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Austin proclaims Transgender Day of Remembrance; community leaders urge action
Summary
Austin Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes proclaimed Nov. 20, 2025, Transgender Day of Remembrance. Commission chair Casey Shepherd Coyne and Human Rights Officer Shafina Kaki called for stronger protections, citing national and global violence statistics and urging support for gender-affirming care.
Austin named Nov. 20, 2025, as Transgender Day of Remembrance on Friday as Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes read a proclamation honoring people killed because of transphobia and presented it to local advocates.
The proclamation cited international reporting that "more than 281 transgender and gender diverse people were reported murdered between October 2024 and September 2025" and said "in The United States, at least 48 transgender and gender expansive individuals were lost in the past year alone, including 27 murdered and 21 by suicide." Fuentes said Austin is "committed to advancing equity, inclusion, safety, and belonging for transgender, non binary, and gender expansive residents."
Casey Shepherd Coyne, chair of the city’s LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission, said gender-affirming care is "lifesaving" and described heightened harassment and violence experienced by transgender residents over the past year. Coyne said the community must "stand up and fight for Black trans lives, especially Black trans women," and asked attendees to remember those lost, naming a friend, Courtney Purvis, by stage name America Revlon.
Shafina Kaki, Austin’s human rights officer and executive sponsor for the city’s LGBTQIA+ commission, told the crowd that remembrance "is not enough" and that the Office of Equity and Inclusion will work to make "dignity, safety, and belonging" tangible for transgender residents. Kaki emphasized the diversity of trans experiences and said city leaders, allies and neighbors must show up "every day with courage and conviction."
The event concluded with a brief photo opportunity at City Hall. No formal council action or vote was recorded; the gathering consisted of proclamations and remarks.
