Monica Roberts

Roberts' coverage of transgender homicide victims in the United States is credited for bringing national attention to the issue.

[5][6] In Louisville, Kentucky, Roberts served on the board of the Fairness Campaign and its political action committee C-FAIR.

[6] In 2015, Roberts received the Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneer Award from Fantasia Fair, making her the first African-American openly trans person to be so honored.

[16][14] In 2017, Roberts received the HRC John Walzel Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign.

[18] In January 2020, Roberts received the Susan J Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement from the National LGBTQ Task Force.

[19] In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride parade, Queerty named her among the fifty heroes "leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people".

[28] Many LGBT activists, writers, and other celebrities paid tribute to Roberts via social media following the announcement of her death, including Janet Mock,[29] Raquel Willis,[30] Jen Richards,[31] Darnell L. Moore,[32] and Human Rights Campaign president Alphonso David.

Abbie Kamin, a member of Houston City Council, established the project to make the memorial; Katherine Ligon and Brad Pritchett were the artists.