Muhlaysia Booker Was Loving and Loyal to Her Friends
She showed up for them whenever she was needed
This story is part of Know Their Names, a collection of articles illuminating and celebrating the lives of Black Trans women.
The act of showing up was Muhlaysia Booker’s love language. It was important to her to be present, exhibit kindness, and extend compassion to family and friends who were in distress.
When her childhood friend Jessica Anderson dealt with the loss of her father, Muhlaysia showed up for her friend. Muhlaysia, who didn’t have adequate transportation to get to the father’s wake, walked miles on foot to show up for Jessica and stand by her side in a time of grief.
Jessica remembers Muhlaysia not only for the times she showed up for her, but also for the times Muhlaysia was there for others.
“I know that’s cliche but it’s the honest truth. She was a great friend, and mother to her children [LGBTQ+ family],” Jessica says. “She made sure they were fed, had a place to lay their heads, and that they stayed looking gorgeous. She took care of her granny when she could.”
Throughout their lives together, Jessica had a penchant and a talent for makeup. She eventually did Muhlaysia’s makeup for Facebook livestream videos, where Muhlaysia would sometimes amass thousands of viewers at a time, according to Jessica.
De’Evon Irvin, who met Muhlaysia around four years ago and hung out at the club on weekends with her, says Muhlaysia’s presence matched her glam — always vibrant: “She loved hair and lashes. She loved to get her hair and nails done.”
Broadcast journalism was one of Muhlaysia’s primary interests, Jessica says. She hoped to one day pursue a career in it and hire Jessica to keep her camera-ready.
“She loved being on camera on talking, hence the FB Lives,” Jessica says. “I was supposed to be her official makeup artist when she made it.”
Those hopes ended when at just 22 years old, Muhlaysia’s life was tragically cut short after a whirlwind five weeks following a violent and viral video of her assault in Dallas. On the morning of May 18, officers responded to a shooting call near a Dallas area golf course where Muhlaysia was found dead on arrival due to a gunshot wound. It took officials a day to identify her because she had no identification on her.
In April, a video of Muhlaysia being assaulted by a group of men in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas went viral. Edward Dominic Thomas, 29, led the charge as bystanders watched. According to media reports, the brutal attack stemmed from a fender bender gone wrong. She reportedly suffered a broken wrist and concussion.
Amongst community members, it is widely believed that Muhlaysia’s Transness is what fueled the assailant and a mob of about several other men to beat her. They kicked and punched her in her face, head, and body while shouting homophobic slurs. The video circulated quickly and garnered mass public attention. For perhaps the first time, the general public had a front-row seat to the harsh realities endured by Black Trans women.
Following the assault and a brief stint in the hospital, Muhlaysia addressed the media at a press conference. “This time, I can stand before you, whereas in other scenarios, we are at a memorial,” she said. “This has been a rough week for myself, the Transgender community, and also the city of Dallas, but I want to sincerely thank all you guys for coming out. For your support and fairness. And just as I am overwhelmed by your presence, your donations in support of my Transgender family, and allies who want to see justice served in this case. I will remain strong with your support. Due to the impending criminal investigation, I will not have any further comments today except for gratitude.”
Mieko Hicks is one-third of the Dallas-based TransFusion Radio Show. She first met Muhlaysia through her friend and co-host, Robyn “Pocahontas” Crowe (who served as Muhlaysia’s grandmother in the “house” scene). Mieko admits that initially, she didn’t think that Muhlaysia liked her, but in the wake of Muhlaysia’s attack, they grew closer. “She was one of those girls who you actually had to get to know before she opens up to you, but she was sweet as pumpkin pie,” Mieko says.
Mieko says Muhlaysia wasn’t sure how to feel about the media attention at first. Muhlaysia quickly realized the power of her presence and her decision to speak up.
“She saw how people were rallying behind her, she was like ‘I’m glad that this is coming out. I’m glad that something is happening now.’”
