BLACK LIVES MATTER: Open Letter to Houston Chief of Police Charles McClelland

Today I spoke with KTRK via Skype from New Orleans about the statement that I released regarding the politicization of the tragic murder of Deputy Goforth. When the story was broadcast during the 5pm segment Chief McClelland said some not so surprising things regarding the movement for Black Lives, offensive and out of touch as usual.
Dear Chief McClelland,

I am writing you this letter to inform you that you are out of touch regarding the movement for Black lives. This letter is a line by line response to the misguided and factless language you have decided to use recently. First you said that "Some of the leaders that have in the past stood up very quickly when it came to police misconduct, their voices are silent..." This is simply not true, most of the media coverage on a local level has not taken into account many reactions due to following the narrative of the Harris County DA and Sheriff. Then you went on to agree with a CLEARLY misogynistic, racist & homophobic Sheriff, "Yes...I do agree with the Sheriff, what the Sheriff has to say. And it's important that all lives matter." Are you really in agreement with this?

"Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman said the attack was "clearly unprovoked," and there is no evidence that Goforth knew Miles. Investigators have no information from Miles that would shed light on his motive, Hickman said.

"Our assumption is that he (Goforth) was a target because he wore a uniform," the sheriff said.
Hickman and Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson pushed back against the criticism of police.

"We've heard Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter. Well, cops' lives matter, too," Hickman said Saturday."

Well, now we know that you do agree with the above statement, which for you, a BLACK man is problematic in my eyes. It is sad that many people who look like us share the same same sentiments, until it happens to them. The reason why the phrase "all lives matter" is such a triggering flash point is that it is born out of racism. WE say BLACK LIVES MATTER because we live in a legal system designed for, around and to benefit WHITE PEOPLE. The critical infrastructure that supports all levels of government is inherently RACIST.  You, of all people should know this, but I cannot assume that this is part of your thought process. We will say all lives matter when the systems of institutional and systemic racism, classism, and economic discrimination comes to a full and complete halt. 

Then you went on the cosign the worst misconception of all, BLACK ON BLACK CRIME! you inquired, "Why is there not a tremendous outcry of young minority men killing young minority men?" and asserted that "If young black men were dying from some other epidemic, health reason, there would be an outcry. But they're killing each other with firearms and no one seems to matter. It doesn't seem to matter and no one seems to care." First of all, you should leave the sociological aspects of this particular issue to actual experts. Black on Black crime used as a reference to counter the argument of the movement for Black lives to matter is apples to oranges at best. This vitriol is weak at best, Black on Black crime has NOTHING to do with rampant police brutality and abuse of power when it specifically comes to Blacks. What is more sad is that you claim that it does not matter to us, which is weird. Its weird because I don't ever see you out in the communities that tend to be Black for you to know that we do or don't care about Black on Black crime. The FACT is that you are in charge of a police force of the fourth largest city in the country, and that force needs training that is more extensive than six months. Where is that community policing program? Where is that REAL LGBT, especially Trans outreach? You need to reevaluate your thought process and fast.

Then there is this statement, "it's not all on law enforcement," he suggested. "We've got to be better parents. We've got to be better role models. We've got to be better educators. We've got to offer job opportunities. Job training. We do." This statement literally contradicts the statements that you made leading up to this thought. Being better parents, role models, educators and offering jobs plus training does not exempt nor does it erase one's blackness. In other words, one can have all of that and be subjected to the same issues of police brutality, I am so sure that you remember Robbie Tolan. You must recognize that Black Lives Matter will continue to fight for the rights of the Black community until the system changes. Finally, let me say that this movement does not condone nor does it encourage violence toward anyone. We do not want lives lost and we would never commission what happened to Deputy Goforth.

Thanks (I guess)

Ashton P. Woods

Here is a screenshot of his statements to KTRK in full:

#KATRINA10 - A CELEBRATION OF RECOVERY AND LIFE

The event that was Hurricane Katrina did a number on me and all New Orleanians alike, ten years later we came together to celebrate life and recovery. We remember the 1,100 who were unknown and unidentified that were lost. We recognize that the recovery and rebuild of NOLA could be better but we have come a long way. On Saturday 8/29/15 we joined as one from different parts of the city and had a second line of epic proportions:

\

I hope you enjoyed watching as much a I enjoyed participating! Other videos leading to this event can be found here & here.

