NCAVP mourns the homicide of Crystal Edmonds, a transgender woman of color killed in Baltimore, Maryland

The 20th reported killing of a transgender/gender non-conforming person NCAVP has responded to in 2016

September 19, 2016 - The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has learned of the homicide of Crystal Edmonds, a Black transgender woman, in Baltimore, Maryland. According to local media reports, Crystal was shot to death on Fairview Avenue in Northwest, Baltimore on Friday, September 16, 2016.

"Casa Ruby and Girls United denounce the continuous trend of murders of trans women of color, and we are committed to fighting together to dismantle the system that places our community in vulnerable situations and fuels ignorance, intolerance, and violence against our community," said Ruby Corado, the Executive Director of Casa Ruby in Washington DC.

Casa Ruby and Girls United will be holding a vigil today to mourn the loss of Crystal Edmonds and other transgender women of color we have lost in 2016. The vigil will be held at 737 West Lombard Street in Baltimore, MD, 2nd floor at 5pm today.

"This is the second homicide of a transgender woman of color that NCAVP has responded to this week, and the twentieth we have responded to this year," said Emily Waters, Senior Manager of National Research and Policy at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. "We know that these homicides are directly related to high rates of unemployment, housing insecurity, and a lack of resources that would increase safety for transgender women. Yet very little is being done to address the broader structural inequalities. It's on all of us to address transphobia and racism and end the violence that transgender and gender conforming people experience daily."

NCAVP's most recent hate violence report, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Hate Violence in 2015, recorded 24 reported hate violence homicides of LGBTQ people, a 20% increase from the 20 reported anti-LGBTQ homicides in 2014. Of the 24 reported homicides, 62% of the victims were people of color. Sixteen (67%) of the 24 reported homicide victims were transgender and gender non-conforming. Of the total number of homicides, thirteen (54%) of the victims were transgender women of color.

This is the twentieth* reported killing of a transgender or gender non-conforming person that NCAVP has responded to this year.

Along with Crystal Edmonds, we have lost T.T. Saffore, a Black transgender woman (Chicago, IL), Rae'Lynn Thomas, a Black transgender woman (Columbus, OH), Erykah Tijerina, a Latinx transgender woman (El Paso, TX), Skye Mockabee, a Black transgender woman (Cleveland, OH), Dee Whigham, a Black transgender woman (St. Martin. Mississippi), Deeniquia Dodds, a Black transgender woman (Washington, DC), Goddess Diamond, a black transgender woman (New Orleans, LA), Amos Beede, a white transgender man (Burlington, VT), Mercedes Successful, a Black transgender woman (Haines City, FLA), Reese Walker, a Black Transgender Women (Wichita, KS), Keyonna Blakeney, a Black transgender woman (Rockville, MD), Shante Thompson, a Black transgender woman (Houston, TX), Jasmine Sierra, a Latin@ transgender woman (Bakersfield, CA), Monica Loera, a Latina transgender woman (Austin, TX), Kayden Clarke, a white transgender man (Mesa, AZ), Maya Young, a Black transgender woman (Philadelphia, PA), Demarkis Stamsberry, a Black transgender man (Baton Rouge, LA), and Kedarie/Kandicee Johnson, a Black, gender-fluid 16-year-old (Burlington, IA) and Quartney Davia Dawsonn-Yochum, a Black transgender woman (Los Angeles, CA).

*NCAVP is also looking into the deaths of Veronica Cano, a Black transgender woman, in San Antonio Texas; and Lexxi Sironen, a white transgender woman in Waterville, Maine. As of now there is no known cause of death in either case, however, we are continuing to monitor.

NCAVP is a resource for anyone who experiences violence. For more information, or to locate an anti-violence program in your area, please contact us at info@ncavp.org or visit us online. Join NCAVP in our efforts to prevent and respond to LGBTQ and HIV-affected violence. To learn more about our national advocacy and receive technical assistance or support, contact us at info@ncavp.org.

If you are a member of the media, please contact:
Sue Yacka, New York City Anti-Violence Project: syacka@avp.org or 212-714-1184

NCAVP works to prevent, respond to, and end all forms of violence against and within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and HIV-affected communities. NCAVP is a national coalition of local member programs and affiliate organizations who create systemic and social change. NCAVP is a program of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.