Being both transgender and biracial, Krya - who also went by Krya Kruz - did not want other young people to suffer the same indignities she had.
"Racism, discrimination, not being able to get a job, a whole gamut of things," Dawn said.
But her efforts were violently cut short. Krya was found shot in the head in the 1100 block of Adams Avenue in the Frankford section of Philadelphia back on September 3rd.
Her murder remains unsolved nearly three months later.
Last month, hundreds of people rallied in her honor, seeking justice for Kyra.
"Being transgendered doesn't mean that nobody loves you, nobody cares about you," Dawn said. "My daughter was loved by her family, by her extended family, by more people than I was aware. At her vigil we had down here, we had over 300 people come."
The Citizens Crime Commission is administering a $5,000 reward posted by the Justice for Kyra coalition, and the City of Philadelphia is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
"If they can kill her, and leave her on the side of the road like a bag of trash and walk away like it didn't make a difference, it could be your mother, your sister, your grandmother," Dawn said. "It could be you."
Anyone with information is urged to call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS (8477)
