Join Jefferson Center and Mile Hi Church* as we honor Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day first started in November 1999 to honor the life of Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman who was murdered in her own home the year before. Her friends and community created this day to not only celebrate Rita’s life, but to bring light to the violence the transgender community faces, particularly Black transgender women.

This event will be an opportunity to connect with LGBTQIA+ resources in our community and learn more about how we can continue to fight alongside transgender people to create inclusive and safe spaces for all.

Key Event Features:

Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.
Location: Mile Hi Church 9077 W Alameda Ave, Lakewood, CO 80226

6:00 – Doors open and resource tables
6:30 – Welcome and Will & Harper movie screening**
**Will and Harper is an R-rated movie. The story is important to tell, but some content may not be appropriate for kids younger than 17 years old. We are unfortunately unable to provide childcare during the screening. If you are planning to bring your kids, please keep this in consideration. The rest of the event will include a panel discussion and candle-lit honoring that will be appropriate for all ages. Any individuals under 17 must be accompanied by an adult with a valid photo ID for the movie screening.
8:30 – Panel discussion
Join us for an engaging panel discussion featuring insightful voices from the transgender community. Our panelists will share their unique experiences, offering valuable perspectives on the issues that matter most.
9:00 – Candle lighting and reading of names to honor those lost 

*For decades, the transgender and non-binary community has faced exclusion, persecution and violence from communities and institutions that are called to protect. This includes schools, churches, and police. The harm done to the community is lasting and continues to this day. Jefferson Center is dedicated to calling out these past and present harms and moving forward to support healing, acceptance, and safety for our transgender and non-binary communities.

We also recognize that because this year’s event is being held in a church, it may not feel like a safe space for every transgender or queer person because of negative and harmful experiences they may have faced at religious institutions. If this does not feel like the right space or event for you, here are a few other events happening in the area and nationwide (virtual attendance available) and other resources you can engage with:

Transgender Day of Remembrance – The Center on Colfax – LGBTQ Colorado

Northern Colorado Trans Day of Remembrance & Resiliency – Pride Resource Center

TDOR 2024: Art as a Radical Power

Transgender Day of Remembrance – National Center for Civil and Human Rights

TDOR | Honoring Trans Lives, Dreaming of Trans Freedom – Share art & poetry celebrating trans resilience by trans people of color.

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) | GLAAD

Honoring Transgender Day of Remembrance | Facing History & Ourselves