America is in the midst of an epidemic of anti-trans violence which disproportionately impacts transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Dozens of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive (TNGE) people are killed each year, the vast majority of whom are BIPOC. The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that nearly 50% of all TNGE people are sexually assaulted, with that rate increasing 6-18% for BIPOC folks. According to the National Anti-Violence Coalition Programs, TGNE folks are "7x more likely to experience physical violence when interacting with the police" than their cisgender peers. This violence cannot be allowed to continue.

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November 20th marks the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to honor TGNE folks killed in the previous year and advocate TGNE liberation. Gwendolyn Ann Smith began the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in 1999 as a vigil for Rita Hester, a transgender woman killed the year prior. In the 22 years since, the Transgender Day of Remembrance has become a special marker for the TGNE community to remember the dead. Along with vigils, protests and other advocacy events are held across the country each November 20th to demand positive change. Every town, city, and state can and must do better, Wisconsin included.