No Justice No Peace: Oakland March on Behalf of Brandy Martell
OAKLAND, Ca. — Nearly 100 supporters turned out for a march led by The Transgender Gender Variant Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) held yesterday on behalf of Brandy Martell, the 37-year-old trans woman of color was shot to death on April 29.
The march route began at AIDS Project East Bay in downtown Oakland and wove around the city to Franklin and 13th Street, where Martell was killed. Supporters plastered “say no to hate” posters along the route, hoping to promote acceptance and find justice. Still no suspect has been arrested in connection with Ms. Martell’s death.
“We’re stunned as a community because she was a bright light and a shining star and a classy personality with so much potential,” said Andrea Horne of the AIDS Project East Bay to KTVU.
According to reports, Ms. Martell was sitting behind the wheel of her car around 5:15 a.m. when one or two men walked up and began a conversation. A witness describes the conversation a cordial, but then one of the men became angry and fired into the car where Martell was sitting, at point-blank range. Martell’s friends believe the man shot her because he was angered over her gender identity.