By Holland, Branch Librarian
November is recognized as Trans Awareness Month with the goal to celebrate the Transgender and Non-Binary communities, further educate the public and to advocate against discrimination and violence against Trans and gender non-conforming people. The Grand Rapids Trans Foundation (GRTF) has been working locally for over a decade to "nurture and sustain Trans futures by creating equitable opportunities, removing barriers, and fostering community." Over the last decade, GRTF has invested over $345,000 back into the community and strives to remove financial barriers to education, provide updated legal documents and gender affirming items, and make impactful referrals for the West Michigan area's Trans community members.
National statistics report that Transgender people in the US face much higher rates of family rejection, discrimination, assault, violence, depression, suicide, poverty and homelessness than their cisgender peers. The Human Rights Campaign reported twenty-seven cases of fatal violence against Transgender and gender non-conforming people in the US in 2025 and 399 deaths since the organization started tracking the statistics in 2013. Overwhelmingly, Trans people of color and, specifically, Black Trans women are disproportionately impacted by fatal violence against the community.
November 20th each year is thus designated as Transgender Day of Remembrance where community members and allies across the world gather at candlelight vigils to honor those members of the community whose lives have been lost to fatal violence each year. The GR Trans Foundation will be hosting one of these vigils in collaboration with GVSU's Milt Ford Legacy Collective's Rainbow Resource Center and the Grand Rapids Pride Center on Friday, November 20 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Additionally, a "Wear the Rainbow" FREE clothing pop-up shop where there will also be gender affirming workshops is being held on Saturday, November 14 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. More information about these events and the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation can be found here.
If you would like to learn more, you can check out our curated booklists about Trans Awareness Week: November 13 – 19, 2026 Transgender Awareness Week 2026 (Fiction) , Trans Awareness Week 2026 - Nonfiction , Trans Awareness Week 2026 – Teen Reads , What We Celebrate-Transgender Awareness Week for Kids
Add a comment to: Trans Awareness Month: Honoring Lives, Building Community