This post remains published for posterity.
The In Memoriam Page is the complete listing.
NCAVP mourns the death of Felycya Harris, a 33-year-old Black transgender woman who was fatally shot and found in a park in Augusta, GA on October 3rd. Felycya’s death marks the 3rd killing of a transgender woman in that area in this year alone.
Felycya was a self-employed interior decorator, who on her Instagram promised to “take the distance to save $,” promising that “it don’t cost much to give your home glow.” On Facebook, loved ones of Felycya are grieving her loss, commenting “Such an awesome person. I pray you get Justice!!!!” and “Unbelievable news. God rest your soul and prayers of comfort to your family. Rest In Heaven.” Felycya enjoyed to livestream on her personal pages, which people are also missing – “Im so gonna miss laughing at your lives. I did not know you personally but I enjoyed looking at your lives,” says one viewer. Another commented on her latest one, stating “Wow friend I’m watching this crying. I miss you so much already.”
Ricola Collier, a friend of Felycya’s told local TV stations: “Everybody’s going to remember Felycya … That laugh. The smile — the smiles. The talks. The arguments. The attitudes. Everybody is going to remember who Felycya Harris is. Nobody would ever forget who that is.”
Police originally deemed her death as “suspicious” when her body was found on Saturday, but by Monday had classified it as a homicide. Richmond County investigators are still searching for a suspect in this case and ask anyone with information to call them at 706-821-1000.
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.