Black Lives Matter: Sandra Bland & The Irony of Homophobia

There are many times that I speak of homophobia in the Black community to the anger of many who look like me. The reason why, is because many don't want Blacks to get even more of a bad rap more than is already is thrown at us. They rebut with the response that White people are just as homophobic, but I KNOW THAT already. We should be able to talk about issues within our communities of orientation on a micro level if we are to demand respect from other communities. Many occurrences of anti-LGBT happen very close to home and from people who look like us, it is sad. It is saddening that I came across this video of Sandra Bland, using language and sharing feelings that I fight against on a regular basis:

Let me start by saying that her life still mattered and that I will continue to fight for the justice of those who look like me. However, this video is a strong reminder of how, we in the Black LGBT community are erased when we talk about discrimination and its effects on us. When she said who I am is a choice, it sent shock waves through my body, it HURT. I was never molested, or mistreated as a child, I KNEW who and what I liked very early on in life. The attraction to women was never strong for me and was very faint, so to say who I am is a choice is reflective of homophobia in the Black community. Reflective because it is seen as unnatural for someone to love the same sex or even be Transgender. WE ARE THE FIRST ONES TO MARCH AND SAY THE NAMES OF OUR FALLEN YET WE CAN'T BE BOTH BLACK AND GAY! We say their names, without worrying about how they may perpetuate the same type of hate that killed them.

In a recent blog post #ITLQBM - Blackness & Equality Under Attack I stated: "As a Black man I choose to be part of movements that impact all People of Color for the better and isn't it interesting that regardless of where I stand, I am under attack by the current power structure. In this case the power structure is clergy, government, law enforcement and at its foundation is homophobia, racism, prejudice and bigotry. In a previous post I said "...Honestly, the factors that I have just pointed out are a primer for the real discussion about being a “Black Queer Man.” Take all of those factors and apply which ever resonates to you individually now add to it being out and Gay. We still have to deal with those stigmas that our heterosexual counterparts have to deal with and then some. We are attacked by those who look like us for not cosigning what I described earlier as what it means to be a strong Black man, we are told that because of who we are that we do not exist. IN FACT, we do have the same issues and then we are treated as if we are no longer Black and are still niggers in the eyes of society on a systemic and structural level...There is an overriding theme that we are being attacked from all sides, do you see it?"

Regardless of this revelation, ALL Black Lives still matter and that means that I will still seek justice for Sandra. "We are all humans with major flaws. In this fight against police brutality, we must continue to learn to bind our hearts together. Bland’s words should fuse us more tightly together with the realization that we must stand for victims of police brutality no matter what they believe. That is the nature of love - Rev. Jeff Hood." That does not mean I will not stop fighting Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia! I will call it out when I see it, but the calling for the greater good pulls at me and this is a MAJOR opportunity to educate those who shared Sandy's mindset. Expect to hear me talk about the intersections of being Black and LGBT, and expect me to give ZERO FUCKS IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.

ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER

Katrina 10: Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE?

It was 30 years and some months ago that I was born on November 5, 1984, at a hospital named Charity. That was the day I took my breath as a New Orleanian and would grow into who I am today.

My love affair with my city has never died, considering I have spent most of my adult life in a city that I grew to love just as much called Houston. New Orleans was a place that you can get spiritually, physically and socially fed on a schedule of twenty four - seven with no breaks. Anyway, there were things that I wish I could have changed and some that i would keep until the end of time. All the Carnival seasons, food, festivals and family one could ask for!

Moving on, I felt a shift towards the end of 2004 while I was working at the Monteleone Hotel in French Quarter as a Loss Prevention officer. Lawd working at that hotel was wild in ways I won't go into, I will say that John legend is thick as hell in person..........
Ok so, I am gonna focus on the shift at hand, around and after my twentieth birthday I start to have really bad dreams about my street sign and water. I never paid any attention to the recurring dreams and went through the fall and winter as usual.



