UMD Students Honor National Transgender Day of Remembrance

Students held a vigil in honor of those who have lost their lives because they were transgender.

UMD students held a vigil for National Transgender Day of Remembrance. Even though the event isn’t celebrated nationwide until the 20th, students held it early so the most students could attend the event.

They lit candles and read aloud the 295 names of the victims who died as a result of violence against transgender individuals.

“There are ways to stop it and bring awareness to it and just small things to big things to kind of prevent trans folk from being victimized, stigmatized, and to avoid it escalating to these types of really gruesome cruel acts of violence against them,” said Roze Brooks, GLBT services coordinator.

The vigil also held a moment of silence for those who have committed suicide because of the violence against them.

The November 20th event has been going on since the late 1990s.

This week is transgender awareness week with events being held across the country.