We will remember those we’ve lost. Always.

This blog post is by TW, a longtime member of the Pride Team.

It’s me again. Another cycle around the sun, another loop around the clock. Another Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20 is a day that we take to remember those of us who lost our lives to transphobic violence, those who were murdered for being who we are. It can be difficult to do so; many of us are still misgendered (called by pronouns/gendered in a way that is not ours) in articles or on death reports, deadnamed (called by our birth name, not our chosen name) by family. The numbers are likely higher than is reported due to this fact.

I’ve been looking at the numbers, looking at the names, since before I even started writing these posts. I printed out the list for a display when I was working at a different branch. I’ve written to you  reading this time and time again. Sometimes, I’m tired. Sometimes, I’m angry. Sometimes I don’t know what else to give.

In 2023 there were 32 reported deaths in the US and Puerto Rico. In 2022, another 32. In 2021, 45. This year, 2024? 27 at the time of publication. And again, these numbers are likely lower than is accurate, due to the issues listed above, not even including the racism involved, as well as hatred towards sex workers causing lack of care or inaccurate reporting.

Included in the list below are those who were killed or discovered to have been killed after we went to publication last year. As usual, this information was obtained from the Human Rights Campaign.

We aren’t going away. Some of us may go back in the closet for our own protection, for the safety of loved ones, but we’re not gone. You can’t kill us out of existence. You can’t litigate us out of existence. You cannot remove our existence at all.

We will continue to be here, as we have for hundreds of years, before some cultures even had words for us. We will remain.

And we will remember those we’ve lost. Always.

Jean Butchart, 26. Belleville, Michigan. Shot and killed August 4^th, 2023.

Amiri Reid, 21. Toledo, Ohio. Shot and killed while driving November 14^th, 2023.

Kejuan Richardson, 21. Toledo, Ohio. Shot and killed while driving November 14^th, 2023.

Savannah Ryan Williams, 38. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shot and killed November 29^th, 2023.

Amber Minor, 40. Raytown, Missouri. Shot and killed December 24^th, 2023.

Meghan Riley Lewis, 57. Bel Air, Maryland. Shot and killed December 27^th, 2023.

Kitty Monroe, 43. Phoenix, Arizona. Died after being chased, assaulted, and run over with a vehicle January 1^st, 2024.

Sasha Williams, 36. Las Vegas, Nevada. Stabbed to death January 26^th, 2024.

África Parrilla “Emma” García, 25. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Shot and killed February 2^nd, 2024.

Righteous TK “Chevy” Hill, 35. East Point, Georgia. Shot and killed February 28^th, 2024.

Reyna Hernandez, 54. Renton, Washington. Tortured, shot and killed by ex boyfriend. Body found in Mexico March 2^nd, 2024.

Diamond Brigman, 36. Houston, Texas. Shot and killed March 16^th, 2024.

Alex Taylor Franco, 21. Taylorsville, Utah. Shot and killed March 17^th, 2024.

Meraxes Medina, 24. Los Angeles, California. Shot and killed March 21^st, 2024.

Yella (Robert) Clark Jr, 45. Angola, Louisiana. Killed in prison by other inmates April 2^nd, 2024.

Tee ‘Lagend Billions” Arnold, 36. Hallandale Beach, Florida. Shot and killed April 3^rd, 2024.

River Nevaeh Goddard, 17. Stow, Massachusetts. Stabbed to death by boyfriend April 5^th, 2024.

Starr Brown, 28. Memphis, Tennessee. Shot and killed by coworker April 19^th, 2024.

Andrea Doria Dos Passos, 37. Miami, Florida. Beat to death April 23^rd, 2024.

Kita Bee, 46. Kansas City, Missouri. Hit and killed by a vehicle May 3^rd, 2024.

Jazlynn Johnson, 18. Las Vegas, Nevada. Shot and killed by a friend May 6^th, 2024.

Brandon “Tayy Dior” Thomas, 17. Mobile, Alabama. Shot and killed by partner May 7^th, 2024.

Michelle Henry, 25. San Francisco, California. Strangled and stabbed to death May 15^th, 2024.

Liara Tsai, 35. I-90, Iowa. Stabbed to death by ex before being found in crashed car June 22^nd, 2024.

Pauly Likens, 14. Sharon, Pennsylvania. Beaten to death before being found dismembered June 25^rd, 2024.

Shannon Boswell, 30. Atlanta, Georgia. Shot and killed, then hit with a vehicle July 2^nd, 2024.

Kenji Spurgeon, 23. Seattle, Washington. Shot and killed July 1^st, 2024.

Monique Brooks, 49. Orlando, Florida. Shot and killed July 19^th, 2024.

Dylan Gurley, 20. Denton, Texas. Stabbed to death July 23^rd, 2024.

Vanity Williams, 34. Houston, Texas. Shot and killed by someone she knew August 3^rd, 2024.

Tai’Vion Lathan, 24. East Baltimore, Maryland. Shot and killed August 4^th, 2024.

Redd “Barbie”, 25. Chicago, Illinois. Shot and killed September 8^th, 2024.

Kassim Omar, 29. Columbus, Ohio. Shot in 2022, died in hospice due to injuries September 6^th, 2024.