Friends: Black transgender woman killed in Jackson had life ...

Dominique "DeDe" Jackson, a Black transgender woman, was found shot to death. Jackson police officials said in a tweet on Feb. 12 they arrested ... LOCALTransgenderwomanwhodiedinJacksonshootingisrememberedforlearningtoacceptherselfGabrielaSzymanowskaMississippiClarionLedgerViewCommentsViewCommentsDominiqueJackson waslookingforwardtogrowingintoherfullpotential,openingherownhairandmake-upsalon andbeingapartofalovingfamily.ThelastyearsofJackson'slifewerefilledwithlove, supportandacceptanceasshegrewintothewomanshewantedtobe,saidAlexisOwens,Jackson's"chosen mother," aterminLGBTQculturetodenoteafamilymemberwithoutbloodties. "Shewasalwayssoexuberant,"Owenssaid.Jackson,a30-year-old Blacktransgenderwoman,wasfoundshottodeathinacaronJan.25,oneofmorethantwodozen homicidesinJacksonalreadythisyear. Jacksonpoliceofficialssaidinatweet onFeb.12theyarrestedBrandenMcLaurin,25, inconnectionwithJackson'sdeath.Heischargedwithmurder,accordingtoHindsCounty jailrecords.Lastyear,atleast44 transgenderpeoplewerekilledintheUnitedStates,amajorityofthem Blacktransgenderwomen,accordingto datafromtheHumanRightsCampaign. Jackson'schosenfamilytolda storyofawomanwhocameintoherownafteryearsofnotbeingacceptedbyothersforwhoshe was. Jackson'sbiologicalfamilydidnotreturncallsforthisstory.OwenssaidJackson's relationshipwithherbiological familybecamefracturedwhenJacksoncameoutastransgenderasateenager.Overtime,therelationshipfurtherdissolved.BornMarch11,1990, inDetroit, Jacksonwasputintofostercaresometimeafterhermother'sdeath,butnoonewassureexactlywhen.Whileinfostercare,Jackson movedbetweenfamilieswhodidn'tunderstandanddidn'tknowhowtosupportherbeingtransgender.ItwasduringthistimeshefoundherwaytoBrookhaven,Miss."InasmalltownlikeBrookhaven,youkindoffakeit'tilyoumakeit,"Owenssaid,referringtoJackson'sexperienceofbeingtransgenderwhileinthefostersystem."Youlearnwhatyoulearnandyourollwiththepunches."In2014,JacksonmetOwens,whousesthestagenameAlexisDickersonSanteefor herdragpersona.Owenssaidshe tookJacksonunderherwingandtaughtherhowtothink,dressandactasawoman. "Thosetimesweredefinitelylearningexperiencesbecauseittaughtthemthattherearepeoplewhogenuinelycareforyouandwhoyouareandtheywanttoseeyougrowasaperson,"Owenssaid. Owens'firstimpressionofJacksonwasthatofawildchild.AsJacksonmatured, herexuberanceforlifecontinuedto reflect inhervibrant,colorful outfits,herabilitytotalk withanyoneandhersupportasabigsisterforherchosensiblings.Jackson,affectionallyknownasDeDe,hadagift fordoing hair,Owenssaid,atalentthatexpandedaftershecametoJackson.Whilesheworkedsomeoddjobs,Jackson andacoupleofOwens'otherkidsdid hairasasidejoboutoftheirapartment, withthehopesofonedayexpandingintoherownsalon.Jackson'scaringandcompassionatenaturehelpedherguidehersiblingsandherownchosenchildren.LacraigGreer,25,oneofJackson'schosensiblings,saiditwasJackson'sdeterminationandlovethatbroughtthefamilyclosetogether."ShewasalwaysthereIfIneededhertotalkoranything,"Greersaid. "Shewasalwaysthere,justlikeabiologicalsisterIwouldhavehad."Jacksonandherchosen family wouldcometogetherforyearlyfamilyreunions.Duringoneoftheir mostrecent reunions,whichhappenedtobeon Owens'birthdayon June24,Jacksontookchargetoorganizea surprise.LaneyanaHenderson,28,recalled hersister'sfocusanddetermination for puttingtogetherfamilyshirts,continuouslyreachingoutabouteverydetailfromthecolortothedesign. "Sheactuallytoldme:'Idon'tcarewhatelsewedo,butthoseshirtshavetoberight,'"Greeradded.Amemorialwasheld forJacksononFeb.7. Herchosenfamily,friendsandmembersoftheLGBTQ communityattendedthememorial.OwenssaidJackson'sbiologicalfamilytookhertobeburiedinAlabama.Thebiologicalfamilywas planningonburyingJacksonasaman. HindsCountyCoronerSharonGrisham-StewartconfirmedJackson'sfamilydidtakehertoAlabama.ArrangementsforJackson'sfuneralhave notbeencompletedasofMarch2,accordingtothefuneralserviceswebsite."Eveninherdeath,shecan'tbeherselfandthatspeaksvolumes,"Hendersonsaid."Whenyou'realive,youcan'tdonothing.Whenyou'redead,youstillcan'tdonothing.Andthat'snotjustthecasewithDeDe;that'sthecasewithalotoftransgenderpeople."ForherfamilyandfriendsinJackson,Dominiquewillberememberedasthewomansheflourishedintowithagenuine,caringheartandanenergythatpulledpeoplein."DeDewasandisawoman,period,"Hendersonsaid."Nomatterwhatherbiologicalfamilywillsay,herfamilyheretookcareofherand Iwatchedthatgirlgrowup.Iwatchedhergrowup.Eventhoughshehadflawsatsomepoint,shewasstillhuman....Atleastwhenshewashere,shewashappy."Jacksonissurvivedbyhersignificantother,Taje Dortch,and three chosenchildren: Ty,ReginaandTiana, [email protected],oronTwitter.ViewCommentsViewComments