Transgender woman killed in Barclay community mourned by friends, advocates

Denise Johnson imagined spending Sunday with her daughter, Sophie Lee, eating crabs at the park. Instead, she stood on a Barclay street corner Sunday evening surrounded by nearly 100 people who came to remember her daughter, a transgender woman who was fatally shot there Friday.

The 27-year-old woman was found in the 2400 block of North Calvert Street around 1:15 a.m. Friday, Baltimore Police said in a news release.

Lindsey Eldridge, a police department spokesperson, said it’s unclear if her identity had anything to do with her death and the investigation is ongoing.

Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization that offers housing services, health and wellness, community support and legal navigation for LGBTQ+ people, hosted a candlelight vigil for Lee on Sunday evening around the area where she was found.

Johnson said she appreciated seeing so many people gather for her child.

“I didn’t know she had all this help,” she said.

Johnson remembers her daughter as a lovable, kind and joyful person who enjoyed laughing, dancing and partying. Lee was known in the ballroom scene in Baltimore, a space for community building and artistic expression.

Iya Dammons, the founder and CEO of Baltimore Safe Haven, presented Johnson with a check at Sunday’s vigil to help pay for Lee’s burial. The money was raised through a GoFundMe. Johnson expressed gratitude to the organization and everyone who came out.

“I was lost. I didn’t know where I was going to get any help from,” she said.

Ja’Nia Simmons, 45, hopes Lee knew just how loved she was. Simmons met Lee roughly eight years ago through one of her “daughters” in the ballroom scene.

They kept in touch mostly via Snapchat, Simmons said. It was heartening for Simmons to watch Lee step into her femininity, she said, especially when “the world tries to tell you who you are” as a transgender woman.

“I knew she was trying to evolve as a woman,” she said. “She was loved, and her memory will live on.”

Still, it’s hard to see girls that young dying, Simmons said.

For Alexis Newby, the chief operating officer of Baltimore Safe Haven, hearing about the death of a transgender woman is triggering and traumatic.

“It’s scary because anyone can be harmed, especially in this climate,” Newby said.

Newby wants more transgender people to know there’s help for them, including at Baltimore Safe Haven. She also hopes this incident illustrates for people the need for more housing support and workforce development opportunities for marginalized communities.

“Sophie deserved another birthday. Another laugh. Another chance to love, dream, and grow old,” officials from Baltimore Safe Haven wrote in a Facebook post. “Being transgender should never cost someone their life.”

This article has been updated.