“When she realized that this was happening and that her name was spreading around the world, at first she had reservations because she didn’t want to be a spectacle,” Mieko says. “But then when she saw how much people were rallying behind her, she was like ‘I’m glad that this is coming out. I’m glad that something is happening now. I didn’t think that anyone gave a shit, but now I see people actually care.’ Then she was ready to be a part of it, and then she was killed.”
According to De’Evon, Muhlaysia didn’t see herself as a Transgender activist.
“This is what was told to me, she didn’t want to go public with everything because she’s not a Transgender activist, she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. [And people] tried to get her stand up for the Transgender community and that put an eye on Muhlaysia. Everybody knows who she is. Everybody knows the situation of what happened.”
Muhlaysia did what she usually does. She showed up, publicly, for herself and her community. De’Evon says the assault didn’t stop Muhlaysia from living.
“Even after that video of her going through that, she was still out and she was still trying to live through that because that could’ve brought anybody down. Not only did you get jumped but it’s all over social media, celebrities have seen and shared it. That would affect anybody, but Muhlaysia is just very strong, and she really just tried to do her best,” he says.
In October, Thomas’ trial began for the assault of Muhlaysia. Muhlaysia’s assault was viewed as a hate crime, but gender identity is not protected under Texas’ hate crime legislation. Thomas was initially charged with felony aggravated assault, but it took jurors just four hours to hand down the conviction of the lesser charge of misdemeanor assault. Despite community efforts, and a seemingly understanding judge—he ruled that Muhlaysia should be referred to by her chosen name during the trial—many view the verdict as a miscarriage of justice.
Thomas was sentenced to 300 days in jail, including the time already served since his initial arrest.
And still, Muhlaysia’s loved ones must grapple with another trial: This time for her murder.
In June, Dallas police arrested and charged 34-year-old Kendrell Lavar Lyles in Muhlaysia’s murder. The Dallas Observer reported that an anonymous tipster led to the arrest, and Dallas officials say there’s no connection between Muhlaysia’s assault and her murder.
Since Muhlaysia’s passing, the tone of the Trans community in Texas has been described as somber, but resilient.
“It’s a lot of strong Trans women, so although we’re sad and we’re devastated by this happening, we definitely find strength in each other. We actually have gotten closer,” says Diamond Stylz, who didn’t know Muhlaysia personally but sits on the board for the Texas-based organizations Black Trans Women and the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition. “It used to be we would only see each other online and sometimes in the club, but we’re seeing each other more often and really, really trying to work hard and be in communication with each other and set up survival mechanisms within our community to survive. It’s really made us closer.”
De’Evon says he last saw Muhlaysia at the club just two weeks prior to her murder. “She walked up to me and she gave me a big hug and I just kept holding her. I really didn’t want to let her go,” he says. “I didn’t know what that moment was about but I know I didn’t really get a chance to talk to her about what had happened. We really just chopped it up and we laughed and kiki-ed like we always do, and she looked like she was in good spirits, like she was doing okay.”
Muhlaysia’s memory and her authenticity will live on through the foundation, and through everyone who loved her dearly.
In late August, Muhlaysia’s mother, Stephanie Houston, announced the creation of the Muhlaysia Booker Foundation. The foundation’s objectives are to provide housing, emotional support, advocacy, counseling, employment resources, and training for Trans women.
“It is most appropriate that I honor the legacy of my daughter by creating this foundation, which can help young women like Muhlaysia to feel loved, be safe and be greater. I have chosen to be proactive rather than reactive in helping to save these young women,” she said in the announcement. “The brutal assault and murder of my daughter will forever leave a hole in my heart, but it will also serve as motivation for myself and others to fight the current government agenda against Transgender women and the increasing acts of violence.”
Muhlaysia’s memory and her authenticity will live on through the foundation, and through everyone who loved her dearly.
“There’s never going to be another Muhlaysia. She really made a name for herself, and she stuck to how she was. She was real,” De’Evon says. “She didn’t sugarcoat nothing. She just brought everything to the table and either you liked it or you didn’t, but you were going to respect her. That’s why I loved Muhlaysia because she just kept it 100 all the way through.”
