On Trans Day Of Remembrance, Chicagoans Brace For Struggle Ahead: ‘We Know What It Takes To Fight’

Wednesday marked the 25th annual Trans Day of Remembrance, an observance honoring trans people who have lost their lives due to transphobia and violence.

KENWOOD — A Trans Day of Remembrance celebration honored the lives of trans people lost to violence while pledging to continue the fight for LGBTQ+ rights that attendees said are increasingly under threat.

The trans-led nonprofit Life is Work hosted a Trans Day of Remembrance event Wednesday at Room 43, 1041 E 43rd St. Wednesday was the 25th annual Trans Day of Remembrance, which started in 1999 following the murder of Rita Hester, a Black Trans woman in Boston.

The observance was established not only to memorialize Hester but also to honor countless other trans individuals whose murders have gone without justice. Despite increased visibility of trans issues, violence and political attacks against the community continue to be an issue, speakers at the event said.

Keynote speaker Precious Brady-Davis, the first Black trans woman to serve as a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, said the trans community is likely to face blowback from the incoming administration of Donald Trump.

“Today, we gather at a crossroads as we face an administration and a political climate that is unabashedly determined to throw transgender people under the bus,” Brady-Davis said.

Brady-Davis described the numerous challenges facing the trans community, highlighting issues such as attempts to bar a trans Congressperson access to women’s restrooms in the U.S. Capitol and the ongoing search for Taylor Casey, a Chicago native who has been missing in the Bahamas since June. Project 2025, a conservative plan to influence the federal government and its policies, looks to enforce the “biological binary meaning of sex,” according to 19th News.

She invoked the long legacy of trans people overcoming systemic barriers, from the Stonewall uprising to the present-day struggles, speaking to the power, resilience and collective strength of the community.

“From Stonewall to now, there’s a blueprint,” Brady-Davis said. “We’ve been here before, and we know what it takes to fight for our rights.”

The evening also included a somber tradition of Trans Day or Remembrance: a candlelit vigil and reading the names of each trans person who died in the past year.

Channyn Lynne Parker, the CEO of Brave Space Alliance, stepped forward to read the 36 names. The lights dimmed as she called out each person. Among them, Barbie Redd, a 26-year-old Chicagoan who was fatally shot in West Garfield Park in September.

The room was silent as attendees bowed their heads, some wiping away tears, as Parker honored each life lost.

“May their lives not be in vain,” Parker said. “We continue the work to protect the living and to prevent future tragedies.”

Marissa Miller, director of development for Life is Work, said it is important to reflect on the losses in the community as a way to rededicate to the struggle ahead.

“For one day, we take a breath, light candles and say the names of those we’ve lost,” she said. “But our work doesn’t stop there. We honor them by continuing to fight for a world where trans lives are valued.”

The event also included an awards ceremony honoring emerging leaders in the trans community: Courtney McKinney, Emily Jade Aguilar, Chris Huerta, Joseph Coleman, Esmeralda Maya Lozano and Olivia Bryant. Each honoree was celebrated for their impactful work in advocacy, community building and advancing equity in the trans community.

For those looking to learn more about Life is Work, an open house will be held Dec. 1 at its new West Side location, 600 N. Cicero Ave.