But then this winter was different too, the weather was weird and on Christmas day, A DAY WE NORMALLY WEAR SHORTS ON, it snowed!!! I actually played in that snow long enough to make snowballs, mind you we could only get those at a stand in seven plus flavors. By the spring I kept feeling this nagging itch to leave NOLA, like something bad was going to happen. Things were happening to make me want to leave, my friends were leaving, I lost my job and the dreams kept getting worse. By late may the dreams were the same images but this time with floating bodies, I would wake up in tears trying to understand what was happening and if I needed to seek psychiatric help. Anyway, by that point I made the decision to leave my stuff behind and head to Houston and see if I would like it. I would remain a legal resident of New Orleans, left most of my stuff behind and made it to Htown with the clothes on my back.

Got to Houston and hit the ground running, my best friend Stacey opened his home to me and I found a job within days. But, I was itching to move back home so I planned over the two, almost three months to return to my apartment and etc. During that period of time a lot happened including this:

"Hurricane Cindy was a tropical cyclone that briefly reached minimal hurricane strength in the Gulf of Mexico during July in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and made landfall in Louisiana. It was the third named storm and first hurricane of the season. Cindy was originally thought to have been a tropical storm at peak strength, but was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane in the post-storm analysis. Hurricane Cindy initially formed on July 3 just east of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea...The storm strengthened as it moved north becoming a hurricane just before making landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana, on July 5. The storm weakened as it moved overland and became extratropical on July 7. Hurricane Cindy was responsible for 3 deaths in the United States and brought heavy rains  Louisiana, Mississippi,Alabama and Maryland. Cindy also caused flooding and a severe blackout in New Orleans, Louisiana" - Wikipedia

Of course time went on and I and a group of friends from NOLA were going to head home on a very interesting weekend. I was going back home permanently, it was my Mother's birthday weekend and to boot it was Southern Decadence (google it). The friday we were going to leave, we had a delay, a storm in the Gulf by the name of Katrina. Saturday comes and we still don't leave because of forecasts that look very ominous. Then this happened as I watched from Houston, a MANDATORY evacuation for New Orleans, which HAD NEVER happened before.

THEN THIS HAPPENED

 

Ten years later New Orleans has recovered considerably and is still rebuilding, so am I and so are all other New Orleanians. For more in depth coverage WWL - TV is doing a ten day special and you can check it out HERE.

Here are some events to check out if you are in NOLA for the Katrina 10 year anniversary:

CITYWIDE DAY OF SERVICE

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Mayor Landrieu and the City of New Orleans, with support from Walmart, will host one of the most comprehensive and unique service projects in the country. The Citywide Day of Service will engage thousands of volunteers and focus service on seven specific regions of the City. Volunteers will support over 100 individual projects. This event is open to volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and levels of experience.  Learn More

Location: Various Locations throughout the City of New Orleans

Time: 7:30am – 2:00pm

KATRINA MEMORIAL WREATH LAYING CEREMONY

Saturday, August 29, 2015

An early prayer service Katrina Memorial on Canal Street where the unidentified and unclaimed bodies from Hurricane Katrina are laid to rest. 

Location: Hurricane Katrina Memorial – 5056 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70124

Time: 8:29am

---

LOWER 9TH WARD WREATH LAYING & RESILIENCE FESTIVAL

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Annual music and arts festival in the Lower 9th Ward commemorating Hurricane Katrina.

Location: Andrew P. Sanchez & Copelin-Byrd Multi-Service Center – 1616 Caffin Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Time: 11:00am – 7:30pm

For more information visit http://l9rfest.org

  

Katrina 10 Commemorative Parade Louis Armstrong Park, 701 N. Rampart St., and Booker T. Washington High School, 1201 S. Roman St. The Foundation for Louisiana co-hosts a second-line parade commemorating the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, culminating in a block party at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center (1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.). The parade, on Aug. 29 at 5:15 p.m., will have two starting points. The downtown line will form at Louis Armstrong Park, at the corner of Basin and St. Peter streets. Participants include The Yellow Pocahontas Mardi Gras Indian Tribe, Black Feather Mardi Gras Indian Tribe, Big 7 Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Sudan Social Aid & Pleasure Club, The Treme Side Walk Steppers, The Free Agents Brass Band, The Hot 8 Brass Band and the To Be Continued Brass Band. The Uptown line will form at Booker T. Washington High School (1201 S. Roman St.). Participants include the Young Men Olympia Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Distinguished Achievable Men Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Women of Class Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians, Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indian Tribe, The Sons of Jazz Brass Band, and The Young Pinstripe Brass Band. There will be beverage stations along the routes. The two lines will meet at Charity Hospital (1532 Tulane Ave., about 6:15 p.m.) and march to the Smoothie King Center, where participants in the K10 Commemoration: Power of Community event will be invited to join the second-line. Then, the parade will proceed to Ashe (arriving about 7 p.m.), where the block party will feature music by Brass-a-Holics and food from a variety of local food trucks. The block party is expected to end about 8 p.m. Transportation will be available from the block party back to Smoothie King Center. Admission: Free.

