Reminiscing of the Perfect 10: Mother Stacey Lee Blahnik Part 1 S1- EP8

Stacey Lee best known as Mother Stacey Blahnik was a light that shined in the Ballroom community and outside of it. Stacey was the beacon was of hope and will always be remembered by many young trans women of color in Philadelphia. It has been eight years since the murder of Stacey Blahnik and there still has been no arrest for this brutal hate crime. However, when you speak to those who were the closest to Stacey say they still see and feel her presence around them. "I lost everything. I lost a best friend -- a lover," Malik Moorer said. Friends of Stacey admitted to all accusing or thinking he was a suspect at some point of the criminal investigation. All of them say they regretted how they treated Malik during this time, and their anger was misdirected. According to Randy Blahnik Stacey’s house member stated “I know it was the reason why Malik moved out of Philadelphia.” “Malik was deeply in love with Stacey, and we were wrong for accusing him of doing something like that to her. I want to tell Malik I’m sorry.” Since nearly a decade of the murder of Stacey, her friends are always asked what LGBTQ advocates in Philadephia could do more of to bring attention to this cold case. Chyna White, Stacey’s closest friend said “No one used their political clout, or offered an award.” Ms. White believes these incentives would help in solving the case and bring forth more information. Chyna a women of Trans experience understands firsthand how Trans women of color have been disproportionally victims of these types of crimes and how the polices department does not put the time or effort into solving them. Philadelphia lost a light when Stacey Blahnik was murdered that day, and since her death there has been an estimated 126 trans related murders in the United States. As a cis-gender person I often forget about the “T” in LGBTQ, but through the work of others like Deja Alverez and Eran Emani I have learned we must all speak up. For failure to raise your voice and take action we all become acquiescent in the violence committed against a trans person in the United States. Produced By Robert Graves and Antar Bush Directed By Antar Bush Edited By Robert Graves and Christopher Potts