Observed annually on November 20th, Transgender Day of Remembrance is a solemn day to honor transgender individuals who have lost their lives to violence and discrimination. This observance serves as a powerful reminder of the challenges and injustices faced by the transgender community worldwide. It underscores the urgent need for acceptance, protection, and respect, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
November 20, 2024 7 PM to 9 PM
Blackbird Commons 131 Atkins Avenue Asbury Park, NJ 07712
TDOR Address by Dr. Geena Buono Assemblywoman Donlon Lauren Albrecht, Director, Advocacy and Organizing at Garden State Equality Assemblywoman Peterpaul Pity The Nation - Khalil Gibran read by Julia Scotti Song "Better Days" performed by Chris Rockwell Robin Gigl "What Does TDOR Mean To Me?" ~ Members of the Community (1 minute per member) Mindfulness Meditation by Arthur Fama and Philip Book Reading of Victim Names by Members of the Community accompanied in the background by TBA Closing Thoughts by Dr. Geena Buono
full program content
Opening TDOR Address by Dr. Geena Buono
Political Figures
Assemblywoman Donlon Lauren Albrecht, Director, Advocacy and Organizing at Garden State Equality Assemblywoman Peterpaul
Reading of Pity The Nation from Khalil Gibran read by Julia Scotti Khalil Gibran's poem "Pity the Nation" serves as a timeless critique of societal failures, lamenting nations that abandon justice, truth, and compassion in favor of greed, oppression, and superficiality. The poem's warnings about moral and ethical decline resonate deeply in today’s political climate, where marginalized communities, including transgender individuals, face systemic violence and discrimination. On Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), we are reminded of the dire consequences of societal indifference and political systems that perpetuate harm against vulnerable populations.
Gibran's words compel us to reflect on the broader injustices of our time: the exploitation of power, the erosion of empathy, and the weaponization of laws against those who seek only to live authentically. In an era where political polarization often undermines human rights, "Pity the Nation" challenges us to envision a world grounded in equity and collective care—values essential for addressing the root causes of violence and oppression commemorated on TDOR.
-----------------------------------
“Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion. Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave and eats a bread it does not harvest.
Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.
Pity a nation that despises a passion in its dream, yet submits in its awakening.
Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.
Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking
Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting, and farewells him with hooting, only to welcome another with trumpeting again.
Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strongmen are yet in the cradle.
Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.”
― Kahlil Gibran, The Garden of The Prophet
Song "Better Days (The Millennial Condition)" performed by Chris Rockwell Verse 1: Shoutout to the latch key kids getting into trouble And to their parents always working double And shoutout to my friends fighting big and little wars Who slept in libraries and on basketball courts It was a time when time didn’t matter We lived in a dream that the world couldn’t shatter Cause nothing could tear away a kid from their dreams Until the fabric of life comes apart at the seams Until we learned that a home isn’t something you can own Cause soon we had landlords, and we had student loans And we had a hole above our heads in the ozone And it took a minute but we figured out we’re not alone We learned to forgive, but we keep receipts We are dishes in the sink, and pickets in the streets We just want to play where nobody cheats We got no choice but to play for keeps But do you love what you believe? Do you wear your heart pinned proudly to your sleeve? Do