SOURCES: NOLA.COM & KATRINA10

Black Lives Matter: Discrimination in Housing

UPDATE

TO MAKE A DONATION TO ERIC FOR HIS MOVING EXPENSES PLEASE GO TO HIS GOFUNDME ACCOUNT: http://www.gofundme.com/ss2bw7nk

KTRK/ABC13 picked up the story and here is the story:

By Tracy Clemons

"HOUSTON (KTRK) --A Southwest Houston man says he's been kicked out of his apartment because his landlord is no longer accepting the government vouchers he uses to pay rent.

He's one of more than 17,000 people in Houston who depends on the vouchers. And another 60,000 are on the waiting list.

Until last week, Eric lived at Victoria Place Apartments near Fondren and Westheimer. He says when the complex changed owners last year; he found out months later that they'd no longer accept his low-income housing voucher. He had less than two months to find a new place that met his needs.

"I want to be able to get to the doctor, get to church, get to a grocery store, do basic things that people take for granted," he says. "And I'd like to be able to do it on a bus line because I don't drive right now."

That proved to be a difficult task.

"I'm thinking about the waiting lists that are three and four months backed up, the few places that are accepting them now because their management has changed," he explains.

"If you look at the construction that's going on in front of the complex where he lived, there's a new complex going up. There's a new economy being shaped and he's not conducive to that. He's not a part of that plan," says friend and community activist Ashton P. Woods.

Woods tells Eyewitness News there are a whole lot of people in Eric's situation being forced out of the neighborhoods they love.

"In other words, you get priced out and pushed to the outskirts."

"Oftentimes it's not the landlords' decision to accept or not to accept that's the limiting factor," explains Houston Housing Authority President/CEO Tory Gunsolley. "It's what are they able to charge for rent."

Gunsolley says that figure is steadily rising, and his hands are tied.

"If they're able to charge for rent is $1,500 a month and I'm only offering $1,000 a month, no reasonable landlord is gonna take it on the chin to do that."

We're told about 5,400 landlords accept the vouchers in the city. The Housing Authority is working to get that number up in more desirable neighborhoods so people in Eric's situation can have more options."

TO MAKE A DONATION TO ERIC FOR HIS MOVING EXPENSES PLEASE GO TO HIS GOFUNDME ACCOUNT: http://www.gofundme.com/ss2bw7nk

A message from Eric:

"Hi guys! I'm taking a moment to set aside my pride and ask for a little bit of help with something that I can't do on my own. I'm transitioning from one house to another house and the expenses of moving & the deposit are more than my means will allow me to take care of on my own. Simply put, I'm asking for any help that you can give--great or small. I'm looking to raise $1,500 which will cover the cost of moving along with the $1000 deposit I will need for my next place and fees that are associated with this GoFundMe campaign. I'm currenfly staying with my parents in New Orleans until I'm able to secure a place in Houston with my housing voucher. I thank you in advance for your well wishes & donations big and small; I know it all comes from a good place and I appreciate that."

TO MAKE A DONATION TO ERIC FOR HIS MOVING EXPENSES PLEASE GO TO HIS GOFUNDME ACCOUNT: http://www.gofundme.com/ss2bw7nk

Previously I made the assertion a recent blog post #ITLQBM - Blackness & Equality Under Attack that "Black Lives truly do matter and intersectionally speaking, this is the time to rise up, not just for the protections from discrimination and for law enforcement to do right by us. The time is now to rise up and recognize that we are being pushed out of affordable housing while being moved to the outskirts of the city..." When I said that. I was thinking about people that I know and don't know who live right here in Houston and are part of the Housing Voucher program (formerly Section 8). Starting with the long waiting lists to even be considered for a housing voucher that people have been on at some points, for YEARS and ending with those who actually are lucky enough to get a voucher have sixty days to redeem it on housing.

