Friends, family and allies held a candlelight vigil for the three transgender women killed in Jacksonville in 2018 and the 19 others who died in other cities.

Friends, family and allies held a candlelight vigil for the three transgender women killed in Jacksonville in 2018 and the 19 others who died in other cities.

Chloie Kensington started the organization Stiletto Sisters Society after two of her friends were killed.

“I’ve lost two friends this summer to violence -- senseless, heinous violence -- here in the city,” Kensington said.

On June 1, her friend, Antash’a English, was shot and killed in a drive-by in west Jacksonville. When it happened, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office referred to her as a man.

Celine Walker was shot and killed at a hotel in February, and Catalina James was killed in another hotel in late June.

“Our responsibility now is to make sure that the people who have been murdered here were not done so in vain,” Kensington said.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, which tracks crimes against the LGBTQ community, more transgender killings have happened in Jacksonville than any other city in America in 2018.

On Monday, The Daily Beast published an article calling Jacksonville, “America’s transgender murder capital.”

The killings prompted the victims’ friends, family and allies to rally at City Hall .

In August, JSO formed the LGBTQ Liaison Team, and two months later, updated department policies, including honoring the names, gender identities and pronouns of transgender and gender non-conforming people.

“I’m very proud of that but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” Kensington said.