Laughter, Lipstick, and Lies: What Happened to Marsha P. Johnson?

Laughter, Lipstick, and Lies: What Happened to Marsha P. Johnson?

In our Pride special, Island Noir: Beyond the Palm Trees revisits the suspicious death of Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson, the Black trans activist who, alongside her friend Sylvia Rivera, co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) and helped lay the foundation for what we now recognize as Pride. In 1992, Marsha’s body was found in the Hudson River. The NYPD called it suicide. Noir Seekers drop your thoughts below. We love hearing from you! Drop your fan mail here: [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/support] Like, comment, and Subscribe ✊🏾

The North Epping Nightmare

Five members of the Lin family are killed overnight—no forced entry, no warning. The only survivor is miles away when it happens, only to find out in the most unexpected way. In this episode, we unravel one of Australia’s most brutal family murders and follow the journey of the sole survivor, Brenda Lin, who transformed her trauma into advocacy by co-founding The Survivor Hub, a peer-led organization supporting sexual assault survivors through recovery and the justice system . We love hearing from you! Drop your fan mail here: [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/support] Like, comment, and Subscribe ✊🏾

Jaliek's Note

Jaliek Rainwalker was just 12 when he disappeared from Greenwich, New York, in 2007. Labeled "troubled" and shuffled between adoptive homes, Jaliek left behind a cryptic note—and vanished. This episode explores the unanswered questions, shifting stories, and haunting behaviors that followed.  We love hearing from you! Drop your fan mail here: [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/support] Like, comment, and Subscribe ✊🏾

Inaugural Dreams, Chicago’s Sorrow

Just days after marching in Obama’s inauguration, 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed in a park near his home—an unintended victim of gang violence in Chicago. Her story shows how innocent lives are caught in the crossfire of gang rivalries while highlighting how her legacy sparked nationwide activism against gun violence.   We love hearing from you! Drop your fan mail here: [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/support] Like, comment, and Subscribe ✊🏾

Rugby and Rage: The Fernando Báez Sosa Case

A night out. A brutal attack. A country forced to face its privilege. When Fernando Báez Sosa—a son of immigrants—was killed by a group of rugby players, Argentina erupted. What started as a fight outside a nightclub became a national reckoning around race, class, and justice. We love hearing from you! Drop your fan mail here: [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2208391/support] Like, comment, and Subscribe ✊🏾