Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil set Nov. 20

On Transgender Day of Remembrance, Rehoboth TransLiance, in conjunction with Safe Harbor United Church of Christ and the Metropolitan Community Church of Rehoboth, will hold a vigil at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 20, at CAMP Rehoboth.

The past year has been marred by 44 brutal and deadly acts of violence against transgender people, and there is plenty more hate remaining. The 44 name readers will receive a memorial ornament provided by Salisbury PFLAG, and the readers will take them home after the vigil. 

This year will pay special consideration to love and community. Keynote speaker will be Murray Archibald, an artist who was the co-founder of CAMP Rehoboth along with his late husband Steve Elkins, longtime CAMP Rehoboth executive director. Since its creation in 1991, Archibald has served the organization in many ways including board president, creative director, editor in chief of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, and executive director. He is co-founder and producer of the annual Sundance benefit.

He is a past president of Sussex County AIDS Council and has served as a lay leader of Epworth United Methodist Church. He is currently a member of the board of directors of the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society. In 2013, Archibald and Elkins were awarded the Order of the First State by Gov. Jack Markell.

Three young local current and future community leaders, Mikey Shock, Jazminara Aran and Alex Delise, will be honored for their activism, educational outreach and service to community.

For more information, email transliance@gmail.com, or go to transliance.com or meetup.com/Rehoboth-TransLiance.

This event will also be podcast by Jack Bucchioni at BlueCoastTalk.com.