On March 3, LGBTQ+ community leader Veronica Walters passed at age 70, in Myrtle Beach Grand Strand Memorial Hospital after battling multiple health issues. A tall, kind and commanding woman, Walters, walked into rooms wearing extravagantly bright outfits. She cultivated and advocated for trans rights by educating and building space for people to thrive.
A Myrtle Beach resident, Walters was the vice chairperson of the Myrtle Beach Human Rights Commission and founder of T-Time, a support group for trans people. Founded in 2005, the non-profit provides transgender, intersex and non-binary people with an opportunity to share experiences and learn from other communities.
CareTeam Plus, a non-profit health organization, expressed their condolences on social media, “Throughout her life, she provided guidance for those who felt lost, comfort for those who felt alone, and education for those willing to learn. To know her was to love her, and she will be deeply missed.” Walters was a board member on CareTeam Plus for almost 10 years.
Walters ensured that anyone who wanted to attend a T-Time session could. If someone didn’t have the means to join, she’d drive her truck to pick them up and drop them off in the center.
“She kind of lived the word empathy, said Brandi Willis, one of the leaders from T-Time. “If someone else is hurting, she was hurting because that person was hurting.”
To ensure the LGBTQ community in Myrtle Beach was safe, Walters served on the Commission for 12 years and joined Grand Strand Pride in 2013. Adam Hayes worked alongside Walters on the human rights commission for six years.
Hayes described Walters as “relentless” because of the hard-hitting questions she asked during commission meetings. She’d show up to every event, protest, festival and government meeting that included LGBTQ+ people. When protesting, Walters never shied from the front lines. If any hate groups seemed to pose a danger to the protesters, Walters could often be seen providing protection.
At the time of her passing, many people from across the state mourned her death. With kindness and resilience, Walters fought for everyone. “Even if she was having personal health issues, she would get in that truck and show up,” said Adam Hayes, vice chair of the Myrtle Beach Human Rights Commission, referring to Walters’ older pickup that she often drove. “That woman was there to do something.”