Transgender Day of Remembrance / Dia de Recuerdo Transgenero

A coalition of community organizations welcome you to join us at the 2008 Transgender Day of Remembrance of Santa Cruz County. The event will feature a candlelight vigil, speakers, local music, and spoken word artists. Speakers include local community organizers, political leaders, clergy and health service providers.

The Trantastic Power Trio known as Frootie Flavors is back, frootier than ever and looking forward to being part of the remembrance. For info on Frootie Flavors band, visit http://www.frootieflavors.com.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999.



The National Center for Transgender Equality estimates the likelihood that a transgendered person would be the victim of a violent crime is 16 times the national average. In the United States, approximately one person per month is murdered because of the victim's gender presentation. This year in California, two people have already died, victims of gender-identity based violence. They include Lawrence King, a 15 year old resident of Oxnard and Ruby Molina, a 22 year old resident of Sacramento. In 2002, Gwen Amber Rose Araujo was brutally murdered in an early morning in Newark, California. The story of seventeen year old Gwen, her mother, Sylvia Guerrero, and their large extended family saddened and inspired people around Northern California.


Day of Remembrance gives transgender people and their allies a chance to step forward and stand in vigil, memorializing those who've died by anti-transgender violence. All are welcome at the Transgender Day of Remembrance, including significant participation by friends, family and allies of the local transgendered community.

Stay tuned to Closet Free Radio Show, KZSC 88.1 FM, on Monday, November 17th, 7:00 - 8:30 PM, to hear more about Transgender issues.