NCAVP mourns the death of 32-year-old, Puerto Rican transgender woman Penélope Díaz Ramírez, whose life was tragically lost to violence at the Bayamon correctional in Puerto Rico on April 13, 2020. Few details have been released about Penelope’s life and death. According to reports, Julio Serrano of the Coalition for the Search for Equity, a Puerto Rican LGBTQ group states, “The police have the obligation to disclose the status of the investigations of at least eight murders [in Puerto Rico], one death without a determined cause, and several attacks in which LGBTTIQ people have been injured since January 2019.”
As investigations continue, we send our deepest condolences to her family and friends.
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 bilngual 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.