During the 30 minutes I was surfing the Internet at lunch yesterday, I read about the nearly-fatal police assault on Chad Gibson at the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth, and the upcoming trial of for the murder of Teish Green, a Transwoman who was killed in Syracuse New York in November 2008.

It was an overload, to be hit with the intensity of the attacks upon my community. I decided to write a post about hate violence, but it has taken me a long time. Words seem so inadequate to express what I’m feeling; to express the tragedy that is a beautiful and brave life lost. Words will not bring them back, nor will they help heal the wounds that still run so deep – at least not my words.

But then I remembered a video made by the family members of Angie Zapata, a Transgender woman murdered in Greely, Colorado in July 2008. The video, hosted on Light A Candle For Angie, features Angie’s family and friends talking about their memories of Angie and the pain it caused them that she was gone. Its a beautiful video and you come away feeling like you know something about Angie and the person that she was. By telling her story, they truly honor her memory.

Telling the story of folks who have been victims of hate violence is also important because it humanizes us as a community. Queer and Trans people, in particular Transwomen of Color, are at a tremendous risk of hate violence. According to the Fred Martinez Project,

One of the most important ways to change this dynamic within the culture is by telling the stories that humanize the issues and transform fear and bigotry into insight and compassion.

This is what the Fred Martinez Project is working towards with the release of the film Two Spirits: Sexuality, Gender and Murder of Fred Martinez.

From the website:

Fred Martinez was nádleehí—someone who possesses a balance of masculine and feminine traits—a special gift according to his traditional Navajo culture. But his determination to express his truest identity tragically cost him his life. At age sixteen, he was one of the youngest hate-crime victims in modern history when he was murdered in Cortez, Colorado.

Two Spirits was recently screened at Frameline33 and will be showing July 16 at OutFest in Los Angeles, California. To learn more about the film and other Fred Martinez Project outreach activities, check out the website.

As a 26 year old Transgender man, I am grateful for the courage and sacrifice of those who came before me. And I am proud of today’s activists and organizers that are continuing the spirit of uncompromising resistance to the forces of transphobia, racism, poverty, homophobia, and genderism.

One of these organizations is the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, located in New York City. On Friday, June 26, SRLP and their supporters will pound the pavement for Trans Day of Action 2009.

On June 26, 2009, Trans and Gender Non Conforming (TGNC) People of Color and allies will take to the streets of NYC once again and demand justice to let the world know, that on the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, the rebellion is not over and we will continue fighting for justice, raising our voices until we are heard.

As a white Transman, this energizes and heals me and calls to me to take action and never be content until every member of our diverse communities is free from discrimination, harassment and hate violence, and empowered to be true to ourselves and our families, however we choose to define them.

To endorse the Transgender Day of Action, email endorsetdoa@alp.org. For more information about the march and rally, visit the Silvia Rivera Law Project or email info4tdoa@alp.org.

The web announcement also displays the TDOA points of unity, which are a must-read. Before laying out the 11 points of unity, SRLP beings with:

As TGNC People of Color (POC) we recognize the importance of working together alongside other movements to build the world we want to see. Much has changed since last year’s TDOA, the election of a new US President has brought hope to many of our communities, however we still live in a time when people of color, immigrants, youth, elders, rural communities, people living with disabilities and poor people are disproportionately underserved, face higher levels of discrimination, heightened surveillance and experience increased violence at the hands of the state. In fact, due to the growing financial crisis conditions have worsened. As a result, it is even more critical that we unite and work together towards ending the transphobia, racism, classism, sexism, ageism, ableism, homophobia and xenophobia within our movements for justice. We call for an end to the continued single issue platform of gay marriage over TGNC justice by our movements. Let’s come together to let the world know that TGNC justice will not be undermined and together we will not be silenced!

This event and the communities and values behind it are essential to the continued battle against transphobia and homophobia. I hope you will join me in endorsing the Transgender Day of Action.

Also check out these other great Transgender, Gender Variant, Two Spirit, Lesbian, Bi and Gay resources:

• Visit the Fred Martinez Project
• Watch Two Spirits: Sexuality, Gender and the Murder of Fred Martinez

• Take Action to help pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
• Join the fight to protect binational families
• Support the Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project
• Help build an army to repeal Prop. 8