Media Releases

WASHINGTON — In response to recent news that Isabella Mia Lofton and Elie Che were found dead in NYC and the death of KaKedius “Rebel” Ried the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) released the following statement: 
“It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of three young Black trans people,” said David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC). 

Washington — In response to the fact that 3 weeks after Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears was killed while attending a vigil in Portland for homicide victim Tyrell Penny, her murderer remains at large, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) released the following statement: 
“Our sister Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears had her life stolen at the young age of 32 and we should all be outraged and saddened that this continues to happen,” said David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC).

NEW YORK — At the beginning of this month, the Obama era equal access rule was rolled back by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The equal access rule made it so shelters receiving funding from HUD are required to provide housing to transgender people living in shelters on the basis of their gender identity, rather than on the basis of biological sex at birth. With the repeal of this rule, shelters are now permitted to discriminate against members of the trans community on grounds of their own personal religious beliefs. 

NEW YORK — In the past week at least 5 Black trans women were violently murdered. On Tuesday, June 30, Merci Mack, a 22-year-old in Dallas, Texas, was found murdered from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. In Louisiana, Draya McCarty was found killed in Baton Rogue and Shakie Peters was found killed in Amite. Cameron Breon — also known as Bree Black — was also found shot in Pompano Beach, Florida on July 3, at just 27 years old. Social media has also reported that Tatiana Hall was murdered in Philadelphia, but little additional information has been made publicly available. These deaths — all in the last week — bring the number of trans people violently killed this year to 22.