november 20 is transgender day of remembrance

In 1998, Rita Hester, a transgender African American woman, was stabbed 20 times by an unknown assailant in her apartment in Allston, Massachusetts. In 1999, Rita's brutal murder motivated Gwendolyn Ann Smith, also a transgender woman, to found Transgender Day of Remembrance, a national movement to recognize and humanize transgender people everywhere. In 2014, Jennifer Laude, a transgender woman, was killed by New Bedford native and former U.S. Marine Scott Pemberton. In 2020, the United States reached a grim milestone of at least 34 transgender fatalities reported through November. Clearly, there is still much work to do before transgender individuals everywhere can live peacefully and without fear of violence, scorn, and discrimination.

videos: transgender day of remembrance 2020

Tribute (5:06)

Highlights of the evening's event honoring the transgender and nonbinary individuals senselessly murdered in 2020, as well as Jennifer Laude, a Filipina trans woman killed by New Bedford native and U.S. Marine Scott Pemberton in 2014

complete ceremony (32:46)

All the words and images captured and streamed live on The South Coast LGBTQ+ Networks Facebook page

VIGIL IN NEW BEDFORD ON 11/20 AT 7:00 P.M.​

As the United States reached a historic milestone of at least 34 transgender murders through November this year - more than in any other year - transgender individuals in the South Coast live in fear for their lives and their safety more than ever before.

​Join The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network's Facebook livestream of the event on Friday, November 20, at 7:00 p.m., where the community will honor the deaths of transgender people everywhere, and to imagine the possibilities of a future where transgender people can live in peace.

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CALL HER GANDA: The story of jennifer laude

PJ Raval (he), the internationally acclaimed director/ producer of CALL HER GANDA, an award-winning documentary about the murder of Jennifer Laude, says, “Screening CALL HER GANDA in New Bedford for Transgender Day of Remembrance is of the utmost significance. Sharing the story of Jennifer Laude in the hometown of the person who took her life offers a rare and an important moment to educate and to heal. It is encouraging to witness this community acknowledging and confronting the senseless violence committed against the trans community and demonstrating an impassioned commitment to ensuring that Jennifer’s tragic story will never be repeated. In remembering Jennifer, we can understand that each of our actions matter and that we have the ability to produce positive change.”

Raval is making the documentary CALL HER GANDA free for everyone to watch on Thursday, November 19, Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21. Follow The South Coast Network's Facebook page for updates.