Iyanna Dior, A Black Trans Woman, Was Recently Attacked In Minnesota

Korin Miller
·5 min read
Photo credit: Iyanna Dior / Facebook
Photo credit: Iyanna Dior / Facebook

From Women's Health

  • Iyanna Dior is a Black trans woman who was recently attacked in Minnesota.

  • According to a video shared online, she was assaulted by up to 30 people.

  • You can donate directly to Iyanna's CashApp and organizations that help Black and trans people.

Transgender individuals are disproportionately impacted by hate crime, and research has shown that transgender women of color are especially vulnerable. Iyanna Dior, a Black trans woman from Minnesota, was the target of the latest such hate crime when she was attacked on June 1.

Video of the attack has since gone viral, with many people calling for justice for Iyanna. Transgender activist and Pose producer Janet Mock has posted about Iyanna on Instagram, saying that her "heart aches" for her. "If Black lives matter then Black trans lives should matter as well. We are here. We been here," she wrote alongside photos of Iyanna. Jameela Jamil also wrote on Twitter, "Black lives still matter when you’re trans. Its the start of Pride. We need to do better. We see you and stand with you Iyanna."

View this post on Instagram

Iyanna Dior. Sis, you’re still standing. I praise and uplift you. I’m sending you the strength of your sisters still standing too — and the ones who no longer could. They deserve rest, and we speak their names too. Iyanna, you are a black trans woman. What a gift! Don’t let nobody tell you otherwise. Sis. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. They didn’t have to come after you. But they did. There’s no fucking excuse for their brutality, their dangerous ignorance, their fragile masculinity. That shit been killing us. To be brutally attacked and called out your name while a crowd of your brothers and siblings look on....I’m so sorry sis. My heart aches for you. But we got you sis. You’re gonna heal. You rest now. Let us carry what you can’t right now. You deserve rest and peace. We’re showing the fuck up. Our fight for black lives will not be in sacrifice of you or our sisters. We must stop centering cisgender heterosexual men and their needs. We will not ignore the violence some of these men enact on you, our sisters’ and our siblings’ lives. If Black lives matter then Black trans lives should matter as well. We are here. We been here. We need our black cisgender siblings to roll up RIGHT NOW. You ain’t no ally. You are family. We are your family. Speak Iyanna Dior’s name — all our names — just as much as we’ve been screaming yours. We love y’all. We show up for y’all. Now show up for us. #blacklivesmatter #iyannadior #girlslikeus UPDATE: Iyanna’s previous CashApp username $NajaBabiie is not working. She’s verified that her updated CashApp is $IyannaDIO (those are uppercase i). I’d also recommend donating funds to grassroots trans orgs: @tgijustice @mpjinstitute @sylviariveralawproject @youthbreakout @translatinacoalition to name a few.

A post shared by J A N E T M O C K (@janetmock) on Jun 3, 2020 at 7:04am PDT

Here’s what you need to know about Iyanna, and how you can directly help.

Iyanna was attacked after a car accident.

According to the video being shared online (which Women's Health has decided not to share as it may trigger trauma), Iyanna, who is 21, and an unidentified Black man had an argument outside a convenience store after the two were in a minor car accident. A large group of people—up to 30 of them—jumped in, started beating Iyanna, and yelled transphobic slurs at her, according to Elle. No one tried to help her. Eventually, Iyanna was able to break free and ran behind the store’s front counter.

Iyanna has shared on social media that she’s 'OK.'

Since the attack, Iyanna has gone on Facebook to say that she needs "some time to process everything that’s going on." She also thanked people for reaching out to see if she’s okay. Iyanna also shared a video of herself that showed off the swelling on her face and arm, as well as cuts on her lips.

You can donate to help her.

Iyanna has a CashApp where you can donate money to help her. Her username is $IyannaDIO, according to Janet Mock. There was also a march planned for her today, but according to Iyanna's Facebook page, it was cancelled.

You can also donate to various organizations committed to helping Black and trans people:

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