In the heart of Mexico City, a poignant and historic moment unfolded as transgender rights activists, Kenya Cuevas and Andrea Luna, sat beside the pink grave of their beloved friend, Paola Buenrostro. With somber reflection, Luna remarked, “You don’t have to pay rent anymore. You will have your own home now,” alluding to the hardships that often plagued Buenrostro, who tragically lost her life to a hate crime in 2016, an incident that unfolded before Cuevas’ eyes.
In a landmark move aimed at providing dignity and solace to transgender women who had suffered in life and in death, Buenrostro became the inaugural occupant of a mausoleum dedicated solely to transgender women, located a short distance away from her original resting place in Iztapalapa, Mexico City’s most populous borough. Many of the transgender women interred here had fallen victim to the scourge of hate crimes.
During the emotional inauguration, Cuevas addressed a jubilant crowd, expressing gratitude to her late friend, “Thank you Paola because in your name, we were able to reach an important milestone for the trans community.”
Alarming Statistics: A Call to Action
Mexico currently grapples with the grim distinction of having the second-highest toll of transgender killings in the world, trailing only behind Brazil. The first seven months of 2023 saw 25 transgender women tragically slain, as reported by the LGBTQ rights group Letra S. The period from 2017 to July 2023 witnessed at least 586 recorded murders of LGBTQ individuals, with over 58% of victims being transgender women.
Cuevas embarked on her journey as an activist in 2016, prompted by the heart-wrenching loss of her friend Buenrostro, a fellow transgender sex worker, who was fatally shot during an encounter with a client. Despite multiple witnesses and a video recording captured on Cuevas’ phone, the perpetrator was inexplicably released from custody a few days later. This traumatic incident spurred Cuevas to cease her involvement in sex work and establish the Casa de Muñecas organization, committed to advocating for the protection and rights of transgender women. It was through the collective efforts of this organization that the mausoleum was realized.
A Sanctuary for Souls
The newly inaugurated mausoleum offers space for 149 transgender women, including the late Paola Buenrostro and Indigenous transgender rights activist, Guadalupe “Lupilla” Xiu. Lupilla’s life story, marked by suffering, torture, and kidnapping, tragically concluded on September 9th, far from her native Oaxaca. Of the 60 transgender women whom Cuevas has accompanied in death, 48 have already been reunited with their families. The remaining 12 will soon be exhumed from their graves in collaboration with the capital’s Attorney General’s Office and relocated to this sanctuary.
As the mausoleum stands as a testament to resilience and respect, Kenya Cuevas beautifully encapsulated the significance of this moment, stating, “Today, after a long time, I feel this is an act of reparation.” This hallowed space serves as a beacon of hope, reflecting the ongoing struggle for justice, remembrance, and the protection of transgender lives in Mexico City.