Erika Keels, a 20-year-old black transwoman, was murdered on March 22, 2007, at the corner of Broad and Thompson in North Philadelphia, in a hit-and-run assault. Witnesses saw a man eject Ms. Keels from his car and intentionally run her over four times, killing her and leaving the scene. The medical examiner’s report states that Erika was run over not just once but multiple times, supporting these eyewitness accounts. The driver, Roland Button, was later apprehended, but has yet to face any charges; indeed, he is still driving, his license has not been suspended, and his car has not even been taken for evidence. The Philadelphia police have refused to conduct an investigation of Erika’s death and have closed the case.

Erika Keels was a vibrant, expressive, resilient young woman, and her friends were devastated and enraged by her murder. The failure of police to follow procedure when responding to Erika’s death, even to carry out steps required for a hit-and-run accident, amplified the pain of her murder for those who loved Erika. Some of Erika’s friends refused to accept this second affront, and questioned police officials about the classification of her death as an accident. Officials attempted to intimidate them by demanding their “birth” names, and told them they were “trying to make something out of nothing.” Erika’s friends began organizing to demand that her case be reopened and her death be investigated as a murder. The police seemed determined to keep Erika’s murder as quiet as possible, and Erika’s friends, as well as allies who soon joined them, were just as determined to bring to light the violence and injustice which brought an end to this remarkable person’s life, and which the Philadelphia police were continuing to perpetrate.

The story of Erika’s death is a shocking, upsetting one, and has touched many people who never knew Erika when she was alive. However, Erika’s murder is by no means an anomaly. It is part of a devastating pattern of violence against trans people of color in Philadelphia and elsewhere. The murder rate of trans people in the United States is estimated at 7-10 times the national average. Trans people of color living and working in Philadelphia know they are at near-constant risk of physical attack, and many experience daily harassment and discrimination. Erika herself experienced a tremendous amount of violence, harassment and discrimination during her short lifetime. On and off the street from the age of 13, Erika was failed by the very systems that claim to offer support, opportunities and protection to youth like her, including the Philadelphia school system, the Department of Human Services, and, of course, the Philadelphia Police Department.

Violence against trans youth of color in Philadelphia takes many forms. The Trans-health Information Project (TIP) drop-in night, a spot Erika frequented, is held weekly at a building in the Gayborhood of Center City Philadelphia. The TIP drop-in is aimed at building community, fighting isolation, and providing education and services; for many months it was home to a thriving Vogue group, popular with trans and gender-variant youth of color in and out of the ball scene. Not two weeks after Erika’s death, TIP was forced to shut down the Vogue group, due to police harassment and complaints from white neighbors about youth hanging out in front of the building. There has been a long-time presence of trans, gender non-conforming and queer youth of color on the streets of the Gayborhood, but a combination of gentrification and Philadelphia’s push to corner the gay tourism market have led to youth of color being increasingly unwelcome in this predominantly white-owned, ritzy neighborhood. Displacement, police harassment, cultural eradication, and the elimination of what little community space is available to trans youth of color – these forms of violence are not as gruesome as the violent murder of a young woman. But individuals touched by Erika’s death would be well advised to acquaint themselves as well with the structural, day-to-day violence faced by her and her community.

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Join the Justice 4 Erika campaign in demanding that the Philadelphia Police Commissioner and the Accident Investigation Division to reopen Erika’s case and conduct a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding her death. We stand together to demand police accountability, justice for trans and gender non-conforming people, and respect for the inherent dignity and worth of every person.

Steps to Take Action:

1. Sign our community support letter (http://www.petitiononline.com/ErikaK/petition.html ).

2. Add Justice 4 Erika as a friend on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/justice4erika).

3. Get organizations or groups you’re in to sign on to the support letter. (Organizations should email Justice4Erika@gmail.com to confirm their support.)

The Associated Press report on newly released statistics showing Black enlistment in all branches of the armed forces has dropped 36% since 2001, mirroring a 2005 report from the Army showing a drop in Black enlistment dropping from 23 percent of all enlistees in 2001 to 14 percent by 2005. The AP reports:

According to Pentagon data, there were nearly 51,500 new black recruits for active duty and reserves in 2001. That number fell to less than 32,000 in 2006, a 38 percent decline.

When only active duty troops are counted, the number of black recruits went from more than 31,000 in 2002 to about 23,600 in 2006, almost one-quarter fewer.

The decline is particularly stark for the Army. Blacks represented about 23 percent of the active Army’s enlisted recruits in 2000, but 12.4 percent in 2006.

And like the 2005 report, black youth cite the unjust war in Iraq/Afghanistan and the opinions of their elders as the main reasons for their lack of enthusiasm. In the AP story, one recruiter, Sgt. Terry Wright noted

“I go to high schools every day, and for the most part it strikes me how many of them are serious about going to college,” said Wright, 32.

It “strikes” him as what?

The story also noted increases in enlistment by other racial groups:

The decline in black recruits overall has been offset partly by an increase in Hispanic recruits and those who classify themselves as other races or nationalities.

This category could include people who consider themselves Portuguese, or of other European descent that are not covered by the main categories of white, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan, black or Hispanic.

The active duty services largely have met recruiting targets in the past two years, while the Army, Army National Guard and Air National Guard fell short of their goals last month.

If black youth are not showing up for enlistment in the armed forces, how come they have not significantly joined the Anti-war Movement? I wrote about this issue last year in an acrticle called Not Showing Up: Blacks, Military Recruitment, and the Anti-War Movement, originally for the Nonviolent Activist, and was later reprinted on Black Commentator.com.

(The photo above is of Toccara R.Green, age 23, killed in 2005 when several roadside bombs in Iraq exploded near her unit.)