Black History Month - Black Trans Women - February 15th

Today, I want to remember Koko Da Doll, a Black transgender woman whose life was centered on telling the truth about survival. Koko Da Doll, born Rasheeda Williams, was an Atlanta based Black trans woman who became known through the documentary Kokomo City, where she spoke openly about the realities Black trans women face, including housing insecurity, sex work, safety, and community. What made her presence powerful was how direct and human she was. She wasn’t framed as a symbol or a debate topic. She spoke about everyday life, humor, friendship, fear, and resilience in her own words. In 2023 she was killed in Atlanta, becoming one of many Black trans women lost to violence. After her death, the film reached wider audiences and many people encountered her story for the first time. Remembering Koko is not only about tragedy, but about listening to what she was already saying while she was alive: that Black trans women are often forced to create their own support systems and protect each other because broader society frequently fails to. Her voice continues to matter because it documented lived experience, not theory, and it reminds people that behind every statistic is a full person who had a life, relationships, and a future that should have been possible.