Statement by Vivent Health on Transgender Day of Remembrance 2020

Today marks the culmination of Transgender Awareness Week, and I encourage everyone to pause and reflect as we remember the far too many transgender lives we have lost to violence. This year, more than 30 people have been killed because of transphobia in the United States – a staggering number that should force all of us to rededicate ourselves to making our selves, our families, our organizations and our communities truly safe and inclusive spaces for transgender folks in our lives.

While we honor the lives we have lost to violence, we also implore all of us to celebrate the resilience, beauty, love and power that trans people bring to our world every day. If we are to fully address and overcome issues of racism, sexism and other forms of systemic oppression, we must be dedicated to the full acknowledgement and inclusion of transgender folks in society.

Friday, November 20, 2020 marks the 21st Transgender Day of Remembrance, which was started in 1999 in memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman killed in 1998. Since its inception, the Transgender Day of Remembrance has grown to more than 185 cities and more than 20 nations across the globe.