Angie Zapata, who was 19 when she was murdered in 2008, with her nephew.
This weekend is Transgender Day of Rememberance y’all, and I highly recommend you head on over to Colorlines to read the piece they have put up about it today. A snippet:
At least 22 people were killed in 2009 because of their perceived sexual orientation, four out of five of whom were people of color. Half of the victims were transgender women and most of the other half, according to the Anti-Violence Project, were men who were either dressed in typically feminine clothes at the time of their murder or were generally gender non-conforming. Not one of these murders made national headlines
Go on over and read the whole thing. This weekend, think about the trans lives lost, and tell someone you know about this. So many times the lives and histories of the most marginalized people are glossed over, and it’s important to tell those stories of violence and marginalization.
It’s also important not to paint trans women of color as perennial victims though, so I want to point you to this awesome report by Queers for Economic Justice – A Fabulous Attitude, a participatory action research study by and about low-income queer people surviving, thriving, and makin’ it happen. So take this weekend to remember those we have lost, remember the survivors, and educate your community.
[...] of Remembrance, a day when we remember of all the lives lost to transphobia and hate in this world. My friend Veronica points out it’s also a day to honor the resilience and trans and gender non-conforming folks, and all [...]