Monica Roberts (1962 – 2020) was an icon and a trailblazing voice for transgender rights, both in her home state of Texas and around the country. In 2006, she founded TransGriot, a pioneering blog about issues pertaining to trans women, particularly women of color. Her coverage helped bring national attention to the alarming rates of transgender homicide, and she worked tirelessly to identify victims who were misgendered and deadnamed by the police and local media. Roberts also wrote for Ebony, the Huffington Post, The Advocate, and the Unapologetically Trans column in Out Smart Magazine.
Her many honors include the Glaad Media Award for outstanding blog, the Barbara Jordan Breaking Barriers Award, and the 2020 Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement.