Trans women of color and their supporters rallied Saturday, April 20, at Abounding Properity in support of Muhlaysia Booker, the transgender woman who was attacked a week earlier following a minor car accident at her apartment complex.
At the rally, Booker, who is still recovering from her injuries, spoke publicly for the first time since being assaulted. She said only a few words before being overcome with emotion at the show of support for her.
But she did have a warning for others: “This time it was me,” she said of the assault. “Next time it could be you.”
When she found it hard to speak anymore, the crowd began chanting, “We love you Muhlaysia.”
Dallas Police Major J.E. Page, representing Police Chief U. Renee Hall at the rally, told the crowd, “I read about assaults every day. It was most shocking that people stood around and did nothing. The community needs to step up.”
Page recounted how instead of stepping to help Booker or calling the police, the crowd cheered the attacker on and took video of the assault that they posted to social media.
“To the transgender community,” Page said, “We support you all.”
Booker and another transgender woman who lived in the same apartment complex are now the first residents of a Nicole’s House, new transitional home for transgender women operated by Abounding Prosperity. The five-bedroom home will hold up to five residents.
The home is named for Nicole O’Hara Munro who helped raise seed money for the project. At the rally, Munro presented a check for $4,020 to Abounding Prosperity CEO Kirk Myers.
Abounding Prosperity has created a GoFundMe page to help fund Nicole’s House. The GoFundMe page points out that homelessness is a critical issue for transgender people; in fact, one in five transgender individuals has experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.
Family rejection, discrimination and violence have contributed to a large number of transgender and other LGBQ-identified youth who make up an estimated 20-40 percent of the more than 1.6 million homeless youth in the U.S.
Abounding Prosperity officials were already working on plans to open a transitional home when Booker was assaulted on April 12. They had already leased a building for another program, and when Booker’s attack made the need immediate, they were able to quickly convert the five-bedroom home into housing.
But they need help to turn this temporary facility into permanent transitional housing. To make a donation, visit gf.me/u/sdh7pj.
In addition, here’s a wish list of items Nicole’s House needs:
• Cleaning supplies
• Paper items toiletries
• Laundry items
• 5 queen-size beds
• Bedding for queen-size beds
• Towels
• Kitchen items such as pots, pans
and utensils
• A 65-inch TV
• Gifts cards
• Living and dining room furniture
Donations can be dropped off at Abounding Prosperity, 2311 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. or Dallas Voice, 1825 Market Center Blvd. Suite 240.
— David Taffet
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For additional photos of the rally, visit https://dallasvoice.com/rally-for-muhlaysia-photos/
