Loring Park in downtown Minneapolis will be the setting for a vigil on Thursday evening to bring attention to an epidemic of violence against transgender women in the United States.

As many as eight transgender women have been murdered in the United States since the start of 2015, a rate of more than one a week. Most of those victims have been women of color.

On Tuesday, the community in Miami was shocked by the death of artist of Kristina Grant Infiniti. On Thursday, the community held a candlelight vigil to remember Infiniti who police believe was murdered in her home.

Though many cases are still under investigation, news reports suggest that the following transgender women have been murdered so far this year: Bri Golec of Akron Ohio; Penny Proud of New Orleans; Lamia Beard of Norfolk, Virginia; Taja Gabrielle DeJesus of San Francisco; Ty Underwood of North Tyler, Texas; Yazmin Vash Payne of Los Angeles;

The Human Rights Campaign notes: “In addition to these murders, Lamar Edwards – whom LGBT friends have confirmed to The Advocate uses the name Lamar and identified as a gay man who sometimes dressed in drag – was fatally shot on January 9; police have not released information about whether Edwards was presenting as female at the time of death.”

This epidemic of violence has prompted a vigil in Minneapolis to draw attention to that violence and to remember those who have been killed. “Join those of us from the Black Liberation Project as we honor and uplift the sisters we have lost to racist and transmisogynistic hate violence,” event organizers wrote. “This vigil serves as an act of remembrance and an act of defiance to a system that wants to keep these deaths invisible.”

Details:
Title: #StopTransMurders Vigil
Date: Thursday, February 26 at 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Location: Loring Park, 1382 Willow St, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403
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