San Antonio College’s Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) held a vigil in the mall area Thursday morning for the Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual observance held every November 20 to honor the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of violence.
Members of the GSA placed 367 Transgender flags in the mall, each symbolizing the life of a transgender person lost to murder, suicide or other causes in 2025, according to a 2025 report from Remember Our Dead, a community-sourced database.
At noon, three GSA officers spoke, honoring the victims and highlighting the importance of the day for the LGBTQ+ community. The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
“It’s important because it keeps us visible. It shows that those trying to keep us as hidden as possible are not winning,”Anthony Maodonado, a civil-engineering student and junior officer of the GSA, said. “We are here, and we are never going to stop fighting for everyone in the community.”
The club displayed stands with photos and names of the people included in the statistics around the courtyard. Multiple GSA members emphasized finding joy through grief.
“I understand falling into despair; it’s so easy,” GSA Senior Officer Yennika Ribera said. “I get scared; everyone gets scared. But every week is a reminder that things suck right now, but our community is still happy. We’re still here. We deal with the serious stuff, but we also celebrate queer joy. At our club meetings every week, we do some craft activity or we just talk, build community. It’s so beautiful to see everyone come together.”
A faculty member who asked not to be identified said that although Transgender Day of Remembrance is a somber occasion, events like it are important for community building.
“Community is how you find joy,” the faculty member said. “It’s an isolating world, and to have social spaces is where you find joy,”
Toward the end of the vigil, organizers observed a period of silence for 6 minutes and 7 seconds, one second for each life lost.
The GSA will host the final event for LGBTQIA+ Heritage Month with World AIDS Day Monday. The event starts at 11 a.m. in the mall area.
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