I-35W Bridge to be illuminated Friday for Transgender Day of Remembrance

The Interstate 35W Bridge over the Mississippi River will be illuminated Friday night in observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The city of Minneapolis said the bridge will glow blue, pink and white in recognition of the day, which memorializes those killed in acts of transphobic violence.

Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1999 to honor Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in Massachusetts a year earlier. Since then, it has grown into a worldwide event.

The Human Rights Campaign says 36 trans and gender non-conforming people have been killed in violent acts in the U.S. in 2020, a record. The campaign added that many violent acts against trans and gender non-conforming people often go unreported or misreported, meaning the actual number of violent acts this year is likely higher.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and the Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution to officially observe Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 13.