GLOW OUT!

A gathering Wednesday evening was to remember those Americans who have died due to anti-transgender violence, but just as significantly, to celebrate the loved ones still coping and living as a transgender or nonbinary person subjected to potential bullying and violence, including Clyde Macioszek.

Macioszek has plenty of friends who are trans, and “I am trans myself,” admitting that it has been difficult at times because of how people have responded to the Batavia resident.

“I think it’s important to remember the ones we’ve lost and sort of make a community to bring them together, of other trans people or allies, to sort of make sure we don’t lose more, and to sort of know the importance of these people and the lives that they lived,” Macioszek said during the fourth annual local vigil of International Transgender Day of Remembrance. “It’s affected me very negatively, and I sort of try to hide it from a lot of people due to the negative view on trans people. I think it helps spread a little bit of awareness, and I think it really just helps build community.”

Organizers from GLOW-OUT! and Brockport Pride Association believed this was the largest gathering so far of an estimated 50 or so people. Macioszek and Nate Clarke carried flags with the transgender colors of blue, pink and white and candles were distributed for the ceremony.

Lauren Berger, the new secretary for GLOW-OUT! and a member of the Brockport group, reminded everyone that the reason they’re gathered is to support their trans friends and loved ones and remember those lost to transgender violence.

The day began as a memorial service for Rita Hester in November 1997, and a group of trans women in San Francisco began to commemorate those lost to anti-trans violence two years later, with the tradition continuing on and growing internationally ever since.

These same types of ceremonies were happening all over the country and in Puerto Rico, she said. A list of names of those killed, or whose bodies were found, from fall 2023 to November of this year was read aloud. 

“They had families, friends, and communities who loved them. They struggled with issues that affect millions of Americans — substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, incarceration, domestic violence and bullying,” she said. “But unlike cisgender Americans, they also faced transphobia. We owe it to their memory and to our future to recognize the importance of supporting our transgender siblings, community members and friends. We must celebrate those still with us, and remember those lost.”

One by one, followed by reading each name, was the age, and most were startlingly young — from age 14 and several in their 20s up to a handful in their 50s. There were 69 people, and they were the ones reported and living in the United States, organizers’ data stated. There are more than 300 victims from around the world, according to tdor.translivesmatter.info. There was no one from Genesee County; however, the very first name was Allen O’Donnell, 20, of Brockport, who died on Oct. 1, 2023.

As the names were read, a glowing colored candle was placed on the courthouse steps. It was a demonstration of how quickly and tragically life had been taken as steps filled up with color. A message was shared through U.S. Senator Corey Booker’s quote: “hope is the active conviction that despair will never have the last word.”

“GLOW-OUT! really started doing the Trans Day of Remembrance vigil, because it's something that lots of groups are doing all over the world because of the remembrance event. But over the years, in our experience doing it, we've really tried to strike a balance of that phrase you might have heard or seen as not just mourn the dead, but fight for the living. That whole balance of coming together in remembrance, and there's a real solemnity to that,” Berger said. “And we're mourning, this is really sad. A lot of names on this list, they're very young, you know? It's just really tragic. And so there really can be … the sense of despair, or that it's really kind of just adding to feeling kind of deflated, or like, okay, this was really depressing, I just went to a funeral, now what? And so over the years, we've really aimed to strike more of a balance to give folks something that is the reason for hope, the reason for looking forward to tomorrow, the reason to be proud of the resilience and the survival of the people that are in our lives still and from there, it was really easy to shift in this mindset, content-wise, that we are here in remembrance and in mourning, but we also have the opportunity to love and support people while they're alive.”

GLOW-OUT! broadly defines “transgender” as anyone whose gender identity or expression is outside of societal norms. At the same time “nonbinary” means a person who does not identify with either male or female – or may experience fluidity in that regard. Some transgender or nonbinary people might take medications or have surgeries to affirm their gender; others might not. 

In the US, transgender and nonbinary people are bullied, homeless, incarcerated, and targets of violence at much higher rates than their cisgender (non-trans) peers, the nonprofit said. These experiences contribute to the additional truth that transgender and nonbinary people are more likely to consider, attempt, and complete suicide than cisgender people.

That’s another big reason for the vigil: to promote awareness and transgender advocacy of available resources, including GLOW mental health programs, crisis hotlines and a trans lifeline, and several other related support groups.

