The 2SLGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) calls on the whole Humber community to take some time to learn, reflect, and attend a Trans Day of Remembrance event on November 20, 2024.
Humber Polytechnic and the University of Guelph-Humber are committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive culture in which all members of the Humber community study, work and live free from discrimination and harassment. Transgender Day of Remembrance has been observed around the world since 1999. Trans advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith created TDoR to honour and memorialize Rita Hester, a Black trans woman who was killed. TDOR typically is commemorated by a vigil to commemorate the trans, Two-Spirit, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people’s lives that were lost over the past year in acts of transphobia and anti-trans violence.
As trans people are increasingly evoked in elections and bills and laws targeting trans rights and freedoms are brought forward in Canada and other countries, Humber students, staff, and loved ones are impacted. It is, therefore, all the more important that we all take the time to learn, reflect, and amplify trans voices on TDoR throughout the year.
In acknowledging the hardships, losses, and resilience of Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary people who came before us, we renew our commitment to creating a safer, more inclusive world. Our collective grief is not just an act of remembrance; it is a call to action.
The ERG has also established a 2SLGBTQ+ Scholarship, and members of the Humber community are encouraged to support this initiative. Students who are members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community may face bigger financial challenges than those not in an equity-deserving group. For instance, according to the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, two out of every five young people experiencing homelessness are members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Information on how to contribute can be found on the 2SLGBTQ+ ERG website.
The 2SLGBTQ+ ERG thanks you for your efforts in creating an inclusive, transphobia-free Humber community.
For support: