On Trans Day of Remembrance, we celebrate and mourn those we've lost

Every life is a universe. We pull the people we love into our orbit and we shine like brilliant stars–even if some days we feel like we'll never get off the ground. But the impact we have on those around us is both undeniable and significant.

We crafted TransRemembrance.org as a digital memorial for both grieving and celebrating those we’ve lost. Countless precious trans lives have been extinguished, and to grieve is an arduous journey. However, in our period of grief, we persist. We pay tribute to and exalt the existences of those who have departed, and our brilliance remains unaltered. We radiate with an intensity that will outlast our earthly tenure. We shine with a fire that will burn long after our time on Earth. Trans people have always been here, and we always will be.

The first Trans Day of Remembrance was observed in 1999 to ensure that the lives and deaths of trans people would be honored and recognized with dignity and respect. The loss of Rita Hester and Chanelle Pickett became a catalyst for the trans community to record and memorialize the victims of violence who were misgendered, deadnamed, disregarded, and ignored as they deserved to be remembered – as their whole and true selves. What began that November, 24 years ago, continues today with activists and organizations around the world working collectively and independently to honor and remember our dead. We share names and stories, talk to loved ones, scour news and police reports, and build networks in our communities.  Still, the work is never done, and the list is never complete.

Read the full Remembrance Report and explore the list of those we've lost to discover more about their lives.