A year ago, I met transgender migrant Mayela Villegas, 27, in a Mexican border tent camp before she crossed legally to claim asylum in Texas. At the end of May, a friend contacted me to say Mayela had died. latimes.com/world-nation/s…
2/ Mayela’s friend had a question for me after she died: “Is there any way you can help us find what happened to her?” Here’s what I found.
latimes.com/world-nation/s…
latimes.com/world-nation/s…
3/Mayela’s friend Deisy Polanco told me she had struggled since arriving in Houston. Mayela lived with conservative, religious family members who called her by her male birth name and male pronouns. “For me, you’re Mayela,” Polanco would tell her. “I don’t know any other name.” 
4/Mayela’s friends and family told me she struggled after the death of her mother in El Salvador, one of the few family members who called her by her female name. Mayela sent me a picture of her grave, “One more torture in my life after everything I’ve been through."
5/I missed opportunities to help Mayela when she reached out online after her mother died last year. I was on the road, on assignment, and didn’t always reply promptly. The last time she messaged was in April. Then she stopped contacting me.
6/At Mayela’s funeral, her hair and nails were cut short; makeup erased. She was dressed in a men’s suit. Her sister Veronica Villegas (right) back in San Salvador was shocked. Relatives in Houston said the family wanted to see Mayela that way, but Veronica didn't.
7/Reports about Mayela’s death from the medical examiner, sheriff and highway patrol here in Texas call her a man, erasing her transgender identity and making it difficult to track how many transgender people die - and how. Below is an excerpt:
8/“There are people dying to be where she was at. Obviously, she was suffering. I just wish I could have done more for her,” Kelly Escobar, one of Mayela’s friends, told me. So did I. And we can do more: We can reach out and help those at risk. suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/…
9/Several friends have committed suicide in recent years, including a Marine and a college classmate. Many have suffered during this pandemic. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know there are resources that can help. suicidepreventionlifeline.org
10/We did not mention Mayela’s male birth name in this story, thanks to feedback from a colleague. I welcome feedback from readers on how we can do a better job of covering #LGBTQ #immigrant and #BIPOC communities @latimes
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