Take a day to honor killed transgendered

The 2008 Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual event designed to recognize those killed due to anti-transgender violence, will be marked by a program at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Unitarian Church, 739 Yarmouth St., Norfolk.

This 10th annual international day of remembrance is being organized locally by New Life Transgender Outreach, a ministry of New Life Metropolitan Community Church of Hampton Roads. The church also will mark the remembrance at today’s 11 a.m. worship service, which will be held at The Governor Dinwiddie Hotel, 506 Dinwiddie St., Portsmouth. The Thursday program will include guest speakers Vega Perry and Michelle Marie McCay and music by transgender vocalist Tona Brown accompanied by The New Life MCC Woodwinds. A labyrinth walk is planned to provide a safe place for each participant to remember, reflect and embrace their own and other’s journeys.

The purpose of Transgender Day of Remembrance is to educate the general public about transgender people and to reduce the hate and violence directed toward the transgender population. Since 1970, more than 400 transgender people have been killed. More information is at www.rememberingourdead.org.

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