Advocates for Trans Equality Releases 2024 Remembrance Report on 25th Anniversary of Trans Day of Remembrance

[Washington, DC] – As Trans Day of Remembrance approaches, Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) has released its 2024 Remembrance Report, honoring the lives of 113 transgender people who have passed away in the United States since November 2023. Of those, at least 43 of those were lost to violence and another 24 to suicide. This online memorial draws from national and local news, LGBTQI+ organizations, social media, and community submissions, presenting photos and illustrations to celebrate each person’s full life rather than just the circumstances of their death.  
 
“This year’s Trans Day of Remembrance Report honors the memory of those lost and spotlights the urgent need for change to protect those still with us. Despite hopeful strides in healthcare, identity documentation, housing, employment, and education over the past 25 years, a resurgence of hate and misinformation—especially during this recent election cycle—reminds us how hard-won and fragile these advances are,” said Olivia Hunt, Director of Federal Policy. “The Remembrance Report captures only the names of those fortunate enough to be recognized, found, or able to leave a last record of their true selves. For every life commemorated, countless others remain uncounted.” 
 
The Remembrance Report reflects on the dedication of A4TE’s staff, activists, volunteers, and families, who continue the legacy of Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR), established in 1999 following the deaths of Black trans women Rita Hester and Chanelle Pickett. The first TDOR vigil, held 25 years ago, served as a solemn yet powerful tribute, honoring trans lives lost to hatred and transphobia – lives too often disregarded or misrepresented in both life and death. 
 
TransRemembrance.org and the Remembrance Report uphold this mission by memorializing these individuals and providing data on the violent, discriminatory forces targeting the trans community. 
 
Black trans women, who make up less than 8% of the U.S. trans population, account for over 30% of this year’s reported losses, and 50% of violent deaths. Black trans women, like Zenji Zemonta Spurgeon and Tayy Diorr Thomas, often receive far less visibility than their white trans siblings, such as Nex Benedict and Pauly Likens, highlighting racial disparities in whose stories are told.  
 

### 
 

Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is an organization that fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in the United States. Introduced in July 2024 after the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and the National Center for Transgender Equality merged, A4TE is the largest trans-led advocacy organization in the U.S. and brings together experts, advocates, and communities to shift government and society toward an equitable future where trans people live joyful lives without barriers.