NCAVP mourns the death of Michelle Simone, also known as Michelle Washington and as Tameka, a 40-year-old black trans woman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to media reports, Michelle died on May 19th, as a result of several gunshot wounds. Michelle was the fifth transgender person to die through homicide so far in 2019, and was one of three Black trans women to die through homicide in a five-day period.
Philadelphia-based activist Deja Lynn Alvarez shared, “Anytime I get those phone calls and text messages, it’s extremely hard, but even more so when you realize it’s someone you have known and been friends with for 20 years. Your memory will live and light will shine on through us.”
We know it can be hard to read these reports of violence against our communities. If you need support in these difficult times, you can always reach out to your local NCAVP member. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you can reach our free bilingual national hotline at 212-714-1141 or report online for support.
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.