In Memoriam

Tayy Dior Thomas

Mobile, AL

Tayy was, according to her grandmother, a “shy but fearless girl known for her selflessness and always having a smile on her face that showed off her dimples. She loved children and was always willing to watch her four younger siblings and her cousins.

Kita Bee

Kansas City, MO

Kita had two families that loved her dearly: her home family and her street family. They all knew her for being authentically herself all year round, every single second. It didn't matter where she was or what was happening around her, she kept it real and remained resilient against adversity and recurring illness.

Kamryn “Cantrell” Smith

Baltimore, MD

Cantrell served when the community asked it from her. She provided both Harm Reduction services and safe sex/safe consumption kits to sex workers and people in active addictions throughout the northern part of Baltimore to help decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS. Following her belief in bettering lives, she also enjoyed being a friend to dogs in need at BARCS animal shelter as she found it be “a great stress relief.” Even by the end, she found that every person and every dog deserved kindness in their lives.

Jazlynn Johnson

Las Vegas, NV

Jazlynn was dedicated to excelling in school and worked hard to follow her love of makeup with a career in cosmetology. She was known to her friends and family for her kindness and an easy-going nature, along her fondness for Hello Kitty. She was excited to start a new phase in her life and was determined to make it the way she wanted.

Daelicious O’hare Mizani

Philadelphia, PA

Daelicious could put on quite a show. While performing, she was known to put her whole body into her art by mixing vouging with acrobatic kicks and wild hair whips. Those who saw her regularly were always mesmerized by the awesome skills she had put in so much time, energy, and attention. The Philadelphia drag scene knew her a vital part of their community and a singular person who also was a “genuinely sweet human.”

Darri C. Moore

St. Louis, MO

The tattoos on Darri’s arm were fitting for her personality. The cardinal with the baseball bat, given for her love of the St. Louis Cardinals, reflected her confidence and willingness to be part of the game in life. She kept a lot of people she loved within her world, similar to the stars dotting along her arm. Her mother’s name on her right wrist kept them close to one another. Those who knew her felt her humility and believed she had a story to tell everyone else, just like her tattoos.

Niomi Jenkins

San Francisco, CA

Niomi loved herself the same way she loved the San Francisco 49ers: intensely. She was unashamed of who she was in every facet of her life. Her pictures were of her looking fabulous but her posts made it clear she had strong convictions. On Facebook, she balanced that glamorous style with her indignation towards war and the indignities of poverty. She also had a massive love for spending time with her family for a good Thanksgiving feast, noting that her dish game was always on point.

Michelle Henry

San Francisco, CA

Michelle loved hard and had an energy that drew you in. She was there for friends when they went through addiction and other hardships. She knew how to harness both that love and energy for the youth program at the San Francisco LGBT Center for the kids that needed it in their lives. She brought it to every room she entered. She was a friend to those she met and made them feel cherished without any doubts.

Saanti Bonét Valentino

Chicago, IL

Saanti was a shy nerdy child who grew into a free-spirited and multi-talented adult. She developed both her sense of humor and her knack for picking up different skills to protect herself but it also built her compassion towards those who needed it. Starting with the dance team in high school, she merged both her performing side with her service side by returning during college to teach a new generation of dancers. Dancing also allowed her to become a stellar performer on the Chicago scene, eventually joining the celebrated Valentino drag family. She also contained a multitude of artistic talents, ranging from drawing and fashion design to songwriting and acting in the world-famous Steppenwolf Theatre. During the pandemic, she then added care-taking to those skills by taking numerous roles in various Chicago organizations, including the Center on Halsted, Cook County Health and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. She was photographed with her most lovable pup Duchess in the book “When Dogs Heal.” Teenage Saanti would be amazed and proud of the woman she eventually became.

In Memoriam

Tayy Dior Thomas

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