Words by Rae Fuentes, 2025 TRANSform Culture Fellow
Somewhere in the shadows, atop a lone table, a candle flickers. Across a solemn room of solidarity, the sound of names read aloud echoes. The silence between them was heavy with unfinished stories. This is an image of gatherings from around the globe on Trans Day of Remembrance. These gatherings are a ritual of memory, but also a prayer for a world where no more names are added to this list.
On Trans Day of Remembrance, we come together in the weight and the stillness, somewhere between grief and resilience, suffering and hope. We speak the names of those whose lives were cut short by hatred, intolerance, and violence, many of whom were Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. We hold space for each of the countless names we will never know. Each name is a story, a life, a person who deserved safety, love, and dignity.
Founded in 1999 after the murder of Black Trans woman Rita Hester, November 20th has become a day of grief and reverence. Trans Day of Remembrance is not a holiday, but is a vigil that recognizes the real harm of systemic oppression caused by transphobia and exorsexism, racism, and misogyny, each wound deepened by poverty and criminalization. Trans Day of Remembrance is a day when the weight of names spoken aloud reminds us of the high cost of living authentically as ourselves in a world that too often denies our existence and validity as a global community.
On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we are here to mourn the lives of our fallen siblings, yes. But we are also here to insist on a future where remembrance is no longer necessary. Because that is not yet our reality, we will not forget who and what we are fighting for and against. We say their names, remember, and continue in courage and determination, wholly united. In doing so, may we not only honor their names and remember them, but may we collectively commit to creating a world where no one is lost to hate.
Rae Fuentes is a 2025 TRANSform Culture Fellow from Idaho, where they work in reentry services supporting formerly incarcerated individuals in rebuilding stability and purpose. Rae also serves on the board of directors of a local grassroots nonprofit where they lead local LGBTQIA+ advocacy and community initiatives. You can find more of their work on Medium.