February 10, 2014

The Safe OUTside the System Collective, a program of the Audre Lorde Project has recently learned of the fatal stabbing of Terrell Anderson, which led to his death on Thursday, January 23rd in his home in Crown Heights. Terrell was an out gay Black man, a legendary vogue dancer in the NYC ballroom scene, and a part of the infamous film “Paris is Burning.” The SOS Collective mourns the loss of Terrell and the hundreds of other Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans, and Gender Non Conforming People of Color we have lost to violence in Central Brooklyn.

As a collective of and for  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans, and Gender Non Conforming People of Color people of color living in Central Brooklyn, who battle the daily presence of racism, homophobia, transphobia and police violence, we remain disappointed that interpersonal violence still threatens to take our lives. We recognize that the nature of Terrell’s violent death, in his home, signifies that this was no accident. We also recognize that the inefficiency and indifference of the local police and media means that we will likely never know the identity of his murderer, nor the intention behind the attack. This lack of police attention is structural violence, which is made to both devalue the lives and ignore the deaths of Black people in Central Brooklyn. We mourn the loss of our neighbor. We duly mourn the (in)justice system that continues to police us, while simultaneously refusing to protect us. The Safe OUTside the System Collective demands that the 71st precinct continues to investigate this devastating attack against our community member.


 To our LGBTSTGNC community members who feel similarly heavy-hearted, we urge you to commit your efforts and energy to increasing community accountability, remembering Terrell’s life, and taking care of yourselves and your neighbors. To honor Terrell Anderson, the Safe OUTside the System Collective and greater Audre Lorde Project will be hosting events in February. Please contact cjohnsonlong@alp.org if you would like to join.