Nov. 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance, and one of Bluffton’s newest student organizations, Brave Spaces, will hold a vigil to commemorate it. The vigil will take place as a walk with candles from the Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center to First Mennonite Church on South Jackson Street beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16. Participants in the vigil are encouraged to read poems, sing or play music.
Brave Space’s official posters read, “This event is to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia, or the hatred or fear of transgender and gender-conforming people, acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community.”
“Brave Spaces is our LGBTQ+ group where we provide support and comfort to
Berlin Fuqua photo by Nathan Heinze
LGBT individuals on campus,” said sophomore art major and Brave Spaces president Berlin Fuqua. “People are allowed to join, but we’re a closed group, meaning if there are people in the group who are not out, we make sure that we don’t out them.”
“We were officially an organization in the spring semester of 2018,” said Heidi Mercer, assistant professor of social work and faculty advisor to Brave Spaces. “This is our first official event this year.”
Mercer said Brave Spaces began planning potential events as soon as the group was formed, and she shared statistics to emphasize the importance of Transgender Day of Remembrance.
“This year, in 2018, there’s been 22 people killed [in the United States],” said Mercer. “Typically they’re trans women, and trans women of color that are killed. There’s actually been two trans women of color murders in Cleveland. Cleveland’s a big city, but sometimes it’s hard for us to believe this type of violence can exist somewhere closer to home, but it does.”
Fuqua said the plans to hold a commemorative walk for Transgender Day of Remembrance were partially impacted by logistics.
“The reason I decided to do a vigil walk with candles was because I felt that was a way we could bring together members of the community,” said Fuqua. “It’s an open thing, so members of the Bluffton community are allowed, the university community is allowed, professors are allowed, we have people from other campuses coming. I felt it would be a good way to sort of start off because we didn’t really have a place on campus to fit everyone, but the pastor of First Mennonite said we could have our event held there.”
First Mennonite Church located on Jackson Street will be the host location for the Transgender Day of Rembrance vigil Friday, Nov. 16. Photo by Nathan Heinze
In addition to the vigil, the group hopes to have other events throughout the year.
Heidi Mercer photo by Nathan Heinze
“We’ve not yet sat down and solidified or concreted plans,” said Mercer. “I think there will be more kind of lighthearted events, but nothing has been confirmed yet. After we get over this event, we’ll be looking at what to do in the springtime and where our energy gets put.”
As for the upcoming vigil, Fuqua encourages anyone who is interested to go to the event to do so.
“I welcome everyone who would like to attend to attend, if you have the time in your day to do so,” said Fuqua. “I feel like what we’re doing right now is important, especially for our campus. It’ll maybe bring a light to show that we do have LGBT+ members of the communityーnot just myself, but plenty of others and that we’re visible.”
