Elise Malary, 31, on March 19, in Evanston, Ill.: In a Facebook photo, Malary wore a T-shirt with the words “You deserve more than survival.” An advocate for the trans community, Malary was a founding board member of the Chicago Therapy Collective, which focuses on reducing LGBTQ health disparities through advocacy, therapy, education, and the arts.
Amariey “Myara” Lei, 20, on Jan. 1 in Wilkinsburg, Pa.: Remembered as a “vibrant soul,” Lei lived to dance. She was a coach for the Lady Diamonds, a hip-hop and majorette dance team, who taught her young dancers not only their latest routines but also confidence and self-respect.
Duval Princess, 24, on Jan. 2, in Jacksonville, Fla.: A popular hairstylist, Princess was known as a “little firefly” with an “outgoing personality.” Meka Robinson, her mother, said, “I miss [Princess] calling me, telling me to come get my hair done, just calling me, telling me ‘Ma, good morning and I love you.’”
Matthew Angelo Spampinato, 21, on Feb. 9 in New Castle, Del.: A Starbucks barista, Spampinato was described by co-worker Samantha Strothmann as “always so selfless. He would always ask how everybody was doing even when he wasn’t having a good day himself.”
Naomie Skinner, 25, on Feb. 12 in Highland Park, Mich.: Though her life was short, Skinner made sure it was “fabulous,” said Shycuria Harris, her sister. A friend called Skinner “a very outstanding person.”
Cypress Ramos, 21, on Feb. 13 in Lubbock, Texas: Ramos was a well-known performer in her LGBTQ community. Camilla Urbina said Ramos was so supportive of her fellow performers that Urbina considered her “my number one fan.”
Paloma Vazquez, 29, on Feb. 26 in Houston: Only six months earlier, Vazquez had left Honduras because she feared being targeted as a trans woman. In Houston she became a member of Organización Latina de Trans en Texas and was excited about decorating her new apartment, said her friend Gia Pacheco.
Tatiana Labelle, 33, on March 18 in Chicago: Those closest to Labelle, who loved singers Patti Labelle and Mariah Carey, called her “Tee Tee.” In a television interview, Shameika Thomas said, “I loved my sister, whether she was transgender or not, and I would like for me and my family to have justice.”
Kathryn “Katie” Newhouse, 19, on March 19 in Canton, Ga.: “She was like a little sister to me. She was a real sweetheart,” said Journey Jennings, Newhouse’s friend. “I want people to realize that violence against trans people and violence against [people living with autism] and violence against Asian Americans is real, and it’s an epidemic.”
Kenyatta “Kesha” Webster, 24, on March 26 in Jackson, Miss.: After graduating from high school, Webster worked in retail. More than 100 people attended a vigil and balloon release in her memory.
Miia Love Parker, 25, on April 1 in Chester, Pa.: It was hard to miss Parker when she walked into a room. Friends said she had an unmistakable presence and light that drew people to her. Parker loved the TV show “Pose,” shopping, and fashion.
Ariyanna Mitchell, 17, on April 2 in Hampton, Va: Family recalled that “there was never a dull moment” when Mitchell was around. Remembered as “truly unique, funny, and loved by everyone,” she was a student at East End Academy and a member of the Triple E (Electra Eagles Elite) Dance Academy.
Fern Feather, 29, on April 12 in Morristown, Vt.: Instead of using the well-worn phrase “kill two birds with one stone,” Feather would say “plant two flowers with one seed.” She was so gentle and kind, friends said, Feather would avoid anything that hinted of violence.
Sasha Mason, 45, on May 13 in Zebulon, N.C.: Those who attended Mason’s funeral were asked not to wear black or white but only “pure bright and fun colors because that was her personality.” On Facebook, a friend said, “No one ever had nor has anything bad to say about her because she was a true angel.”
Remembering trans lives
taken in 2022
By Renée Graham
Amariey “Myara” Lei was a dance coach who boosted her young students’ confidence and self-respect. Kitty Monroe was a devoted dog mom to a quartet of Yorkies. Maddie Hofmann could talk about a range of topics from sports to physics to astronomy.
All were trans or gender nonconforming people. All lost their lives to violence this year.
Even before a gunman killed five people and injured nearly 20 last month at Club Q, a popular LGBTQ nightspot in Colorado Springs, Colo., 2022 was already a deadly year for trans and gender nonconforming people. At least 35 have been killed nationwide, most of them Black trans women. But the true number is probably higher since trans people are often misgendered in death by law enforcement, the media, and family members.
Anti-trans rhetoric spawned more than 150 anti-trans bills this year and may have become a catalyst for violence. Now, we mourn the victims and we remember them.
