In Memoriam

Dylan Gurley

Denton, TX

Dylan strongly valued both her loved ones and a strong sense of justice. She often made it clear that she was pro-choice and, more often, would post about how incensed she was by with how America dealt with the issue of school shootings. With family, she was loyal especially to her siblings and cousins. This extended even to when they passed away, as she often shared messages with her brother Danny in remembrance for their time together. She loved and cared immensely for those closest to her and will be missed for that.

Griffin Shaun Sivret

Woonsocket, RI

Griffin was a quiet yet strong young man who was passionate about collecting Funko Pop figures, hardcore punk, and tattoo art. This reflected his deep love for music and videos while probably giving him inspiration as he earned his Graphic Design degree from Becker College. While he worked as an Old Navy shift lead and an assistant teacher, he planned on making a career that allowed him to fuse those interest - along with his unique style and his advocacy for Boston-area trans youth - into something that was undeniably Griffin.

Kenji Zemonta Spurgeon

Seattle, WA

Like a cheerleader for her beloved Atlanta Falcons, Kenji had an amazing ability to keep the energy going. She did through humor, singing, dancing, and bringing the power to those she loved. Her taste in music was broad, riding to 2Pac one minute and belting out Disney songs the next. She began finding her true self during middle school and stood out from the beginning, even being interviewed about school choice with exuberant confidence. Time only made her more passionate as a speaker and an advocate for the PNW trans community. She built an independent life and lived as she aspired to be.

Ev Smith

Norman, OK

Ev was a teenage wit with a beautiful voice and a number of various passions. They were a dedicated Swiftie. They had a budding knack for photography. They were beginning to learn sign language. Art was in their soul and they were figuring out how best to express how they felt and moved through the world.

Shannon Boswell

Atlanta, GA

Shannon was a big fan of puppies and enjoyed posting to social media about going out to eat and exploring creative hairstyles and makeup. Friends and family both recall her someone who loved people and enjoyed watching movies. They also remembered that she was always there when you needed her.

Levi Castillo

Springfield, MO

Levi loved to bake, often experimenting with new recipes with their dad, and wanted to make it their career once they got older. They also loved to sing, especially songs from “Frozen,” even if they weren't always in tune. The whole point for them was experiencing joy in everything they did. They draw and sculpted often, taking inspiration from the video games and cartoons they loved sharing with their mom. That joy extended to also loving dumb Dad Jokes and goofy Adam Sandler flicks. Their family remembers them as a ball of energy who grew into a thoughtful teenager but never losing that humor and zest for life as they grew up.

Lily Autumn Rose

Owego, NY

Lily’s smile was known to calm someone's storm and make it go away. Even her eyes smiled in such a way. She especially gave those smiles to her partner and her cat Ninja. She loved showing off her smile on her Facebook profile, along with a number of other beautiful photos. She wanted to share that warmth with the world, often in faces of larger storms.

Monique Brooks

Orlando, FL

Monique’s sweet soul is what inspired her to become involved with Divas in Dialogue, an Orlando sisterhood supporting trans women of color. While she was sweet, she also lived her life without apology or fear, constantly going out with her friends on various adventures and wowing followers on her social media with her hairstyling skills. She championed Black artists and devoted every birthday to various causes, including the National LGBTQ Task Force. She used her two sides, kind yet unafraid, to enjoy the most out of life.

In Memoriam

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