you love people of different colors? Cause we just wanna take care of each other We just wanna make friends, and make ends until the day ends The fight ain’t over until we say when They can say what they say, we’ll do what we do With everything to gain, and nothing to lose Chorus: I’m waiting on better days I hope they ain’t far away I’m hoping for better days All of the time, all of the time I’m dreaming of better days I hope they ain’t far away I’m working for better days All of the time And I hope to make them mine Verse 2: We’ve so much to heal from And that’s why we feel numb But we are the real ones With chests full of steel drums We give back, we get back We shine through the jet black We overcome setbacks Cause that’s what we’re best at They want us to turn down We’re just gonna turn up They call us the burnouts They’re the ones who burned us Go get all the wealthy Take em all off welfare We wanna be healthy We’re about that self care Chorus
"What Does TDOR Mean To Me?" Members of the Community (1 minute per member)
Mindfulness Meditation Led by Arthur Fama and Phil Book
Say Their Name Members of the Community
Reading the 373 Names of the Lives that were lost worldwide due to violence and by suicide. See Name List Below
Closing Words by Dr. Geena Buono
Special thanks
Brittney and Frank Solis, Blackbird Commons Jason Dermer, Asbury Audio Assemblywoman Donlon Assemblywoman Peterpaul Lauren Albrecht, Director, Advocacy and Organizing at Garden State Equality Chris Rockwell Garden State Equality The City of Asbury Park Asbury Park Press NJ 12 TV and all Volunteers & Special Guests
TDOR Committee Members Dr. Geena Buono Heike Zelnhefer, LCSW
Gratefully, Transgender Alliance of New Jersey
In Loving Memory of Joe Harvard and Babs Siperstein
Name List
The collection and tracking of the victim names is taken from https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports
Name Unknown Lorraine Savannah Ryan Williams J. Sabido Name Unknown Eva Phanuchaya Niamthong ("Ariya") Samantha Barbosa Cavalcante Demita Jo Armstrong Akshaj Paloma Amaral Silva Madison Montana N. B. da Silva Roja Luisa Melo Rocío Name Unknown Roxanna Delgado Trujillo Jéssica Hadassa Caio Siqueira Care Hansen Kamylla Faião de Oliveira Rudy ("Blancanieves") Ashley de Freitas Tripp Schultz Name Unknown Bella de París Teresa Fuenmayor ("Tere") Aylén Loto Amber Minor Divya Name Unknown Izabelly Kalahary Katya Mikhailova ("Kate") Obaidy Meghan Riley Lewis Paola Portillo Manu Diniz Name Unknown Jay Unchuan ("Coach Jay") Lexus Walker Warha Name Unknown Name Unknown Kitty Monroe Laila Ketellen Sarala Eduarda Dutra Silva Lola Estrela Souza ("Telinha") Gaby Ortiz Vanesa Name Unknown Katiuska Cedeño Sofía Oliveira Name Unknown Giovana Souza Miriam Nohemí Ríos Ríos Antonina Babkina Bruna Trindade/Bruna Andrade Emma Name Unknown Bunitinha Cristina Ramires ("María bonita") Dr Samantha Carolina Gomes Fonseca Blaire Crits-Christoph Mayla Rafaela Martins Damla Giselle Stone Effy Delith Diva Reina de los Santos Contreras Guelila Elizabeth Iyob ("Gigi") Kelly Sousa Rafaelyyy Costa Yeliz Ada Korel Quin Joy James Moen Sasha Williams Alessandra De Marzo Simi Dhanalakshmi Kal Jasuhara Gissell Brown Dixon Parsa Amanda Soares ("Mandy Gin Drag") Teo Samuel Vásquez D. Gomes da Silva Dianny Caballero Gonzales Kathryn Maria Ottersten ("Kathy Otter") Ná África Parrilla García ("Emma") Helen García Artelles Luma Barcelos Cecilia Gentili Nex Benedict Raju Name Unknown Eliza Cortez ("Eli") Erin Sylvia Sorrell Simsim Jazmín Zambrano Horna Devaly Vilchis Larios ("La Pepona") Petra Cacoj Maria Cristina Hellen de Roma Abigail Salvatierra Noah Jackson Chase Vanessa Evelyn G. Ferreira Gomes Angelique Villarreal ("Angy") Keylin Oana Soriano Esmeralda Arcel Regio Haila Vitória Name Unknown Jaquelline Barbie Gutiérrez ("Niurka") Teresa Murillo Pâmela Andressa Name Unknown Sirena Miller Ashton Myles Clatterbuck Alexa Arriaga Márquez Devanny García Name Unknown Luisa Mome Righteous Torrence "TK" Hill (Chevy) Paulina Smith Arroyave Queen Uwuseb Devora Shaina Bayabay Reyna Hernandez Noel