Here is the deal, in that sixty days you have to find housing that accepts the voucher, the housing has to meet criteria and pass inspection before you can get in. THIS is where the issue starts: The City of Houston website gives info on how to find listings that are specific to the program.

 

These are the resources listed in the above graphic:

SocialServe: 877-428-8844,  www.socialserve.com

Housing Resource Navigator: 713-696-1998 or 877-428-8844. 

hchatexas.org 

housingforhouston.com

The issue is that these resources are not accurate or up to date at any given moment! I can't truly one hundred percent fault these resources, many of the properties are suddenly, no longer taking vouchers. They are renovating and pricing people of low income status out, the trend is part of the rampant gentrification of historically minority neighborhoods. I took to Facebook and voiced my frustration: "So my last few days and still going now, have been spent helping a friend move. He is being forced out of his apartment because he is using a low income housing voucher. Many apartment complexes are no longer taking vouchers and many Houstonians are at the same peril. Here is the kicker, when you get the voucher is gives you 60 days to find housing. That is a scary thought that the housing isnt available and no one in a position of power is addressing it. I am noticing the movement of people to near hwy 6 and Westheimer, further away from the center of the city. This AINT right."

The housing options that remain central within the city are bogged down with wait lists, and leasing agents acting as gatekeepers who tell prospective renters purposefully incorrect information. If the person even sounds Black, the information changes and is the type of info that deters one from even attempting to view the property. These properties need to be investigated, ESPECIALLY when they are federal tax credit properties. Whatever the case, My friend Eric still needs help and has found potential housing, he needs deposit assistance ASAP. Because of this, we have set up a GoFundMe account to raise $1,500.00 for moving and deposit assistance. This is the type of issue that we need to address and can be fixed with little to no fight.

ITLQBM: Ashton Debates Kubosh on Isiah Factor UNCENSORED

Intersectionality Through the Lens of a Queer Black Man

***UPDATE***

Here are some things to note about Kubosh:
1. He refused to look at me
2. He refused to answer my points and questions
3. I spoke from multiple angles a out the 15 classes that #HERO protects
4. Messaging in favor of HERO has been white wash (intentional or unintentional) so far, and I gave it some color, race & ethnicity... will #HoustonUnites and #HouEquality use this gold mine.
5. Kobush got his ass handed to him so badly that I suspect that the segment was cut short.. #SHADE 2 me for being unapologetically Black and checking him on his privilege amongst other issues that could be noted..

SUPPORT THE HOUSTON EQUAL RIGHTS ORDINANCE IN NOV!

I recorded it HERE..

For a better clip: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/clip/11785271/the-isiah-factor-uncensored-michael-kubosh-and-ashton-woods

Today I will be on Fox 26 news at 9:30pm to discuss the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance with Isiah Carey during his "Isiah Factor Uncensored" segment. I will be accompanied in this discussion by HERO opponent and Houston City Council Member Michael Kubosh. You all know where I stand on this ordinance and how much I will do as an Independent Activist to protect rights for ALL Houstonians.

Here is some background on where Kubosh stands on HERO:

These are live tweets from Kris Banks as he attended an event with church full of haters who met just to talk bad about the LGBT, especially Trans community. The topic on the menu was HERO and Kubosh outright admits his being against the ordinance, which literally came right after he met with many members of the LGBT community! The audio from the meeting with the LGBT community can be found HERE.

Here is more from Texas Leftist:

"When one visits the website for Grace Community Church, a mega-church in Southeast Houston, it’s easy to form an initial impression that it is a community which is welcoming and loving to all. They proudly proclaim the slogan “Everybody needs a little grace!”

But those impressions couldn’t be further from the truth, as there is lots of ugliness going on within the walls of this congregation. Local political activist Kris Banks decided to attend a rally at Grace for those against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, and what he found there was pretty awful. Banks says many in the crowd openly laughed when transgender people were mentioned, and some even called the community an “abomination”.

