The Transgender Day Of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual international event that happens on November 20^th. It recognizes the senseless violence that is experienced by transgender and gender non-conforming individuals due to their gender expression and/or identity. It was created in November 1999 in San Francisco in order to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester, a transgender woman of color who had been killed the year before in Boston, on November 28^th.

Since the first Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 1999, the Remembering our Dead website was created to commemorate the transphobic murders that have occurred and continue to take place. The number of transgender and gender non conforming people who've been murdered is staggering. It has been reported by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects that in 2007- out of 3,319 LGBT people who reported facing domestic violence, 101 callers were Trans women and 50 of these callers were Trans men.

This year is especially sad for New Yorkers, who have lost both Sanesha Stewart and Lateisha Green. Several New York City organizations will hold vigils commemorating all of the lives lost to violence.

Housing Works will be commemorating the Transgender Day of Remembrance this Thursday. From 6-7:30 a vigil and poetry reading will be held at the Housing Works Transgender Transitional Housing Program on 2640 Pitkin Ave in Brooklyn. Click here for more information. For questions contact Tracy Bumpus at 718-827-8700, ext. 150 or bumpus [at] housingworks [dot] org.

The Gender Identity Project will also be holding a vigil on Thursday from 7-8:30 at the LGBT Center of NYC. Participants will also be able to create a "Tree of Life" and speak out about their experiences and memories. Click here for more information. For questions contact Cristina Herrera at 212-620-7310, ext. 273 or cherrera [at] gaycenter [dot] org.