Transfaith

View Original

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) Toolkit for Organizers

Toolkit created in collaboration with Transgender People of Color Coalition

Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20 annually) is an important part of the life of transgender communities around the world. It is also increasingly being recognized by allies in LGBT organizations, faith communities, and other fields.

This toolkit is intended to resource faith communities and other Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) organizers in planning TDOR observances. By gathering all of these materials together in one place, we hope to nurture the growing international community of solidarity that honors this important day.

May our words and actions be a blessing to those who grieve and encouragement to those who seek justice.

1. What is it?

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is a very unusual "holiday." The tone and intention of the day can easily be misunderstood, especially by those who may be well-meaning, but new to transgender communities.

Ten things every ally should know about TDOR is a good place to dig in.

2. Who am I in relation to it?

When organizing your TDOR observance, it's important to understand your place in relationship to the violence -- so you can have clarity about how to enter into community that is suffering. For some of us, it is hard to manage our grief for those we've lost -- or hard to leave the apartment for fear of street harassment. For others, the violence is a distant reality grounded in statistics.

To dig deeper, read Critical Questions for Organizers.

3. How Can I Help?

At the core of Transgender Day of Remembrance is a gathering of supportive community. Think about who you are hoping to connect with -- and how you can best build those connections.

Taking Transgender Women of Color Seriously can help you take your planning to the next level.