On Wednesday, supporters and family of Cashay Henderson, a Black transgender woman who was killed in Milwaukee earlier this year, gathered at the headquarters of Diverse & Resilienton North Holton Street to demand justice for her murder.
In February, firefighters responding to an apartment fire found 31-year-old Henderson had been shot and killed in her home. She was the third Black trans woman killed in Milwaukee in nine months.
CommunityX, an impact tech and media company, sponsored the Justice4Cashay press conference. The organization’s CEO, Chloe Cheyenne, opened the event denouncing Henderson’s murder.
“All across this country, we are seeing an attack on trans lives, and to be quite honest we’re sick of it,” Cheyenne said.
“America’s distorted definition of freedom and choice continues to compromise the already marginalized, already endangered. Let trans people live. Let white trans people live. Let brown trans people live. Let Black trans people live. Let Black trans women live their lives.”
Ada Henderson, Cashay’s sister, was also there. But was overcome with emotion and struggled to say more than a few words.
“Cashay was a great person. She was very kind, very loving. And she didn’t deserve this,” Ada said as she wiped her tears. “My family and I just want justice for what happened to her. That’s all I can say.”
Ada said Cashay was her only sibling and was her best friend.
Chris Allen, president and CEO of Diverse & Resilient, said there are ways people in the community can show up in support of trans lives.
He said for one, seek out education. “Because there’s a lack of information out there, it’s easy for misinformation to run rampant. It’s easy for folks to politicize trans identities because people don’t know who trans people are, and so the messages that you do hear that are not true can be easily latched onto and spread, and that increases the anti-trans discrimination and violence that we’re seeing,” he said.
Allen said another way to support is to find ways to volunteer with LGBTQ+ organizations in your community, donate to organizations and be vocal against anti-trans rhetoric.
The suspect in Cashay’s murder, Cordell Howze, will be arraigned Thursday. He is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Henderson’s family is demanding:
1. Removal of Cordell Howze’s opportunity to post bail.
2. Howze to be charged with a hate crime.
3. A full investigation of the justice system of Wisconsin, including the Department of Corrections, Office of Parole, and the Judges of the Circut Court of Milwaukee.
4. The creation and passing of legislation that would explicitly protect transgender people from violence and add an enhancement to cases where people attack, harass, cause mental distress, murder, and/or severely traumatize transgender people because of their identities — “Cashay’s Law.”
5. The acknowledgment and support from the NAACP of Wisconsin that this was a crime done to Cashay, a Black transgender woman.
Supporters can also sign a petition in support of Cashay’s family as they continue to fight for justice.
