Transgender Day of Remembrance was established in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith. It began as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all transgender people who had been lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, beginning an important annual tradition that is now recognized as Transgender Day of Remembrance. On November 20th, and every day, we honour and remember transgender people who have been lost to violence.