Transgender Day of Remembrance
By Raven Usher
Writing about the November 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance has become an annual event for me. Usually, I spend a couple of months ahead of time researching the names and consequences of the year’s fallen. It is one of the reasons why I appear to become saddened as the holiday season approaches. This year I simply did not have the energy or fortitude to do that research.
A fairly large part of me feels like I have failed those victims of violence who had their lives taken from them this year. Although justice may not be forth coming for the crimes of their deaths, I always thought that by honoring their memories, as I have done, in some cosmic way it may have helped bring some peace to their souls. It is the same philosophy that keeps the flame burning at the tomb of the unknown soldier; gone but not forgotten. If the memory of their plight helps us stop similar cruelty in the future then maybe, just maybe, there can be some good and useful purpose to their tragic loss.
I know that sounds hopelessly optimistic, but hopeless optimism seems to be my greatest driving force these days. Besides, maybe a little hopeless optimism is exactly what we need right now. With a self-hating, denial ripe congressional closet queen who publicly goes back on his word every few days and a self-mutilating tranny convict bringing the worst stereotypes of the LGBT community into the national spotlight for Idaho, optimism could end up being a short supplied precious commodity.
As I have said, I did not go through my yearly “dark voyage” for 2007. Usually I trudge through the muck of national news wires, LGBT press lines and the news and message boards of dozens of LGBT organizations. I find names, dates and locations. Then I research the names and search local news from their location. You would be amazed at what can be found if you just spend a couple of days sifting through the electronic garbage. I have even found home addresses and phone numbers of the next of kin.
Of course with an average of 13 - 15 Transgendered people being the victims of violence every year that kind of research is time consuming and exhaustive work. Not to mention the mental and emotional tolls one has to pay to be neck deep in that kind of inhumanity for any length of time. The truth is I avoided that research simply because I do not want to spend another week or two in a psychiatric facility again. As much as I want to serve and honor those fallen dead the price was just too high this year. I pray that they and the gods will forgive my selfishness. But I cannot honor them in life if I join them in death.
I do have some names. But I have little else. I cannot call out the names of their murderers as I have done in the past. I cannot report on the circumstances of their loss. I do not have the details of their lives before tragedy struck. So I humbly offer what little I do have. Blessings and peace be upon their souls.
Nakia Ladelle Baker
Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma to the head.
Keittirat Longnawa
Cause of Death: Beaten by 9 Youths who then slit her throat.
Moira Donaire
Cause of Death: Stabbed 5 times by a street vendor.
Michelle Carrasco “Chela”
Cause of Death: She was found in a pit with her face completely disfigured.
Ruby Rodriguez
Cause of Death: She had been strangled and was found naked in the street.
Erica Keel
Cause of Death: A car repeatedly struck her.
Bret T. Turner
Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds.
Unidentified Male Clad in Female Attire
Cause of Death: Gunshot wounds to the chest and lower back.
Victoria Arellano
Cause of Death: Denied necessary medications to treat HIV-related side effects.
Oscar Mosqueda
Cause of Death: Shot to death.
Blessed Be
