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NCAVP mourns the death of Riah Milton, a 25-year old Black trans woman who was shot and killed during a robbery in Liberty Township, Ohio on June 9th, according to media reports. Riah’s death occurred just one day after the death of Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, 27, whose death has been ruled a homicide.
Riah worked as a home health aide. Her mother shared that Riah loved traveling and being outside, was outgoing, helpful, and always put her family first. Riah’s sister, Ariel Mary Ann shared, “My sister Riah, she was a joyful person,” she said. “She loved her family and she loved her friends. She was just a joy to be around.”
With help from friends, loved ones and online supporters, a GoFundMe meant to pay for Milton’s funeral exceeded its $3,500 goal by tens of thousands of dollars.
NCAVP stands in solidarity with Black trans women, and we know that it is always hard to read these reports of violence against our communities. We know this can be even more painful when there continues to be an unchecked epidemic of homicides of Black trans women, as police violence is escalating against Black and brown people, and our nation continues to be grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic that highlights long standing healthcare disparities for Black and brown 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.