Editor’s note: The original website version of this story contained a proofing error that has since been updated. Naima Herisse is a student at Oregon State University and was speaking about the support she feels at OSU for the trans community.
The night was illuminated by a candlelit painting craft, catered dinner, and Grief Circle on Nov 20, as the Oregon State University Pride Center held a Trans Day of Remembrance event.
Trans Day of Remembrance is an annual event to honor all trans people who died the past year due to hate, violence or suicide.
This event began 26 years ago as a way to remember Rita Hester and Chanelle Pickett, two individuals who lost their lives due to violent anti-trans attacks in San Francisco, CA.
According to the website of the Trans Remembrance Project, there have been 58 deaths related to this topic over the year 2025. 27 of those deaths were by violence.
The OSU Pride Center invited OSU students to this event. The Pride Center provided a welcoming environment with food and warmth.
Throughout the day’s events, students were encouraged to come to the Pride Center and decorate candles as a craft. These candles were later set up on the mantel of the Pride Center’s fireplace, acting as physical representations of those lost.
These candles were set up underneath a wall of photos of trans people who passed. These photos stood alongside a description of the person, explaining the impact that person had on the community, or the person who wrote it.
Around these student-made candles were pink paper flowers that were also created by students who were in attendance.
“Events like these mean just a lot to me because I can see people be themselves,” said Naima Herisse, OSU student. “I can see people be celebrated for being themselves and people be respected and honored for being themselves.”
Herisse says that she enjoys how well treated everyone is within the Trans community and how close-knit the community is.
At the beginning of the event, a Grief Circle was held for all those in attendance. This circle acted as a way to provide support to each other and acknowledge the suffering the community has had.
At the event, the Mid Willamette Trans Support Network was in attendance. This group works to support the transgender, nonbinary, intersex, gender-nonconforming, and gender-ethnic minority communities.
This network holds different support groups for multiple communities. To find out more about the services and support groups available, look to their website.
Following the Grief Circle, dinner was served and catered by Little Morocco, and those in attendance were encouraged to mingle and eat together.
“It’s meant for everyone to just be who they are in a place where everyone recognizes that,” said OSU Student Mayte Pacheco.
Pacheco shared that coming to events like these help her become more comfortable with herself and her own identity.
After dinner, the vigil began.
During the ceremony, student employees and students in attendance spoke. They mentioned the importance of the event and took time to mention the impact Miss Major, a trans rights activist from Chicago, had on the community.
Those presenting took time to state each name of those lost, their age and where they lived.
The vigil and event concluded with two minutes of silence in memory of those who were lost.
