After the Unthinkable: Honoring Mickey and Jordan Through Action

On Tuesday, March 4th, Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto were murdered in their home in the Allentown neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. Their violent deaths have left a devastating void in the Buffalo community, in the LGBTQ+ community, and in the lives of those who loved them. A shattering event.

Mickey was a fearless advocate, an artist whose work reflected the vibrancy of queer life, and a community builder who lifted others up. Jordan, too, was an artist, and a beloved DJ who brought people together through music, creating spaces where joy and community could thrive. Together, they were carving out a future that included us all. And now, in the wake of their deaths, we are left with shards—of grief, of anger, of their brilliance and impact scattered among us.

A shard is still a shard. It is sharp, it hurts, it is broken. But those fragments of Mickey and Jordan that live on in us—memories, lessons, inspiration—can also be something more. They can be a catalyst. They can be a call to action.

Honor Their Memory Through Connection and Care

Grief is isolating. It can make us pull away, unsure of how to move forward. But grief, like love, is communal. It calls us to gather, to hold each other close, to reaffirm what mattered to them—and what must still matter to us.

Let this be an invitation: Reach out. Connect with your friends. Support local queer artists and organizers. If you are able, donate to organizations that uplift marginalized communities, and to those fighting against the violence and injustice that persist in our world.

Hold Those in Power Accountable

We cannot simply mourn—we must demand change. We must ask hard questions about safety, about justice, about the ways in which systemic failures enable harm.

Call your lawmakers, your city representatives, your law enforcement officials. Demand policies that truly protect lives—not just LGBTQ+ lives, but all lives. Insist on accountability. Ask what is being done—not just to solve one horrific crime, but to ensure that all people can be safe in their homes, in their relationships, in their communities.

Carry Their Legacy Forward

Their deaths have left a void. An absence that feels impossible to fill. But we cannot let that space remain empty—we must step into it.

If you have ever dreamed of creating something for your community, now is the time. Host the event you’ve always wanted to see. Join that board. Attend those community meetings and hearings where decisions are made. Make art! Start the necessary conversations. Show up, speak up, and be a force for the kind of world that Mickey and Jordan believed in and fought for.

Mickey and Jordan, we will not forget you. And we will not let your light go out.