While June is the month typically spent at Pride events and parades, the global pandemic as well as a stronger call for justice throughout the world put a pause on celebrations and brought intersectional activists to the streets. The murder of George Floyd sparked the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement stronger than this country has ever seen before during Pride month, motivating many to remember and honor the transgender Women of Color who brought us here in the first place. 

Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945. Soon after moving to New York City, she was known as the “Mayor of Christopher Street” regarding her powerful presence in Greenwich Village, a predominantly LGBTQ+ neighborhood. She became a profound activist for LGBTQ+ rights while experiencing police raids at a popular gay bar, the Stonewall Inn. During yet another police raid at the Stonewall Inn in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, drag queens and queer people began to fight back. Marsha is famously known for “throwing the first brick” at Stonewall that night, which was a monumental moment in the queer liberation movement. After the Stonewall riots, Marsha continued her fight for LGBTQ+ rights, despite being disregarded and unrecognized by a white gay majority. 

On July 6, 1992, Johnson’s body was found floating in the Hudson river in New York City. Police ruled her death a suicide, which is denied by many of her close friends and family because she never seemed to be suicidal and was just at a Pride parade the day before. She also suffered a head wound, which was not noted by police. To this day, the case is yet to be reopened. 

2020 has already claimed the lives of nearly 40 Black transgender women, and this is nothing new. The average lifespan of a Black trangender woman is yet to even hit 40. This June, we recognized Black trangender women and continue to fight for their lives as they have for all LGBTQ+ people for decades.