In 2008 Angie Zapata, a young transgendered woman, was brutally murdered in Greely Colorado. The contrast between Angie’s youthful beauty and the ugliness of her murder struck a chord in her small hometown. So intense was the outpouring of love for this young woman that even the conservative D.A. of the area was moved into action. D.A. Ken Buck, who was later to run for U.S. Senate, prosecuted Angie’s murder as a hate crime. The prosecution was the first time a hate crime statute was used to prosecute the murderer of a transgender person.

 

The vicious attack of Angie by her cowardly murderer and the determined passion of the prosecutors were graciously overshadowed by the love for her that poured from key members of her family.

On September 18th 2011 the Long Beach Q Films Festival 2011 will present the Southern California premiere of the Alan Dominguez powerful documentary “Photo’s of Angie”. Photo’s of Angie presents an intimate look at the promise of a young life that came to a brutal end. The contrast of love and hate.

As a talk show host for AM 760 in Denver I became familiar with the case that initially riveted the local progressive community and came to be followed by the entire state. In honor of Angie’s memory and the film that keeps her legacy alive I recently interviewed two people intimately involved in the tragedy. I hope you find your way to the Long Beach Q Films Festival on September 18th at the Art Theater in Long Beach CA. In the mean time here are my conversations with the two women who some might have mistakenly predicted would never share a common cause.

Autumn Sandeen a blogger, reporter, and transgender activist. Ms. Sandeen was the first reporter to devote herself to in-depth coverage of the court proceedings that would eventually bring Angie’s murderer to justice. Autumn was so devoted to the case that she faithfully tweeted moment to moment live reports from the courtroom.

Monica Zapata is Angie’s devoted sister. Monica was the person that found Angie’s battered body. In a very raw interview Monica discloses her feelings on that day of terrible discovery, her love for her sister, and her anger at the man who stole so much from her and her family. Monica also shares her hope for Angie’s legacy.