Here we are again and it seems to just be getting worse. Tierramarie Lewis was a black trans woman, shot to death in Cleveland back on June 12.
Why the delay? Acknowledgment of her death was shamefully partly “due to misgendering and misnaming from local officials and a lack of media coverage.” Tierramarie becomes the 33rd trans, non-binary, or gender-nonconforming person to die by violence in the America so far in 2021.
Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, said: “Another Black transgender woman has been killed in this country. When will this violence end? Tierramarie should have had the chance to live the life she wanted to live. As we continue to see so much violence against trans and gender-nonconforming people, everyone must speak up and take action to end the stigma and fatal violence that often targets our community.”
Duane Lunsford, 25, of Cleveland, has been arrested and been charged with aggravated murder and felonious assault, and has pleaded not guilty.