Transgender Awareness Week November 11-19, 2026
Transgender day of REMEMBRANCE 20, 2026
Transgender Awareness Week is a reminder to keep learning, keep listening, and keep building a future where trans people can live with dignity, safety, and joy year round.
“Why is Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) so important to me? Because it gives me an opportunity to honor and pay homage to my angels, friends, and family—some of whom I had the privilege of knowing and sharing personal relationships with. Their lives, stories, and memories will forever hold a special place in my heart. We remember not just how they left this world, but the lives they lived, the love they shared, and the impact they made.
Let’s show up, celebrate life, honor our fallen, and continue making space for our community to be seen, heard, loved, and remembered.”
—TaMesha Kaye, she/her, OUTMemphis Trans Services Manager
Bringing awareness to transgender life, experiences, and loss is the first step in building a community where transgender people can feel supported and thrive. At OUTMemphis we believe that every person deserves access to affirming care and resources, meaningful connections, and support that meets them where they are.
While Transgender Awareness Week or TAW (November 13-19) is an opportunity to educate the public on transgender issues, stories, and their contributions to our communities while addressing the barriers that affect their lives, Transgender Day of Remembrance or TDoR (November 20) is a time to honor and reflect on the lives lost to anti-transgender violence. Creating a space for LGBTQ+ communities to mourn and speak their names.
Rita Hester, 1998
Gwendolyn Ann Smith
None of this would be here without the work Transgender people have put into communities across the world. The first TDoR vigil was in 1999 in memorial in honor of Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman murdered in Allston, Massachusetts on November 28, 1998. Rita was a staple in the Boston club scene and beloved by her patrons. Transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith co-founded what we know now as TDoR. Not only was the media’s treatment of her death and general uneducated knowledge a big motivating factor, but also Gwendolyn was shocked to find out just how many people didn’t know she was murdered. This is what drove her to mobilize the first vigil on November 28, 1999.
That wasn’t all Gwendolyn did to preserve the lives of these transgender individuals lost too early to violence and hate. You can visit the site “Remembering Our Dead” that has tracked trans homicides dating back to 1932, before Rita Hester.
Say their names.
We are sharing the names and faces of the transgender folks killed in the USA from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.
Today we see TAW and TDoR recognized not only in our nation but also globally and is even officially recognized in Gwendolyn’s home state of California. The worry now is the more TDoR grows the more we might forget what it originally stood for.
This is not to say there isn’t room to celebrate the accomplishments our Transgender sisters, brothers, and kin have made through the barriers, but there is a difference between a joyous occasion and honoring our history.
Many TAW & TDoR events are hosted by transgender advocates or LGBTQ+ organizations at community centers, parks, or even places of worship. At OUTMemphis, this year we are partnering with local organizations and advocates like Lena Chipman, Friends for All, My Sistah’s House, and WeCareTN to bring a series of programming around TAW & TDoR. Providing the space to come together for community and support during such a heavy time. (visit OUTMemphis’s Trans Services Page for all things TAW & TDoR)
Now that you’ve been made aware, what is next?
Give what you can. Donate to local organizations supporting trans communities, contribute requested supplies, or become a recurring donor to help sustain their work year-round.
Give your time and talents. Volunteer at community events, help distribute essential resources, share your professional skills, or ask local organizations where they need an extra hand.
Show up for the community. Attend trans-led events, support local businesses, learn from community leaders, and share opportunities for others to get involved.
Practice everyday allyship. Respect names and pronouns, protect people's privacy, challenge misinformation, and speak up against discrimination when it's safe to do so.
Celebrate trans joy. Support trans artists, recognize trans leadership, and make space for stories that celebrate the creativity, relationships, and accomplishments of transgender people.
This blog post was written by
Shelda Edwards
Communications & Partnerships Manager
she/her
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