Well it's late and I just got home from a long afternoon in downtown DC. My reason for being there was to attend a Day of Rememberance service held in front of the Whitman Walker Clinic.
For me, memorializing our loved ones and friends was about not letting their spirit and influence on our lives go unforgotten. Additionally its about living and moving forward. We learn and grow from those before us and never forget the tragic loss of having them leave us too soon. With our trans brothers and sisters though, it's because of ignorance and hate that they have left us in body, yet never in spirit.
I feel even more compelled to help in organizing Baltimore's Day of Rememberance next year.
I'm emotional tapped out at this point!
There was some uplifting from my travels today. Even though I was tooling around in drab mode, I ran into several friends including my friend Kay. Kay moved away from DC in 2005 and just recently moved back. Needless to say I'm excited. Locally, on a scale of androgyne and transition, she was someone I looked up to. I aspired to be like Kay. Many noted trans-activist and leaders were on hand and I personally met Rev Drew Phoenix who was just trying to quietly attend the service. My friend Donna introduced me to Mara Keisling, the Executive Director of NCTE. There is a genuine humility in both of their voices.
Not much more than the desire to reflect.
I know how difficult it is to attend a transgender day of remembrance but it is so important to attend.
ReplyDeleteThank you for going!