TOLEDO, Ohio — The country's latest mass shooting happened at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado on Saturday, the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual day to honor transgender and gender nonconforming individuals killed in the community.
Although the motive for the shooting is still unclear at this time, it still acts as a grim reminder of what people in the LGBTQ community face.
The Human Rights Campaign reported 2021 to be the deadliest year ever for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals in the U.S., with 50 deaths.
Those were only the ones that were reported however.
Devon-Jae Adonis Morales and others from Equality Toledo came out to Handmade Toledo in uptown Toledo on Sunday to honor the lives that have been lost.
Morales says the deadly incident in Colorado is just one more reason they hold events like these.
"This kind of event right here on top of what happened. It just puts everything in perspective. It really just does," said Morales.
Throughout the event center, photos of individuals who died in the community were laid on chairs with roses on top of them.
The photos and roses were there to remember the lives lost and to highlight the senselessness of the violence that took their lives.
"We're not here to harm you. Why would you want to harm us, you know? That's just not human," said Morales.
Organizer Nikki Orlowski says awareness should be an everyday thing.
"We just want to exist and live. And the violence against us is not necessary and oftentimes uncalled for, and it's usually caused by a hateful rhetoric against us," said Orlowski.
She notes a lot of the violence is aimed at trans women of color and is at times caused by an acquaintance.
"Partners or people we know that somehow feel guilty or ashamed of being with a trans person," said Nikki.
Physical violence isn't the only thing on the rise. Since last year, a record 250 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in state legislatures across the U-S.
Orlowski said those laws are harmful to many transgender individuals, especially the youth who she said are no different than any other child
"Trans people have been here since the beginning. Even if you haven't heard about us. It doesn't mean we haven't been here," said Orlowski.
Morales agreed and believes people should have the right to express themselves no matter who they identify as.
"We would like to live without fear for some kind of backlash without being wholesomely yourself," said Morales.
Equality Toledo will host a vigil on Monday to mourn and honor the victims in the Club Q Nightclub attack in Colorado. The vigil is scheduled for 6 p.m. at 1 Government Center in downtown Toledo.