Candles and emotional speeches marked the yearly Transgender Day of Remembrance where people from all communities gathered to celebrate the lives lost to transgender violence.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day of memorial held yearly on Nov. 20. On WCU’s campus where they have held this memorial for over six years, community members and students gathered in the cold to pay their respects to those who have been lost.
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According to a statistic by the Human Rights Campaign, “2022 has already seen at least 35 transgender people fatally shot or killed by other violent means.” The HRC says in the same article that often these stories go unreported or misreported so the death toll could be far greater.
Additionally, Transgender Day of Remembrance was held just two days after the attack at Club Q, a queer nightclub in Colorado Springs. The emotion and shock of such an attack still weighed heavy on people’s hearts at the vigil where over 30 people were in attendance. Many touching speeches were delivered addressing the attack by members of ANSWER WCU, Sylva Pride, Disabled Students United chapter at WCU (DSU) and MMIW NC Qualla Boundary Chapter.
One of the groups in attendance, Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition, is dedicated to raising awareness of and fighting against racism and imperialism on a global scale. They provide educational resources for students about human rights abuses. In a statement posted on the ANSWER WCU Instagram page, they said, “Trans rights are under attack, and Western North Carolina is speaking up and fighting back!”
The group created a social media campaign in the weeks ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance to highlight transgender and ally voices in Western North Carolina. Leading up to the vigil, the stories from transgender people and allies were shared on the ANSWER Instagram. There, others could see the videos and find solace in knowing that they are not alone in their struggles.
Nudale Adantedi, the social media account representing the MMIW NC Qualla Boundary, also played a part in the social media campaign and in a caption said, “For Transgender Awareness Week, we are speaking with trans community members and allies in Jackson County and across WNC, and sharing their voices, their stories, and their commitment to struggle for trans rights and trans liberation.”
In a separate post, they said, “Across the nation, transgender people—especially trans youth—face a rising tide of state oppression and violence…” They carried this message with them while recounting some stories of loved ones who had been lost.
After the vigil, the presenting groups reminded everyone to hold their loved ones closer and remember that time is fleeting because actively not advocating for change is time wasted. To stay updated on upcoming events from ANSWER, Sylva Pride, DSU and MMIW NC Qualla Boundary Chapter, you can find them on Facebook and Instagram.
