be forgotten.
“Now, therefore, I, Eric Johnson, Mayor of the City of Dallas, hereby proclaim May 18, 2o21 as
“Dallas Black Transgender Day of Awareness and Visibility
“In Dallas, Texas.”

Johnson issued the first such proclamation a year ago on May 18, 2020, on the first anniversary of the murder of Muhlaysia Booker, a Black trans women whose murder — coming nearly a month after video of her being assaulted and beaten in an apartment complex parking lot as a crowd of onlookers laughed and jeered — made headlines worldwide.

SAY THEIR NAMES

Following is a list of gender/non-binary/gender non-confirming people who have died violently since Jan. 21, compiled from lists found at PGH Lesbian Correspondents and HRC:

• Tyianna Davarea Alexandra, 28, shot to death Jan. 6 in Chicago.

• Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, 21, shot to death Jan. 9 in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico (at least the 7th trans person murdered in Puerto Rico in less than a year).

• Bianca ‘Muffin’ Bankz, 31, shot to death Jan. 21 in an apparent murder/suicide in Atlanta, Ga. The body of her suspected killer was found in her apartment, too.

• Dominique Jackson, 30, shot to death Jan. 25 in Jackson, Miss.

• Fifty Bandzzz, shot to death Jan. 28 in Baton Rouge by her former boyfriend, Michael Joshua Brooks.

• Alexus “Kimmy” Braxton, 45, found murdered in her apartment in Miami on Feb. 4.

• Chynaa Carrillo, 24, beaten to death Feb. 18 at a house in New Wilmington, Penn. Her killer, Juan Carter Hernandez, who had spent time in prison for murdering his wife in July 2011, was killed at the scene by police.

• Trans teen Jeffrey “JJ” Bright, 16, shot to death, along with his non-binary sibling Jasmine Cannady, on Feb. 22 in Ambridge, Penn., by their mother, Krisinda Ann Bright.

• Jasmine Cannady, 22, shot to death, along with their trans bother JJ Bright, on Feb. 22 in Ambridge, Penn., by their mother, Krisinda Ann Bright.

• Jenna Franks, 34, found dead Feb. 24 in Jacksonville, N.C. Police have classified her death as a homicide but have continued to dead-name her.

• Diamond Nicole ‘Kyree’ Sanders, 23, was shot to death during a robbery March 3 in Cincinnati.

• Rayanna Pardo, 26, was struck by a car and killed as she ran from a group of individuals who had been harassing and threatening her March 17 in Los Angeles. Her death was initially labeled as undetermined but has since been changed to homicide.

• Aidelen Evans, 24, was found dead in a canal in Port Arthur, Texas, on March 18. Her cause of death was initially listed as undetermined but has since been changed to homicide.

• Jaida Peterson, 29, was found shot to death April 4 in a hotel room in Charlotte, N.C. Dontarius Long and Joel Brewer have been arrested and charged in connection with her death and the death 11 days later of Remy Fennell.

• Dominique Lucious, 26, was shot to death April 8 in Springfield, Mo. Charles Nelson, 28, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with her death.

• Remy Fennell, 28, was found shot to death April 15 in Charlotte, N.C. Dontarius Long and Joel Brewer have been arrested and charged in connection with her death and the death 11 days earlier of Jaida Peterson.

• Tiara Banks, 26, was shot to death April 21 while sitting alone in her car in Chicago.

• Natalia Smüt Lopez, 24, was stabbed to death April 23 in an apartment in San Jose, Calif. Elijah Cruz Segura, 22, whom she had been dating, has been arrested and charged in connection with her murder.

• Tiffany Thomas, 38, was found shot to death April 21 at a car wash in Dallas.

• Iris Santos, 22, was shot to death April 23 while sitting at a picnic table outside a fast-food restaurant on Westheimer in Houston.

• Keri Washington, 49, of Clearwater, Fla., was beaten to death and her body left behind an apartment building there. Her partner, 49-year-old Arthur Benjamin Jr., aka Hadeeka Shabazz, has been arrested and has confessed to the murder.

• Jahaira DeAlto, 42, was stabbed to death in her home in Boston on May 2. Police said DeAlto was hosting Marcus Chavis and his family when Chavis attacked and killed her and his wife, Fatima Yasin. DeAlto was known as an activist for trans rights and a member of the house of Balenciaga. She worked at a support center for victims of domestic violence.

• Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, 41, a non-binary indigenous person, was shot during an attempted robbery at a home in York, Penn., on May 3. They died the following day. One man, 19-year-old Oscar Cook, has been charged with burglary, robbery and conspiracy to commit burglary and robbery. There are two other known suspects in the case.

• Sophie Arrieta Vasquez, was shot to death May 4, in her apartment in Brookhaven, Ga. Police dead-named her in their reports. Police say they have identified a person of interest but no arrests have been made.

• Danika “Danny” Henson, aka Pryynce Daniel and Niia Da Don, a 31-year-old Black transgender woman, was shot and killed in Baltimore, Md., on May 4.

• Serenity Hollis, a 24-year-old Black transgender woman, was shot and killed in Albany, Ga., on May 8.

— Tammye Nash