2010 Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance Candlelight Vigil

Bryan Leffew

of Gay Family Values and friend of Carina Holleran

The Rev. Vicki Gray

Deacon, Christ the Lord Episcopal Church, Pinole

Dianna Roraback

President, River City Gems

Author and Associate Professor of Social Work, CSU Sacramento

Dr. David Nylund

THANKS TO ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS AND TO THOSE WHO DONATED TALENT AND RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF OUR 2010 MEMORIAL.

Videos of our 2010 memorial are posted on this page.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance memorializes those killed due to their actual or perceived gender identity and expression The first memorial was a candlelight vigil held in Boston in November 1999 to honor Rita Hester, murdered in 1998. Since then, annual memorials have been observed around the world around November 20. Since 2005, our support group has held an Annual Candlelight Vigil in Sacramento in observance of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance on the third Saturday of each November.

All are welcome.

Our speakers:

2010 Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance Candlelight Vigil

Saturday, November 20, 2010, 6:30 pm

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

2620 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95816

Validated parking is available in the Sutter Community Parking Garage on the corner of 27th and N streets. Access requires a credit card. Please see an usher for a parking voucher. There is also ample parking on the streets surrounding the Cathedral.

In Memory - Carol Ann Byers

In September, 2008, the tragic death of Ruby Molina shook our Sacramento community. This event will pay special respect to her memory among our many brothers and sisters who have fallen to ignorance and intolerance. Please contact the Sacramento Police Department if you have any information that may help the investigation into Ruby's death.

We were heartbroken to hear of the passing of our dear friend Carol Byers on April 2, 2010. This picture (Carol on the left) was taken at our Annual Day of Remembrance Candlelight Vigil held at Metropolitan Community Church Sacramento on November 19, 2007. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Carol was a civilian electronics engineer for Project Scope Creek at the U.S. Air Force Satellite Control Facility from 1976-1983, then a Senior Project Manager at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field until her retirement in 2001.

Even after retirement, Carol inspired many with her talents and tireless interest in community advocacy and volunteer service. She loved acting and genealogy and was a board member of the Sacramento Genealogy and Historical Society of the Sacramento Valley. She was a Docent at the Crocker Art Museum and a member of Elk Grove Artists and her art works have recently been on exhibition. A pioneer in satellite communications technology, she operated the West Coast Packet Satellite Gateway for the Amateur Radio Worldwide Packet Network with her own ham radio station W9HGI.

In recent years she attended and assisted with several of our Sutter group meetings and functions. We will hold Carol's memory deeply within our hearts.

Here is the report from April 7 Ministerial Message from Rev. Doug Kraft of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento:

"In Memory—With great sadness we announce that Carol Byers took her own life last week. Those ministers and church friends who had spoken to her recently had no indication that this might happen. She had just had her neck brace removed, and was learning how to swallow in hopes of having a feeding tube removed. (In December she had extensive spinal surgery following an automobile accident.) We are shocked as well as sad, and extend our condolences to her family, friends and all who enjoyed Carol’s participation in both UU congregations in town as well as many artistic and civic organizations."

Sacramento Bee Obituary

In Memory - Carina Paige Holleran

We regret to announce that a lifelong friend of Carina Paige Holleran notified us through Sacramento PFLAG that she had committed suicide on March 21. Carina, age 37, was active with our support group and Sacramento and Elk Grove PFLAG, and the online communities of the River City Gems Yahoo Group and Susan's Place. She assisted with videotaping and with preparation of the reception for our Sacramento Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil on November 21, 2009. We remember her as a loving and giving spirit. She wrote that she found comfort in this world in owning her gender identity, but her desperation was brought upon by the anguish of being cut off by family. We will miss her dearly.

THANKS TO ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS AND TO THOSE WHO DONATED TALENT AND RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF OUR 2010 MEMORIAL.

The Commemorative DVD of our 2009 event is available. A minimum donation of $10 is suggested to help toward our future memorial events. Please request your copy through our contact page.

Videos of our 2010 memorial are posted on this page.