Ray Muscat, 24, on May 8 in Independence Township, Mich.: Both customers and co-workers at the grocery store where Muscat worked recalled his bright smile and infectious personality. He loved anime and attending conventions with friends that celebrate Japanese animation and pop culture.
Nedra “Sequence” Morris, 50, on May 14 in Opa-Locka, Fla.: More than 100 people attended a vigil for Morris, who was known as “Sequence” to those closest to her. She was remembered for being “strong, feisty, and opinionated” and for her love of conversation.
Chanelika Y’Ella Dior Hemingway, 30, on May 31 in Albany, N.Y.: Just weeks before she was killed, Hemingway received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Albany. She also received a 2022 Spellman Academic Achievement Award. In a TV interview, Jackie Powell, her mother, said, “She was always proud of who she was and so was I.”
Brazil Johnson, 28, on June 15 in Milwaukee: Johnson was a talented chef whose happy place was in the kitchen, said her mother, Bernitha Gildart, at a vigil. Johnson was also involved with Diverse and Resilient, an organization dedicated to improving the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities in Wisconsin.
Kitty Monroe on June 29 in Cordova, Tenn.: Moore took pride in being a devoted dog mom to her beloved Yorkies — Chyna, Milan, Tokyo, and London. “Kitty was a beautiful person. Her energy was always light and fun,” said Jasmine Tasaki, founder and executive director of WeCareTN, a support group for trans women of color in Tennessee.
Shawmaynè Giselle Marie McClam, 27, on June 21 in Gulfport, Miss.: A certified nursing assistant, McClam was described by family as “unapologetically . . . a Queen. From childhood to adulthood, she made sure to wear her crown, no need to adjust it, because she always wore it how she saw fit.”
Cherry Bush, 48, on July 5 in Los Angeles: In a social media post, Bush’s brother called her his “oldest friend.”
Martasia Richmond, 30, on July 12 in Chicago: “It is evident in the countless tributes from friends that [she] was well-loved and taken from us far too soon,” said Tori Cooper, Human Rights Campaign director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.
Keshia Chanel Geter, 26, on July 20 in Augusta, Ga.: “My best friend.” That’s how Michelle Jordan described her daughter. “Shined bright like a diamond. Always made me laugh,” she said. “A beautiful spirit. Loving, kind, wonderful, beautiful. Helped everybody. Would give the shirt off her back.”
Maddie Hofmann, 47, on May 19 in Malvern, Pa.: Hofmann, who used they/their pronouns, loved to paint, write, and play video and board games. “They could talk about anything, rattling off sports stats to, like, talking about physics or astronomy,” said Emily Flynn, Hofmann’s sister. “Maddie was just a person I always wanted to be close to and around.”
Daniel Aston, 28, on Nov. 19 in Colorado Springs: Long before he anointed himself as the “Master of Silly Business,” Aston loved to make people laugh. As a child he donned costumes and hats and got his friends to act in the plays he wrote. He brought that same joy to Club Q, where he worked as a bartender and often performed. “He lit up a room, always smiling, always happy and silly,” Sabrina Aston, his mother, said.
Jasper Aaron Lynch, 26, on July 7 in McLean, Va.: Lynch was a promising writer whose work often reflected his interests in philosophy and spirituality. After Lynch’s death, a college mentor said, “There are breakthrough, world-changing books missing from our future shelves.”
Kandii “Dee Dee” Redd, 29, on July 24 in Kansas City, Mo.: An award-winning performer and model, Redd looked to the stars to guide her and to the earth to keep her grounded. She believed in the significance of horoscopes and the power of crystals but also found solace in planting and growing flowers.
Hayden Davis, 28, July 25 in Detroit: When her friends wanted advice about fashion, they turned to Davis. She knew everything about clothes, makeup, and skin care. She was an avid fan of social media and “The Kardashians.”
Marisela Castro, 39, on July 29 in Houston: Castro was looking forward to celebrating her 40th birthday and was planning a party with family and friends. “We were putting it together little by little,” said Luis Lizardo, Castro’s friend. “I told her we were going to have a great time because she was turning 40.”
Acey Morrison, 30, on Aug. 21 in Rapid City, S.D.: Morrison believed laughter was the best medicine. Friends described her as loving, kindhearted, respectful, and always there whenever her friends and family needed her. Morrison was a Two-Spirit person, an indigenous North American who identified as having both a feminine and a masculine spirit.
Dee Dee Ricks, 33, on Aug. 27 in Detroit: At Ricks’s memorial service, her niece reflected on how Ricks “made my life so much better, taught me so much, and made me feel so much confidence in myself.”
