Cashay Henderson, a Black transgender woman, was killed in her home in Milwaukee on Sunday, becoming the third identified Black transgender woman to be murdered in the city in less than nine months.
Henderson’s death has alarmed the LGBTQ+ community in Milwaukee, which is already dealing with a rise in hateful rhetoric and policies across the nation.
Her cousin, Veronica Beck, had seen Henderson’s Facebook posts about her lost friends and felt scared.
Beck had spoken to her cousin about the difficulties of her life as a Black transgender woman and had never thought it would happen to her.
Christopher Allen, the president and CEO of Diverse + Resilient, which serves Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community, said the community’s immediate reaction to Henderson’s murder was “sadness, anger, and fear.”
Henderson’s family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for memorial services, and the page had surpassed its $4,000 goal by Wednesday evening.
Brazil Johnson, 28, and Regina “Mya” Allen, 35, were also killed in shootings in Milwaukee in June and September of 2022, respectively.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with Allen’s death, but no arrests have been made in Johnson’s case.
A reward of $28,000 is being offered for information leading to those responsible.
Milwaukee had not seen an identified Black transgender woman die by homicide since Chanel Larkin, 26, was killed in 2010, making the streak of fatal violence against Black transgender women all the more alarming.
The LGBTQ+ community in Milwaukee held a vigil and town hall meeting for all three women on Wednesday, with roughly 40 people attending to discuss some of the issues facing the local LGBTQ+ community.
Who was Cashay Henderson?
According to Henderson’s cousin Veronica Beck, Henderson grew up in Chicago with two sisters and was an outgoing, dominant personality who was always on the move and making friends.
Henderson always put thought and effort into her appearance, and her family accepted her transition when she was around 13 or 14 years old. Beck, who now lives in California, said that Henderson eventually moved to Milwaukee to find better opportunities.
While she worried about her cousin’s safety, she was proud of Henderson’s progress as an adult.
Beck shared a humorous childhood memory of Henderson, recalling an instance when Henderson was a kid and refused to walk out from an overhang in a rainstorm out of fear it would ruin her beloved suede Hush Puppies shoes.
Beck said Henderson was a member of Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity, a support group for Black transgender women, for five years and was “inspiring to many of our ladies” and “nothing less than a joy to be around.” Henderson had recently bought herself a new car and was long active in various groups in Milwaukee.
Overall, Beck described Henderson as someone who would “light up the room and own the room” and had been independent since she was very young.
Henderson’s family had always been supportive of her, and she was proud of the progress she had made in life.
The loss of LGBTQ+ community to violence
On Wednesday, a vigil was held outside the Milwaukee LGBTQ Community Center to remember LGBTQ+ lives lost to violence, including Cashay Henderson, Brazil Johnson, and Regina “Mya” Allen.
While Henderson was top of mind, the event aimed to raise awareness about the dangers that trans individuals face living in Milwaukee.
Many speakers shared their fears and anxieties following Henderson’s killing. Aaleh Hughes, with the center, expressed that living in Milwaukee has become extremely dangerous for trans women, and they do not even want to leave their homes due to the fear of being attacked.
Lady Lana with the Black Rose Initiative revealed that she has recently considered detransitioning because of concerns about her safety.
She spoke about the similarities she shared with Henderson, including traumas, and how she could be next if she did not change her course.
Lana spoke with Henderson the morning of her killing, and Henderson was making birthday plans and had a photo shoot scheduled.
Lana was encouraged by Henderson’s actions that morning and urged everyone to keep living their true lives.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson also spoke at the event and called for an end to violence against any person that’s victimized or targeted because of hate, discrimination, or ignorance.
According to her cousin Veronica Beck, Henderson was an outgoing, dominant personality who always put thought and effort into her appearance.
transitioned when she was 13 or 14, and her family accepted her. According to Beck, Henderson moved to Milwaukee to find better opportunities and was making progress as an adult.
For five years, she was a member of a support group for Black transgender women, called Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity, and was inspiring to many. Henderson’s death has rattled Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community, which is also dealing with a rise in hateful rhetoric and policies across the nation.
The streak of fatal violence against Black transgender women in Milwaukee is alarming, and addressing the root causes of this violence is essential.
It is vital to provide support and resources for the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans individuals, who face significant challenges in society. By promoting unity and working together, we can build a safer and more inclusive world for everyone.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7t7XZmpqaZpOkunCvwKyfmrFdnbKvsMSrqqimXw%3D%3D