Alexis Erlynmeyer was a transgender woman, a federal worker, and a beloved member of the DMV community. She died on December 27 at just 31 years old from a pulmonary embolism. Alexis lived openly and authentically among her friends and chosen family here. She was thoughtful, brilliant, dryly funny, and deeply kind—the sort of person who made others feel seen even while carrying more than her share of pain.

After her death, her family learned that Alexis was transgender and that she had built a full, meaningful life here. They have chosen to cremate her and bury her under her deadname. Those of us who loved her cannot allow that to be the only way she is remembered. This fund is being created to memorialize Alexis with her correct name and identity, preserve her dignity, and ensure she is remembered truthfully. Funds raised will first go toward creating or updating a memorial that reflects Alexis as she lived and was known. Any remaining funds will be donated to local transgender and LGBTQ+ mutual aid organizations in the DMV, in her name.

Alexis mattered. Her name was real. Her gender was real. Her life was real. This fund exists to make sure she is not erased in death after surviving so much erasure in life. Thank you for helping us honor Alexis with the care and honesty she deserved.