November 20 marks Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual observance that honors transgender people who were killed in acts of violence and discrimination.
According to GLAAD, the annual observance was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith, who wished to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman killed in 1998. A vigil was held commemorating all the transgender lives lost since Hester, which laid the groundwork for the tradition that has become Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Everyone can support Transgender Day of Remember by attending or organizing a vigil that honors all those lost to anti-transgender violence. Vigils are typically held by local advocates and LGBTQ organizations at community centers, parks, and other shared spaces.
Another way to participate in the annual observance is to learn more about the violence that affects the transgender community. Below, the Black Information Network honors some of the Black transgender people lost this year to violence.
Thomas ‘Tom-Tom’ Robertson
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