Rodrigues Santos Monserrat Hernández Asma Shah/Asma Lata Alize Díaz Reshma Khatun Martha Alexandra Coromoto Aytan Name Unknown Diamond Brigman Jhenifer Luíza Anastacia Castillo Riana da Conceição dos Santos Alex Taylor Franco Joelma Barbie Mucilon Meraxes Medina Patrícia Flávia Alves Bianca Thaliana Henao Saidul Islam Nayan Name Unknown Name Unknown Kity Rivera Name Unknown Adrian Fox Bollinger ("Adri") Name Unknown Dámaris Julieth León Guamán Yella Clark Charlie Haffray Tee Arnold ("Lagend Billions", "Ace") River Neveah Goddard ("Phoenixx") Betsy Altamirado Orrala Gisa Ribeiro Lima Meredith Escarlet Basil Brown Jorrana Patrícia da Silva Fernanda Rodríguez Lara João Fernandes Rodrigues Afsana Dadá Shayene Daniele Miranda Alves Babli Alison Samira Santos Abdul Mannan Ananya Phongsak Buakham Starr Brown Name Unknown Macarena Selena Acuña Valentina Barrera Delgado/Vanessa Valentina Arango Verónica Dantez Radia Teherin Utsha Sharon Muñoz Zúñiga Andrea Doria Dos Passos Yuliana de la Sancha Guillén ("Yuli") Kataleya Marcinha Ribeiro Luciana Román/Luciana Moscoso Moreno Allister Matthews Luma Ferrari Darri Moore Charmy Fredricks Ramona Félix Noelia Kañiri Encinas Kita Bee Manji Naik Name Unknown Cássia Vieira Natasha Almeida da Silva Jazlynn Johnson Niomi Jenkins Tayy Dior Thomas Babli Tris Lassablier Paloma Mendes de Sousa P. Romo Jo-Ann Isaks Michelle Henry Jonhy Roberta Marrero Joshua Kimo Rainforest Laranang-Mellor Jr ("Rain") Name Unknown Name Unknown Name Unknown Name Unknown Cataleya Tapia Redondo Tamoghna Sen Gil Alondra Name Unknown Name Unknown Jamie Dooley Yomaira Castañeda Karabelo Pudumo Duda Gaucha Mónica Mancilla Trinity Suárez Luna Kopola Lynn Ann Conway Daniela Perea Gece Yaniker Kenia Cruz Sherry Oziel Branques dos Santos Sofía Leonor Liara Kaylee Tsai M. Tapia Pauly Likens Ashish Chausali Valentina Sody Gabriella da Silva Borges ("Gabi Campbell") Emma Alraabeah Thabang Mmelusi Maboela Poly Alejandra Arana Name Unknown Lucero Rodriguez Valdivia Cacau Kenji Zemonta Spurgeon Dayana Hernández González Ketilly Shannon Boswell María de los Ángeles Díaz Carolina Machado Abad ("Heidi", "Clarita") Angélina Clément Géraldine Zavaleta Rojas Name Unknown Huber Blanco Medina El Hooper ("Coil Bottle") Sheela Camila Herrera María ("China Mayerly") K. Lubaton Name Unknown Ev Smith Samanta Sonia Cristell Martínez Dominguez Monique Brooks (Jade-Monique Thomas) Violeta Daniele da Silva Luna Martins Leticia M. E. Aryadina Montenegro Dylan Gurley Jane Valéria Ferrugini Gabriela Varconti ("Gabi") Aranza Aldanely Castillo Ruíz Name Unknown Verónica Dantes Karolay Castillo Paola Jaqueline ("La Española") Estrella ("Estrellita") Name Unknown G. Cabansag Indianara Pereira de Souza Vanity Williams Name Unknown Tai'Vion Lathan Gul Ghatay Jenifer Sharon Romero Flores ("Jenny") Amanda Lucía Martínez Chantelle Ifeanyi ("Abuja Area Mama") Ema Vira Daniela Henrique ("Dani") Gabriely Lorrany ("Gaby Lima") Clemmy Hadebe Safira Meneghel Danna Rodríguez ("La Güera del Sur") G. Rinlada Name Unknown Larissa da Silva Maria Eduarda Souza Lima Indiana Grayson Jullyane Fernandes Kasandra McKenzie Leandro Walker Titley (¨Leo¨) Sunita China Rivas Ana Ayetza Yaret Salas Rigo Calderón Beidy Gonçalves Valeska London Name Unknown Kassim Omar Gérard Élisé Lanson Ana Paula Costas Rivas Barbie Iceland ("Redd China") Name Unknown Ariana Ponce Aoife Dovah Velspira Rashi Sudenaz U. Kesaria Abramidze Neerma María Lima Cass Trystero Natasha Reddington-Romanov Aquilla Bruninha Cony R. Hong Dayana Núñez Letícia Antonella Maryon Bárbara Vergetti Martins de Souza Name Unknown Asmara Mayte López Regalado Honee Walker Jill Heathers Bouvier Rynn Azerial Willgohs Kaile Villar Pons Florencia Luna Reinaldi Name Unknown Name Unknown Cris Chirinos Alvarez Ayub Ali Phoenix Cassetta Saritha Priscila Karis Saldarriaga San Coleman Naira Victória Neris Amanda Eduarda Rios Nazka Salmanu Luane Costa da Silva Soraya Ruíz Evellyn Marcelly ("Evinha") Jay Floris Débora Myrante Silva Dylan Amaya Cardona Laisa Camacho Serenity Birdsong Juana Castañeda Isabela Quanesha Shantel ("Cocoa")