Even after his 2 hour town hall with members of the LGBT community and supposed friendship with Jenifer Rene Pool, Council Member Michael Kubosh was at this rally clapping right along to the hate speech against the transgender community. Kubosh even says to the crowd that “God put him on Council to fight this ordinance.”

Well clearly after statements like the one above, there’s no further mystery about how Kubosh plans to vote. On a personal note, I never voted for Kubosh or supported his campaign, but was willing to attend the town hall and hope that he would be open-minded on these issues. I was dead wrong."

Kubosh gave an interview to Breitbart Texas:

"The ordinance has been given the name H.E.R.O. (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance) but under the nice sounding name are issues like criminal penalties for employers and safety issues for women and children in bathrooms, public showers and dressing rooms. “This ordinance has kind of morphed,” Kubosh said. “It turned from what was initially called a human rights ordinance, to a civil rights ordinance, and now they’ve called it an equal rights ordinance.”

“The concerns of the business community is that they want to criminalize people who discriminate against this class of people,” Kubosh explained. The ordinance, attached below, defines protected characteristics “as an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, military status, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or pregnancy.”

Kubosh expounded on the business communities objections stating, “They’ve added these other classes, of sexual identity and gender expression, and these things have confused the issue. The business community doesn’t want to be perceived as being in any way discriminating. But they [the backers of the ordinance] want to criminalize anyone who denies them service or feels like they may be discriminated [against] by any business.”  The ordinance will apply to employers of fifty or more employees.

In the following interview, Kubosh goes through a detailed explanation of the ordinance and why both individuals and businesses should be concerned about the direction Mayor Parker is taking the city with this ordinance."

If you need more on this hater, google him and who supports him and his views that clearly are only for SOME Houstonians and not ALL.

Black Lives Matter: Black Trans Lives NEED to Matter

INTERSECTIONAL JUSTICE RALLY: ‪#‎BlackTransLivesMatter‬

I am pleased to announce a rally (THIS IS NOT A PROTEST & THERE WILL BE NO MARCH) to honor the Trans community, because our Trans brothers and sisters are continually left out, ignored and experience issues that range from murder to homelessness. Now is the time that we create a safe space!

We will meet at the new Lake Picnic area which is located between Miller Outdoor Theatre and Lake Plaza.

RSVP HERE: https://www.facebook.com/events/911722345569351/

It saddens me to report that in the last 8 months we have lost over 10 of our Black Transgender sisters. While They may not have died at the hands of a racist law enforcement officer, they have died due to circumstances just as insidious. Transphobia in the Black community is out of control, it may be invisible and hard to identify at points but it is there. Just look at the fight for Houston's equal rights ordinance that has come under fire due to its Trans inclusive language. In a previous post called "Why we Must Support our Trans Brothers & Sisters" I said that "Life has a way of putting people in your presence in order for you to truly understand the nature of being human and what comes with it. I guess, I never tried to understand what it meant to be Trans-Masculine  or Trans-Feminine, only that people are people, PERIOD. I saw how Trans folks were and are abused physically and verbally via institutional & general means. I will not go into all of that, what I will go into is how we are currently treating people who have the same struggles as us. When I say struggles, I mean living while Black and dealing with all that comes with being Black, while being told that we don't exist by Black folks! When will we stop being so Trans-phobic and disrespectful to our Brothers and sisters? It is extremely odd that members of the SGL-BT/LGBT community of color are some of the most Trans-phobic, this is extremely problematic."

While I understand that not all of the Trans lives lost were Black, the majority were and every year it is the same thing. Why?! I hurt talking about this issue, but as a Cis-gender man It is my duty to speak about the lack of recognition and erasure of the "T" in LGBT. We need to be more active and inclusive by teaching our communities that the Trans community deserves respect and that our brothers and sisters are humans with feelings and bleed just like we do.

I would like to take the time to honor the memory of our fallen sisters #SayHerName**
**Not all of our sisters are listed here, but this is way too much**

Papi Edwards

*I could not find a picture that was respectful and I refuse to post that damn mugshot...

Lamia Beard

Ty Underwood

Yazmin Vash Payne

Taja de Jesus

Penny Proud

Kristina Grant Infiniti

London Chanel


Mercedes Williamson

India Clarke

Amber Monroe

Shade Schuler

Ashton O'Hara