UM-Flint to host pair of Trans Awareness Week events, Nov. 13 & 20

The University of Michigan-Flint will observe Trans Awareness Week, Nov. 13-19, culminating in the annual Trans Day of Remembrance.

The Center for Gender and Sexuality will kick off the week with "Feeling at Home in a Trans Body," a workshop on self-care for transgender individuals led by CGS Peer Educators. Scheduled for 2:30-3:30 p.m., Nov. 13, in 213 UCEN, the session will explore ways trans people can make their bodies feel more like their own, including discussions on body modifications and makeup. While the program centers on trans experiences, all are welcome to attend.

The week's featured event is the Trans Day of Remembrance, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Nov. 20, on the first floor of the Frances Willson Thompson Library. This annual gathering serves to mourn and remember transgender community members who have lost their lives due to violence in the United States during the past year.

This year's remembrance event is a collaborative effort between CGS, the Intercultural Center, the Thompson Library, PRIDE, and LUNA. The event will feature a community meal, an ofrenda (a traditional Mexican altar), and a reading of the names of trans individuals lost this year. Notable speakers include Julisa Abad, director of transgender outreach with the Fair Michigan Justice Project, and UM-Flint associate archivist Callum Carr, who will present an updated version of their talk on trans history in Flint.

The event is especially significant for the UM-Flint community as it honors the memory of Vanessa Goldman, a former senior associate campus librarian and community member. Goldman started her career at UM-Flint in 2000, teaching information literacy classes. During her time at the university, she was involved with the Ellen Bommarito LGBTQ Center, now CGS, the Women's and Gender Studies Program, and the Women's Commission. The 2023 event was staged in the library, marking the start of an annual tradition.

"Transgender Day of Remembrance gives us an opportunity to grieve and reflect upon the lives of our trans community members lost too soon," said Hilary Murmers, CGS LGBTQIA+ coordinator. "It is also a call to action for allies to stand up and speak out for the transgender community in a time when so much hateful rhetoric is being used against them.

"The collaboration between various campus organizations highlights the university's commitment to fostering an inclusive environment and raising awareness about issues affecting the transgender community."

Both events are free and open to the public.