A resounding sentiment collectively shared at the memorial service on Saturday was Dameron’s legacy of being fearlessly herself as a transwoman.
The transgender Cherokee woman went missing six years ago before her remains were identified earlier this month.
The Indigenous non-profit organization Matriach held the service, which offered a platform for Dameron’s close family to share memories of their relative and for some to share art, medicine and awareness of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis.
Dameron’s Aunt Pam Fencer told the crowd of about three dozen people that her niece had a big heart and beauty that radiated from the inside out.
“She was so proud of her identity as a transgender woman, and we are forever missing her and powerful legacy of kindness she has left behind,” Fencer said at the memorial service. “From princess dresses to ball gowns, she was always confident in herself. We hope you carry the love you share for Auburn to everyone else.”
But as Fencer and other MMIP activists shared, Dameron’s story is not over because the questions of what happened to Dameron and who murdered her still linger.
In 2023, the Not Invisible Act Commission published a report detailing its investigation into the MMIP crisis. As of February 2025, the report has been taken down from the Department of Justice website. A copy of it can be found on the Turtle Talk blog.
Another memorial service was held for Dameron last Thursday in Lawton. Rural Oklahoma Pride organized the candlelight vigil.
