Meka Shabazz
Age 46 (born 2 Oct 1978)23 Dec 2024
Colombus, Ohio (USA)
Suicide
Meka died by suicide. She was an accomplished dancer, community activist, teacher, and mentor who taught Afro Caribbean dance and GED courses and actively mentored young people.
In December, my friend Meka Shabazz died after [suicide method redacted].
Rates of suicide are disproportionately high for transgender people. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, "41% of the transgender persons in the United States attempt for suicide at least once in their life."
High rates of suicidality are not a symptom of being transgender. Rather, it is the difficulty of living in a threatening world that becomes too much weight to carry.
I have spent hours on the phone crying with people who loved her, danced with her and worked for justice with her.
She could be strong-willed and sometimes drive us crazy. But as we say at the United Methodist Church for All People, “No matter who you are or what you have done, you are a beloved child of God.”
Meka’s belovedness was wiped out.
Our hatred killed her.
This hatred must stop.
I made an Instagram video making the same point — that we have to say "enough" to the hatred and division that kills people.
In response, I received a litany of hateful messages saying "enough" of people like me, calling transgender people sick and asking, “So what?” that Meka died.
Hatred kills.
Hatred results in the death of people like Meka.
Hatred tears up the person who is doing the hating.
Love can save others.
Christmas marked the incarnation of God’s love into the world in Jesus the Christ.
I pray that this love will be born anew and that we can learn to recognize the belovedness of all people.
Hatred killed my friend. Enough.
It is time to come out of this darkness. Let us learn the truth that when we love instead of hate, we don’t only save the other, we save ourselves.
Meka Shabazz's memorial service will take place at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 4 at the United Methodist Church for All People, 946 Parsons Ave. All are welcome to come and celebrate this beautiful life.
Rev. Dr. Joelle Henneman is pastor of United Methodist Church for All People.
In her blog Meka wrote the following, which I think says a lot about her character:
"My message to all people going through a difficult time is to put on your big girl pants and humble yourself. At the peak of my success everything I worked so hard for was lost, but I persevered.
"To the LGBTQA community not everyone will be accepting of who you are. They may try to break you and harass you emotionally. Maintain yourself by keeping yourself polished. When mistreated as a result of gender discrimination, you must continue to believe in yourself. You must be persistent."
Meka's Instagram, Facebook and YouTube profiles are https://www.instagram.com/mekamami5, https://www.facebook.com/malik.edmondson.75 and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_zn1OMZFBvFOMZal6hGajA.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/hate-killed-beloved-friend-meka-105222918.html
https://historianspeaks.org/blog/f/living-one-dance-at-a-time--meka-shabazz
https://www.instagram.com/itzgoldie2u/p/DD8JduPz51J/
