County Adopts Proclamation for Transgender Day of Remembrance

Yesterday, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted a Proclamation establishing November 20, 2019 as Transgender Day of Remembrance in San Mateo County to honor the memory of those whose lives were lost as a result of anti-transgender violence.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was established in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender activist, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. Since 1999, Transgender Day of Remembrance has been held annually and quickly evolved from a local gathering started by Smith into an international event. In 2013, Transgender Day of Remembrance was observed in over 200 cities throughout more than 20 countries in support of transgender and gender non-conforming people.

“We cannot bring these victims back to life, but by declaring a specific day to honor them, we raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people who every day demonstrate courage and resilience in the face of prejudice, discrimination and violence,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine and author of the Proclamation. “This effort also serves to heighten awareness of the need for elected officials, law enforcement, the media, and all of us to recognize the challenges faced by this community, and help them feel welcome.”

San Mateo County has recognized the Transgender Day of Remembrance since 2013 and has been a leader on Transgender and LGBTQ+ issues broadly. This includes the opening of the LGBTQ+ Pride Center in San Mateo in 2016, supporting the Pride Initiative through the Behavioral Health and Recovery Service’s Office of Diversity and Equity, establishing in 2014 the first county or city sponsored LGBTQ+ Commission in the State of California, and passing the inclusive Transgender Policy for county employees.

In addition to the Proclamation, the County will also pay tribute to Transgender Day of Remembrance through multiple events in Redwood City on Wednesday November 20. At 8:15 am, the Transgender flag will be raised in the courtyard outside the Hall of Justice. At 5:00 pm, there will be a candlelight vigil and processional from the Redwood City Courthouse Square to the Redwood City Public Library. Finally, at 6:30 pm there will be a Commemoration Program in the Library’s community room.

“With this gathering, we aim to provide a space for communal healing, to celebrate the lives of those we've lost, and to commit to fighting against discrimination and violence that our transgender community faces,” said Dana Johnson, a member of the County’s LGBTQ+ Commission and co-chair of the County’s PRIDE Initiative and an organizer for this year’s commemoration.