When her sister Layleen Polanco died in a Rikers Island solitary confinement unit while on duty guards chuckled to themselves, Melania Brown pledged to fight until the New York City jail system sees meaningful change.
Polanco, a 27-year-old Afro-Latina transgender woman became a symbol of brutality within the walls of Rikers Island when she perished after suffering an epileptic seizure on June 7, 2019. As she lay dying, an investigation found, officers refused to render medical treatment — stating that they believed her to be sleeping. Although guards refused to aid her in life, Polanco’s sister, Melania Brown, has dedicated her existence to supporting her in death.
