Yaz’min Shancez. Nicole. An unknown woman. They and dozens more were murdered in the past year, in cases directly and indirectly related to their transgender identities. 226 transgender individuals were killed in the past year worldwide, according to Transgender Europe (TGEU). It is for this reason that Trans Day of Remembrance, held annually on Nov. 20, is considered a memorial for the dead and a reaffirmation of community for the living.

This year, Hamline University students participated in several Trans Day of Remembrance events through Spectrum, Hamline’s LGBTQIA organization on campus.

Kylie Reuter (‘18) said that the event was “eye-opening.” She said that she hadn’t known how violent people’s reactions to transgender people could be, citing the example of a transgender woman who was stoned to death this year.

Joshua Kiyee (‘18) also attended the event, and said that while he has been a sporadic member of Spectrum this semester, he has always been interested in issues of gender and sexuality and that the event was a safe space to gather, share, and educate. He also said that Spectrum has been a great way to fill in the gaps of a lacking high school education.

Reuter said that despite the heavy subject, the Spectrum meeting leading up to the Trans Day of Remembrance event was a mix of seriousness and fun, as exec board members, general members, and new faces all planned the excursion.

First, students visited the United Church of Christ Living Table memorial, a more solemn gathering to mourn those who had passed. Then, students made their way to Trans* Jam, an event held in the attic of The Exchange featuring trans-identified artists.

Reuter said that it was fun to see how people expressed themselves. She said that many artists went “all out” for the event.

Kiyee agreed, referencing a particular spoken word artist he had enjoyed: “They slammed me.”

Reuter said that Spectrum is always a safe space if you need someone to talk to, and that Transgender Day of Remembrance was another way to express that safety.

In addition to the field trip off campus, Chandler Daily (‘16) put together a series of educational slides to be shown in the Anderson Center for “Passing Education.” The slides featured the names, pictures, and as much identifying information as was known about the transgender victims, as well as statistics about transgender violence.

Upcoming events from Spectrum will include Rainbow Week and the Hamline Amateur Drag Show in spring semester, but few days of the year carry as much weight for the LGBTQIA community as Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Reuter said that anyone who seeks to know more about LGBTQIA issues or wants to be an ally should attend a Spectrum meeting.

“It’s not just a space for LGBTQ[IA] people,” Kiyee said. “It’s a space for people.”