‘It Was So Hard’: Exhibit Commemorates Black Trans Deaths Across the US | art

forBetween 2021 and 2025, Black non-binary artist Sage Nia Whitson visited 91 locations in 15 states — in all of those locations, a transgender, gender non-conforming, or intersex person died, either by homicide or suicide. At each site, they held their own ceremonies to bear witness to what happened there.

“It has been very difficult in ways that I continue to repair and comfort,” they said. “It’s not cheap for my body and soul. That cost I knew would be there.”

Currently on view at the California African American Museum in Los Angeles (CAAM) is “Glories of Awakening,” Whitson’s solo show showcasing a variety of photographs and other pieces in conjunction with these celebrations. It is a poignant and important witness to the violence that continues to plague racial and gender minority communities, and is a powerful show to experience.

One of the centerpieces of these glories of vigilance is a series of 90 rules in memory of the individuals Whitson remembers. Above each base is an urn containing essences developed by Whitson from materials collected at each site she visited, as well as a velvet stole bearing the name of the deceased. Two of the pillars are unnamed and represent the unknown that has passed.

Locations Whitson visited to honor deceased individuals included Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, the Bronx, Harlem, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Montgomery, Phoenix, Atlanta and Baton Rouge.

Whitson chose to make each pedestal exactly 61 inches tall, to make the audience linger to pay attention to them, interacting with them in a way that commands the respect that each individual being honored deserves. “It was an important decision to have a respectful distance,” Whitson explained. “I was thinking about the way shrines are created in the Yoruba tradition, some of which are inaccessible to the public or uninitiated members of the community.”

At each ceremony, Whitson would collect different materials from the sites they visited, using her herbalism training to transform these extracts into liquid essences. Whitson then placed the essence of each location into an individual jar, placing one on top of each pedestal, corresponding to the location the honoree passed through. While collecting these materials, Whitson also performed various rituals consistent with the practice she developed, including checking the land for permission to proceed, and then making a series of offerings that included herbs, sage, tobacco, and other materials.

“I developed a protocol that was mostly replicated at each location, with variations based on what the spirit called at each location,” they shared. “There was prayer in those places, which sometimes sounded like loud words, sometimes songs, sometimes quieter meditations, to call out loud the names of the transistor outlaw.”

Sometimes, Whitson’s practices may expose them to potentially dangerous situations. While honoring the death of a trans woman named Bonaire “Bonnie” Black, who died under mysterious circumstances in an Atlanta parking garage, Whitson found herself attracting unwanted attention and had to leave before she was ready to do so.

“This site, like many others, was active with people in their daily lives,” they said. “I had to move quickly because I was afraid I would be noticed by the people who were there to do their business. It was less safe for me to be there.”

An important part of Whitson’s practice is dialogue with local transgender communities in the locations they visit. Whenever possible, Whitson facilitates a story-sharing circle where Black, trans, and intersex people can share their own histories of survival in an often hostile world. These gatherings often intersect with forms of transgender resilience taking place in those locations, such as DJ parties, fundraisers for unhoused individuals, and movement work to advance the rights of Black and trans people.

“It has become really important that the work be essential to celebrate the lives and stories of the living, while also honoring the losses,” they said. “It became a beautiful network of people, and it was heartwarming for me.”

When Whitson began performing these ceremonies in 2021, she had no idea how timely these “walking glories” were, coming to the world at a time when the federal government and dozens of state governments were waging a war of oppression against transgender people. It also comes amid what the Human Rights Campaign has described as an “epidemic” of violence against trans people, fueled largely by propaganda from local and federal governments, with Black trans women being hit hardest.

“Now, when trans people face a government attempt to erase their identities, it’s another kind of death, on top of the epidemic of homicides,” Whitson said. “It is a systematic process of erasure by this federal government. It is very important to do this now, and I hope it is done in a way that is not about spectacle or glorifying the violence of their losses, but to focus the spirit of memory, and bring people together.”

For Whitson, these “walking glories” helped them move forward as artists. As an emerging creative, Whitson has been part of the residency at CAAM since 2022, taking new steps forward in this project and other artistic endeavors. “This project definitely gave me the courage to stand up and commit to the vision of the business. It invited me to appreciate the big capital ceremony of the business,” they said. “I learned the value and beauty of what can happen when that vision is respected and honored.”

Cameron Shaw, Executive Director and Chief Trustee of CAAM, believes deeply in the importance of expanding such opportunities. “Supporting this work through the CAAM residency program reflects the Museum’s ongoing commitment to Black artistic practices that bring complexity, expand boundaries, and create frameworks for healing,” Shaw said.

Although these “walking glories” have been emotionally and financially draining – with the Whitsons moving back and forth across America over the years – they believe very much in what they are doing and are determined to keep moving forward. For them, building spiritual traditions is an indispensable act and part of their contribution to the survival of their community. “Building the spiritual vitality of trans communities — Black trans communities — is worthy work and important to our survival,” they said. “It’s the work I want to continue.”