Remembering Rita: Scanlan JO304 Final from Charlie Scanlan on Vimeo.
On November 28th, 1998, Rita Hester was stabbed to death in her Allston apartment, two days shy of her 35th birthday.
In life, Hester was a proud black transgender woman, a rock musician, and a dancer at a cabaret. In death, she became a statistic. The average life expectancy for a transgender woman of color is just 35 years.
Rita Hester’s killer was never identified. In fact, the killer may very well be alive today, immune from the consequences of their actions. While the murderer remained anonymous, members of the community gathered at the Arlington St. Church in Boston to hold a vigil in her honor.
Over time, news of the vigil spread, and November 20th is now recognized as Transgender Day of Remembrance, observed in over 20 countries as a day to honor and mourn the transgender people who lost their lives in the previous year. The memorial is just as crucial now as it was 19 years ago. In 2017, 26 transgender people have been murdered in the U.S., and the year is not yet over. 17 of the victims were transgender women of color.
The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition hosted a candlelight vigil at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul on November 19th. Volunteers took turns reading aloud the names of the transgender people who lost their lives to violence to pray for an end to the epidemic of murder and hate.
Charlie Scanlan 