By Sal Montemurro, Pulse Webmaster and Staff Writer
Trans Day of Remembrance was founded in November 1999, in honor of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in 1998. It now takes place every year on Nov. 20, the day is observed all over the United States, as well as other countries. And the week leading up to this Day of Remembrance has been marked as Transgender Awareness Week. The occasion is held in memory of all the trans people whose lives have been taken by anti-trans violence over the past year. It’s a ceremonial occurrence, where transgender individuals and their allies hold awareness for those lost lost and hope for a better, brighter future.