You may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
–Maya Angelou, from “Still I Rise”
Yesterday, international communities took time to remember those who have been killed by Anti-Transgender violence. Here is a small collection of memorials, reflections and resources that we came across to help us all reflect on this day:
The official Transgender Day of Remembrance Events and Locations list: http://www.transgenderdor.org/2013/10/07/tdor-events-and-locations-2013.htm
TDOR in South Africa: a memorial video via iranti-org: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7spZNpsbgU#action=share
“Thinking About Girls Like Us Who Didn’t Get a TDOR Memorial” via Transgriot: http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/11/thinking-about-girls-like-us-who-didnt.html
Alongside sobering statistics about trans deaths worldwide, this list highlights the advancements and accomplishments made by trans people this year: http://www.autostraddle.com/its-transgender-day-of-remembrance-lets-celebrate-trans-lives-and-accomplishments-206386/
The Advocate‘s slideshow of trans people we’ve lost in 2013. (Note how many African-Americans are on this list): http://www.advocate.com/crime/2013/11/20/transgender-day-remembrance-those-weve-lost-2013?page=0,0
A nice essay on the origin and meaning of the day via HuffPo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-miller-jen-hoffman/transgender-day-of-remembrance_b_4304629.html
New York Times story on Islan Nettles: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/nyregion/embarking-on-a-new-life-transgender-woman-has-it-brutally-taken.html?_r=1&
Trailer for Valentine Road, documentary currently airing on HBO about the 2008 murder of Larry King at a high school in Oxnard, CA http://valentineroaddocumentary.com/trailer
In love and peace,
AJ