Reginald T. Allen

Reginald T. Allen, who was often called Mya by friends, was a 35-year-old member of Milwaukee’s community remembered for her laughter, style, and close connections with friends and local advocates. Those who knew her described Mya as full of joy; she was active on social media, enjoyed dressing up and sharing selfies, and was a devoted fan of basketball and football. Mya was also connected to local support networks for Black transgender women and was named as a member of Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity (SHEBA), a group focused on advocacy, empowerment, and mutual support.

Family and friends celebrated Mya for the warmth she carried into everyday moments. Public remembrances and posts from people who knew her highlight a person who took pride in her appearance, valued community, and brought light to gatherings. She is remembered in memorial listings and by advocacy organizations as a life of meaning to those around her.

On August 29, 2022, Mya’s life was tragically cut short in Milwaukee. In the weeks and months that followed, community members and advocates marked her passing alongside efforts to raise awareness about violence affecting transgender people. Her passing was recorded in multiple respected memorial and reporting projects focused on transgender lives lost to violence.

While public records about Mya’s private life are limited, what is clear from contemporary accounts is that she was more than the circumstances of her death: she was a person with friends who loved her, a member of local support networks, and someone whose presence left an impression on her community. This remembrance aims to honor her humaneness—her laughter, her style, and the relationships she nurtured—acknowledging that the public record captures only a part of the life she lived.