A Houston trans rights advocate, Monica Roberts worked with local law enforcement to make sure murders in the transgender community were investigated fairly and with journalists to ensure victims were correctly identified after their deaths and were reported with empathy and sensitivity. Her groundbreaking blog “TransGriot” celebrated Black trans women and men and gave a voice to those who did not have one.
At the time of her death in Oct. 2020, Mayor Sylvester Turner reflected on Roberts’ work and impact on Houston saying in part that she “walked every hall of government with professionalism, grace, and toughness to ensure transgender individuals and everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community would not be forgotten or overlooked.” She was also one of the original board members of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board.
Submission credit goes out to Tara Kearney from Latonia!