San Jose Trans Day of Remembrance vigil and march
San Jose, CA – On November 22, the San Jose People’s Pride Coalition held a vigil and march for Trans Day of Remembrance, a day commemorating the lives lost to transphobia.
“Fight Trump’s Hate, Honor Their Names” was the theme of this year's action as Trump and Republicans’ attacks on trans people and other oppressed people continue to ramp up.
The event started with emcee Evelyn Cooper asking a member of the crowd to say the names of the 58 people who have died since the last Trans Day of Remembrance. Pictures of all of those named, along with candles, were laid in front of the speakers to underscore the number of those killed.
People’s Pride organizer Hazel Tongzhi began the evening by emphasizing that attacks on trans people did not start with Trump’s administration but are part of a larger systemic issue. “Those who died to violence are almost entirely oppressed nationalities – Black and Chicano – trans women. This is not mere coincidence. This is the structural issue of transphobia and transmisogyny particularly and the intersection of it with race and class,” stated Tongzhi.
Pan Garcia Breceda from Community Service Organization (CSO) San Jose spoke on Trump's attacks on immigrants and the Chicano community. They highlighted the local example of Ulises Pena Lopez, who was detained by ICE in late February. Breceda explained that ICE “smashed his car window with a baton and dragged him out of his vehicle.”
Breceda emphasized the importance of solidarity between movements as “both the transgender movement and immigrant movement have received attacks directly under Trump and his administration.”
Lyla Salinas, an organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke, “Whether you’re cis or trans, the monopoly capitalist ruling class is the common enemy of all working and oppressed people.” Salinas continued, “True liberation for trans people, working people, Black people and all oppressed people will never become a reality as long as billionaires run this country. There is only one path to liberation: revolution and socialism.”
Shortly afterwards, the crowd of people led a march through San Pedro Square and Post Street where a longstanding gay bar is located. As they marched, they chanted, “When trans people are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “Hell no we won't be quiet! Stonewall was a riot!”
The vigil and march concluded with calls for action and to organize a broad front against Trump.