Oakland Hosts “Transgender Day of Remembrance” Ceremonies
Posted in news on Jul 17th, 2007
On Sunday, November 19, the TransVision Program of Tri-City Health Center (Fremont) hosted a stellar memorial celebration honoring of the lives of Bay Area Trans-men and women who lost their lives to violence and HIV / AIDS.
The local ceremonies were part of the National Day of Remembrance activities held in cities around the country. Many residents of other metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, Wash., DC, Baltimore, Chicago, Louisville and others, as well as several cities in the South and East Bays, came together in solidarity to celebrate the lives of our many Trans sisters and brothers who’ve been lost to violence against them or, due to the life-threatening medical complications associated with HIV / AIDS.
The ceremony held in Oakland was historical — in that it was the first ever celebration of this annual national event.
Some of the scheduled speakers included: Alameda County Board of Supervisors President, Keith Carson; Alameda Country Director of Health Care Services Agency, Dave Kears; TtransVision Program Coord., Tiffany Woods; Alameda County Office of AIDS Admin. (OAA) Director, Ronald Person and other local community leaders, activists, and residents — who shared in the reading of names of deceased TG men and women.
Although crime and violence against TG persons is not reported widely, research has indicated that these travesties usually account for a significant annual number of murders/death of persons identified as Transgender.
Since epidemiological data, regarding the Trans communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, has only been collected within the past two years — and, given the ‘low priority’ for services accountability and equity, marking accurate comparisons to the numbers of Trans persons who’ve lost their lives to HIV / AIDS is currently impossible.
Yet, as the National Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremonies continue to gain momentum and major media focus, hopefully, those organizations, groups and individuals who work so diligently to uplift their (TG) community, will find a new venue for support.
