Death Of Black Transgender Woman In Newark Spurs Calls For Change

Nyella Love says Ashley Moore was like a sister to her. They met when they both lived in the same homeless shelter in New Jersey.

"She used to help everyone with their resumes in the house," Love, 21, said. She described her as "lovable, kind, free spirited and [she] protected whoever protected her."

Moore, a Black transgender woman, was found dead outside the Newark YMCA in April. She was 26 years old.

During a vigil for Moore on Tuesday night in Newark, activists said they were frustrated by how police handled the case. They say officers didn't get in touch with Moore's family and didn't search her room before ruling her death a suicide. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is currently reviewing the case at the request of Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. 

Moore's mother, Starlet Carbins, found out about her daughter's death nine days later — on Facebook. She addressed dozens of supporters during the vigil in a video message. 

"We are so angry at the mishandling of her case by so many authorities, so many," Carbins said. "But I want to encourage you all, as I've been encouraged, to not cease in seeking out truth, not just for Ashley, but for yourselves."

Beatrice Simpkins is the executive director of the Newark LGBTQ Community Center. She said even in death, a Black life can be devalued.

"Systemic racism is violence devaluing people because you don't understand them as violence," she said. 

Activists say trans women, and particularly trans women of color, experience higher rates of suicide and are more likely to encounter violence walking down the street or from their partners.

In 2019, at least 25 transgender people were murdered and 91 percent of them were Black women, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group.

Love, who is also a trans woman, said she knows what it's like to live in fear.

"Why do I have to be afraid to live? Why do I have to be afraid to go outside? What is that? That's not living, that's not a life," she said. 

Pastor Kevin Taylor at Newark's Unity Fellowship Church said the Black and LGTBQ communities need to do a better job to support and fight for trans women.

"Either we go to show up with any of the letters gets attacked or we can stay at home. So that means L you've got to work out with the G. G you've got to clear up some stuff with the B. L, G you all got to have a meeting with the T. T you gotta have a meeting with the Q," he said. "Until we are one, we are none."

Newark announced a series of reforms, including a box on police incident reports where residents can choose to identify as members of the LGBTQ community and a hotline (973-733-8809) to report unfair treatment by police. City officials said they were open to making the hotline 24 hours, but for now it only operates during normal business hours. Workers at the Shani Baraka Women's Resource Center, which focuses on domestic violence, take the calls. 

The police department passed a policy last year outlining how officers should handle interactions with the LGBTQ community but activists said that's yet to translate into concrete change.