Black transgender women in the United States face unique challenges, including discrimination, violence, healthcare disparities, economic limitations, homelessness, criminalization, and incarceration. CC’s story is a reflection of the struggles experienced by many black trans women in the US. It sheds light on the barriers they face, the resilience they embody, and the ever-present need for acceptance and support. May CC's memory serve as a reminder of the challenges yet to be overcome and the importance of fostering a world where everyone is embraced for who they are.

Once upon a time, in the shabby streets of Sweet Auburn, Atlanta, I met a soul who would forever leave an indelible mark on my heart. It was the year 2017 when I first met her, a black Trans woman named CC, facing the challenges of homelessness and addiction.

CC asked me to photograph her. Touched by her vulnerability, I agreed, promising to send the pictures to her via Facebook messenger. But I didn’t hear from her until February 2020.

"Hi, hi, how are you? I remember this," her message read. She told me that she was incarcerated unjustly. Despite the difficult circumstances, she found comfort in our connection through Facebook messenger by sending me video messages and letters. She knew the risks of getting caught using a smartphone. But her desire to stay in touch with the outside world was stronger than her fears.

During her incarceration, CC faced unimaginable cruelties as a trans woman trapped in a men's prison. Often placed in isolation for her own protection, she fought to preserve her spirit. It was within those walls that she refound her faith in God and immersed herself in the words of the Bible.

CC's resilience shined through as she maintained being positive, even expressing gratitude for her time in prison. It was there that she received the desired hormone treatments that allowed her to embrace her true self and break free from the grip of addiction.

January 2023, I received wonderful news - CC would be released in February. True to my promise, I immediately booked a flight to visit her. CC was granted parole and was welcomed back to her mother's house, even though her mother struggled to fully accept her as a Trans woman. CC was grateful for a place to stay, sleeping on the couch. Before my arrival, she had even managed to find a job, a source of immense pride for her.

During my visit, we shared unforgettable moments. We went out for meals, shopped for wigs and clothes, and had so much fun together. However, beneath the surface of her infectious positivity, I occasionally glimpsed moments of sadness in CC’s eyes.

It weighed heavy on my heart, knowing that building a fulfilling life in a country where acceptance would never be complete, would be a challenge for CC. Financial constraints prevented her from affording the full extent of her transition or maintaining hormone treatment, with no insurance and a low income.

On the last day of my visit, CC invited me to witness her First Fruit offering, where she donated her first paycheck to God in a mega church. Holding her Bible tightly, tears streaming down her face, she danced, sang, and proclaimed her devotion. CC firmly believed that this offering would bring immeasurable blessings, a sentiment underscored by a passage she had thickly highlighted in her Bible.

Heartbreakingly, just a week after I departed, the darkness she had fought so bravely against, returned to her life. CC gave in to the temptation of drugs, and two weeks later, tragedy struck. She suddenly passed away.

I made the journey back to attend her funeral, where she was laid to rest as a man. However, her beautiful memorial celebrated CC for who she truly was - a courageous Trans woman. Her mother shared with me that she had received CC as a son, and now, she wished to return her son to God, just as she had received him….

RIP my dear and brave CC, I will always remember you.