Regina “Mya” Allen, 35, on Aug. 29 in Milwaukee: Allen was an active member of SHEBA — Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity — a support and empowerment group for Black transgender women in Milwaukee. “You were a part of this sisterhood and inspired many girls to pursue their own transition,” the group posted on its Facebook page.
Semaj Billingslea, 33, on Sept. 21, in Jacksonville, Fla.: A graduate of the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Billingslea was an entrepreneur who started his own cleaning business and was deeply devoted to his faith. Tahlmage Billingslea called his son “larger than life.”
Kelly Loving, 40, on Nov. 19 in Colorado Springs, Colo.: In Memphis where she lived, Loving was a “trans mom” who offered support and compassion to those in her community. “She got us our rights today by being a leader, by not giving up and not caring what people think,” Natalee Skye Bingham, Loving’s friend, said. Another friend, Ariel Hill, said, “If it wasn’t for her, I would have never learned how to live my life, be free, be Ariel.”
Tiffany Banks, 25, on Oct. 1 in Miami: To her family and friends, Banks was “the light that would brighten up anyone’s darkest day.” She loved to sing and dance, and in her presence there was “never a dull moment.”
Diamond Jackson-McDonald, 27, on Nov. 24 in Philadelphia: Linda Jackson said her daughter was “my rock, my shoulder, my child whom I love with every inch . . . of what I have left to give.”
Duvall Princess
Amariey “Myara” Lei
Naomie Skinner
Matthew Angelo Spampinato
Paloma Vazquez
Kathryn “Katie” Newhouse
Cypress Ramos
Tatiana Labelle
Elise Malary
Ariyanna Mitchell
Miia Love Parker
Kenyatta “Kesha” Webster
Fern Feather
Photo courtesy Nina Shoenthal
Ray Muscat
Nedra “Sequence” Morris
Brazil Johnson
Chanelika Y’Ella Dior Hemingway
Sasha Mason
Shawmaynè Giselle Marie McClam
Cherry Bush
Martasia Richmond
Kitty Monroe
Keshia Chanel Geter
Maddie Hofmann
Hayden Davis
Jasper Aaron Lynch
Acey Morrison
Kandii “Dee Dee” Redd
Marciela Castro
Dee Dee Ricks
Diamond Jackson-McDonald
Semaj Billingslea
Regina “Mya” Allen
Tiffany Banks
Kelly Loving
Daniel Aston
Courtesy of Jeff Aston via AP
Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at renee.graham@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @reneeygraham.
Mar’Quis Jackson, 33, on Dec. 14 in Philadelphia: Known to family and close friends as “MJ,” Jackson was a transgender rights activist who, his friend Sharree Harvey said, was “full of life and love” and “would get the party started anywhere.”
Mar’Quis Jackson
Diamond Jackson-McDonald, 27, on Nov. 24 in Philadelphia: Linda Jackson said her daughter was “my rock, my shoulder, my child whom I love with every inch . . . of what I have left to give.”
Regina “Mya” Allen, 35, on Aug. 29 in Milwaukee: Allen was an active member of SHEBA — Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity — a support and empowerment group for Black transgender women in Milwaukee. “You were a part of this sisterhood and inspired many girls to pursue their own transition,” the group posted on its Facebook page.
Daniel Aston, 28, on Nov. 19 in Colorado Springs: Long before he anointed himself as the “Master of Silly Business,” Aston loved to make people laugh. As a child he donned costumes and hats and got his friends to act in the plays he wrote. He brought that same joy to Club Q, where he worked as a bartender and often performed. “He lit up a room, always smiling, always happy and silly,” Sabrina Aston, his mother, said.
Semaj Billingslea, 33, on Sept. 21, in Jacksonville, Fla.: A graduate of the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Billingslea was an entrepreneur who started his own cleaning business and was deeply devoted to his faith. Tahlmage Billingslea called his son “larger than life.”
Kelly Loving, 40, on Nov. 19 in Colorado Springs, Colo.: In Memphis where she lived, Loving was a “trans mom” who offered support and compassion to those in her community. “She got us our rights today by being a leader, by not giving up and not caring what people think,” Natalee Skye Bingham, Loving’s friend, said. Another friend, Ariel Hill, said, “If it wasn’t for her, I would have never learned how to live my life, be free, be Ariel.”
Tiffany Banks, 25, on Oct. 1 in Miami: To her family and friends, Banks was “the light that would brighten up anyone’s darkest day.” She loved to sing and dance, and in her presence there was “never a dull moment.”
Diamond Jackson-McDonald, 27, on Nov. 24 in Philadelphia: Linda Jackson said her daughter was “my rock, my shoulder, my child whom I love with every inch . . . of what I have left to give.”