by Lisa Schilansky, Ministerial Intern

On Sunday November 19th, UUCWC came together to observe the International Transgender Day of Remembrance and Resilience. As Unitarian Universalists, our faith calls us to love, to love with our whole bodies, to love all people and to honor the beautiful individuality of all beings on this earth. When there are people in this world who do not love all people, who do harm to people for being different than themselves, we as a faith community are called to respond, to show up. On that Sunday, we showed up. Over forty people attended the vigil where community members shared their stories. We read aloud the twenty-eight names of the transgender people who died this past year and lit a corresponding candle in their honor. We also sang a meditative hymn and lifted up a prayer by Rev. Sean Parker Dennison.

Together we lived into two of our Unitarian Universalist principles—to respect the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and to live into this interdependent web of which we are a part. This vigil was an important moment in the life of our community, and it was also just the start. We came together to do the holiest thing of all by remembering and witnessing. May we continue to love the truth that lives within all of us, even if it’s not always visible on the outside.