Transgender Day of Remembrance 2020
By Tatyana Moaton, MBA-HRM | November 20, 2020
Consultant/Subject Matter Expert, ETR
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is recognized each year on November 20th. This year, Tatyana Moaton shares her reflections on the purpose of TDOR and the critical importance of uplifting trans voices, leadership, and communities:
As a consultant and subject matter expert with ETR’s Evolve Project, I’ve had the opportunity over the past three years to work on various programs and projects specifically geared towards the trans community and creating further opportunities and resources for our community.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is really all about remembering to never forget the history and presence of trans people in our world. That is why, I believe it is important to uplift those in our community that are continuing to answer to the call of advocacy and activism on behalf of those marginalized voices.
TDOR is a day for action, for mobilization, for storytelling, and for revitalization. More importantly, TDOR is an opportunity to celebrate the diverse lives of trans people everywhere. It is crucial to recognize that trans people have made great, beautiful strides to transform and challenge society- and what’s even more amazing is that despite all of the challenges we face as a community both here in the U.S. and globally, we keep doing so every single day.
In my experience as a consultant, ETR has truly shown throughout this time that they lead with intentionality. I say that because often those of us in the community are invited into spaces to share our ideas and experiences and have those same things taken from us and someone else receives the credit. This has never been the case with ETR; quite the opposite actually. I have been empowered to lead the charge on various topics and projects affecting and geared towards the trans community. As a black trans woman, this makes me feel valued, appreciated, and affirmed in who I am as a professional with valuable assets to contribute to those same projects and initiatives.
On TDOR – and every day – we continue to call out, to speak up, to shout out loud that we may have been hurt and we may have lost but that will never prevent us from shouting even louder that we are here and we will continue to exist in the most influential ways – that’s what matters most to me: having a community that I can stand with no matter what.
Tatyana Moaton, MBA-HRM (she/her/hers), is a subject matter expert/consultant working with the ETR Evolve Project on the first CDC intervention adapted specifically for transgender women living with HIV (TWIST).
