Days After Pride Month, Attacks on Trans
Women of Color in DC Continue
Silence from MPD after hit-and-run lands Black trans woman in ICU
WASHINGTON — On the night of July 4, Boo Boo Washington, a Black trans woman was brutally run down by a car near the intersection of 5th and K Street, NE. She was left stranded in the street until she was later rushed to the intensive care unit for treatment of her life-threatening injuries. Three days later, Boo Boo remains in the ICU, struggling to recover.
Many attempts have been made by No Justice No Pride (NJNP) and our community partners to get more information from the Metro Police Department about the incident and MPD’s response. To date, no information has been released. MPD has yet to publicly acknowledge that it took place and has chosen not to identify the incident as a crime, despite witness accounts to NJNP that the assault appeared intentional. MPD has not made any calls for witnesses to come forward or issued descriptions of possible suspects.
Meanwhile, MPD has posted dozens of updates on their website and Twitter account regarding shootings, firework seizures and missing person alerts. In conversations with MPD’s LGBT Liaison unit, individuals seeking information were given excuses, citing “policies and practices” that prevent them from releasing any details at this time. Members of DC’s trans community have expressed frustration and dismay, noting that all too often, the trans community is left alone to respond to attacks long before MPD is willing to get involved.
The silence regarding yet another potentially fatal attack on a Black trans woman speaks volumes, and calls into question MPD’s commitment to “protect and serve” the city’s trans population. The hit and run attack on Boo Boo Washington comes just days after another Black trans woman, Desiree Copeland, was attacked by a group of men with roman candles and a metal bat in Southwest DC.
These vicious acts of transmisognynistic violence come just days after Washington, DC celebrated “Pride Month.” In June, police officers, politicians, and city officials took to the streets in droves to march in the Capital Pride parade, declaring themselves allies of the LGBT community. These same individuals are now silent in the face of direct threats to Black trans women. No Justice No Pride is calling on these “allies” to show up when we need them most.
No Justice No Pride invites anyone interested in showing up for DC’s trans community to join July 13 at Freedom Plaza for “All Out for Trans Women,” a march and rally featuring testimony from trans women of color fighting for the rights and support they deserve. Supporters are also encourage to sign and share NJNP’s petition calling upon Mayor Bowser, Chief of Police Newsham, and Attorney General Racine to support alternatives to incarceration and fulfil their promises to the trans community.
For more information and to connect with members of the trans community who can speak on these issues, email: contact@nojusticenopride.com.
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No Justice No Pride is an ad-hoc collective of organizers and activists from across the District of Columbia. We exist to end the LGBT movement’s complicity with systems of oppression that further marginalize queer and trans individuals. Our members are black, brown, queer, trans, gender nonconforming, bisexual, indigenous, two-spirit, formerly incarcerated, disabled, white allies and together we recognize that there can be no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.
