The University’s Gender & Sexuality Resource Center is hosting a series of events to observe Transgender Awareness Week, which is annually commemorated Nov. 13-19. The week leads up to Transgender Day of Remembrance, which takes place each year on Nov. 20.
“Transgender Awareness Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of transgender people, and an opportunity to address barriers to the safety, equality and acceptance for all transgender people, including youth and families,” GSRC wrote on its website.
GSRC shared that the Counseling Center will host the “Queer and Transgender Wellness and Resilience Workshop” from 4-5 p.m. Thursday. Later that evening, the GSRC will host a candlelight vigil from 7-9 p.m. to honor trans individuals who lost their lives to violence.
Transgender Day of Remembrance takes place each year on the anniversary of the death of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was murdered in Boston in 1998. Her case remains unsolved.
The following year, activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith began the observance after holding a vigil in Hester’s memory.
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“First recognized in 1999, it has since evolved into an international movement aiming to recognize and honor all the Trans* lives which have come before us,” GSRC wrote on its website.
Advocates for Trans Equality, a national trans rights activist organization, released its 2025 Remembrance Report ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance to honor trans people who died from violence, suicide and natural causes since November 2024.
“This report is not just a record of loss—it is a call to action,” said Bahari Thomas, director of public education at Advocates for Trans Equality, on the organization’s website. “Every name represents a life that mattered. They were artists, dancers, writers, computer scientists, students, parents, friends and much more.”
A memorial sponsored by GSRC will be on display in the Illini Union North Lounge until Friday.
