Last night, at the end of an action packed weekend, I took part in my first Transgender Day of Remembrance march and memorial. The 2011 TDOR was the thirteenth annual day of international remembrance of those in the transgender community who have been murdered in anti-trans hate crimes. In addition, the Vancouver TDOR also memorialized those in our community who have died due to suicide or by lack of access to health care or social services.
This year's Vancouver TDOR march began at the Carnegie Community Centre at Main and Hastings streets and proceeded westward along Hastings, through the Downtown Eastside, to the Harbour Centre campus of Simon Fraser University. A police escort accompanied us through a rather unseasonably cold evening. The sense of collective power I felt by walking with friends, acquaintances and allies created a kind of warmth.
The memorial itself, in one of the conference rooms at Harbour Centre, involved a number of us reading out the names and details of those killed since the last TDOR memorials in 2010. During the open mic portion towards the end of the event, a number of issues about services to our community were raised; healthy and honest discussion ensued.
Through it all and some of the socializing afterwards made me realize how much I needed to connect with others in the trans community more. I am making a mental note to make more time for my friends, in particular, my new founded ones in the trans community. We need each other.
Edit: More information on TDOR can be found at the Vancouver TDOR site as well as at the main international site.
