You may be familiar with the Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) as November 20, the annual day to honor the memories of trans people whose lives were lost to anti-trans violence. (Check out GLAAD's explainer for more info.) While honoring the dead is important, more and more organizations and individuals are using November 20 not just to remember those who are no longer with us, but also to celebrate the love and resilience that exists across the trans community.
Promoted by Forward Together, an organization that "unites communities to win rights, recognition and resources for all families," the Trans Day of Resilience celebrates "the love that makes our trans families bloom." For 2022, Forward Together has compiled a beautiful collection of art, is offering a Trans Love care package, and a fabulous zine titled Trans People Exist in the Future: Art and poetry celebrating trans resilience.
This year's Trans Day of Resilience artist is cozcon, who created "three visionary works of art celebrating trans love and families." You can read an interview with cozcon here, visit them on Instagram, or check out their shop that offers clothing, prints, and more.
Here's how Forward Together describes the history and present of the Trans Day of Resilience:
Founded with the Audre Lorde Project in 2014, the Trans Day of Resilience art project is an annual love offering to trans people of color everywhere. Led by Forward Together, its current name and spirit emerged from a 2015 call from New Orleans trans justice organization BreakOUT! to celebrate the resilience of our trans family.
November 20 marks Trans Day of Remembrance, an annual memorial for our murdered kin. The day gives us space to grieve the siblings—overwhelmingly Black trans women and femmes—who were pushed out of this world too soon.
Our rebellious mourning recommits us to the living. We refuse to forget or forfeit our power, even in the face of epidemic violence. We remember: we are pure possibility. Our freedom dreams could set the whole world free.
With art as our portal, we imagine and femifest the world we deserve. May this project, for and by trans people of color, help us see ourselves safe and cherished, rested and healed, fully alive. Let’s dream and shape an irresistible future together.