“All of these norms that are so violent and negative are what people have been told is what they should be feeling. And so when we are coming together in the spirit of who you are is valuable. Who you are matters. You are worthy of love and acceptance and joy exactly as you are. That's running counter to this narrative that some people might hear, directly or indirectly. And it also is this idea that we, again, are remembering the dead. However, we also are here for people who are still alive and people who aren't, who are not here yet, that we are going to fight for as a community with as much love as anybody else deserves,” Berger said. “So, to see more people than any other year just tells me that even though we're still dealing with this violence, we're still dealing with transphobia and sadness, we also are seeing more resilience and response and people saying that they're not going to tolerate that in their house, in their community, in their schools, in their towns. And that's stronger than ever, which is really encouraging.”

For more information, go to glowout.org.

Photos by Joanne Beck.

Press Release:

Each year, on November 20, people worldwide take time to remember those lost to anti-transgender violence. This year, Batavia will host GLOW OUT!’s annual vigil and ceremony - and add a community meal to the program – for the event’s 25th anniversary.

“We hosted four last year, one in each of the GLOW counties,” said Sara Vacin, GLOW OUT! Executive Director. “This year we’re holding an art exhibition after the vigil, and a meal to honor and celebrate our trans elders.”

This year’s vigil will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20, at the Old Courthouse at 7 Main Street in Batavia. A free meal of turkey, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert will be served in the Church fellowship hall (300 East Main) at 7 p.m. This space will also host a display of art submitted in remembrance and support of transgender and nonbinary people.

Broadly, the word “transgender” means anyone whose gender identity or expression is outside of societal norms, while “nonbinary” means a person who does not identify with either male or female – or may experience fluidity in that regard. Some transgender or nonbinary people might take medications or have surgeries to affirm their gender; others might not. 

In the US, transgender and nonbinary people are bullied, homeless, incarcerated, and targets of violence at much higher rates than their cisgender (non-trans) peers. These experiences contribute to the additional truth that transgender and nonbinary people are more likely to consider, attempt, and complete suicide than cisgender people.

But the event – and transgender advocacy in general – is about more than mourning.

“It’s important for us to support and celebrate and love our trans siblings and friends while they’re alive,” Vacin said. “We can give people their flowers now!”

First observed in 1999, the International Transgender Day of Remembrance began after Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman, was killed in her Boston apartment. Annually, the remembrance ceremony is held in acknowledgment of the friends and loved ones taken by anti-transgender violence. As transphobia intersects with sexism and racism, a large proportion of victims (every single year) are trans women of color - specifically, Black and Latina. Rita Hester’s murder remains unsolved.

Wednesday’s event is in partnership with SUNY Brockport’s Pride Association, and will include prepared remarks and a list of those lost to anti-transgender violence in the US since November 2023, the period recognized for the International Transgender Day of Remembrance.

As of this writing, 28 transgender or nonbinary Americans have been killed since last November. While this is a decrease from last year (32), and following a thankfully downward trend (51 in 2021; 41 in 2022), many official lists are incomplete because of the misreporting and underreporting of these crimes. 

Some have been disrespected in death by using their “dead name”, the name they were assigned at birth. As we all know, one person lost to hateful violence is too many. 

“This event is to remember those lost, yes,” said Vacin, “but it’s also to come together in love and support of those we are still fighting for – and will continue to, every day.” 

The vigil begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday November 20 at the old Batavia Courthouse.

Batavia First Presbyterian Church is having a LGBTQ healing circle from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday for an “opportunity of storytelling, sharing our truths, and listening to those of others.”

“Be part of a conversation led by trained facilitators as we discover our common humanity, connect with others and find a deeper understanding of the LGBTQ experience,” organizers say.

The event is at 300 E. Main St., Batavia. Light refreshments will be served. To register or for more information, call 585-343-0505.

Makenzie Rich was one of more than 70 middle and high school students to attend Friday’s Rainbow Resilience Youth Conference in an effort to not only gain more information and understanding about mental health and potential suicide issues as part of the LBGTQ community but also to help others struggling with similar issues, she says.

"There's a lot of youth struggling, especially in the LGBTQ-plus community. Everyone needs help, eventually. And it's important to know that you can ask for help. And there are people that are willing to help you as long as you're willing to reach out,” Makenzie, 17, said during a break from a suicide prevention workshop at Genesee Community College. “Today's amazing, it turned out really nice. We had a big group of participants. The workshops, I think, are very informational. It's a lot of help and just things that you wouldn't really realize in daily life.”

Katelyn Zufall was conducting the suicide prevention workshop, and was pointing out “some of the little things that you wouldn’t see to realize when someone is struggling and how you can help them by realizing those little signs,” Makenzie said. She offered some suggestions for what one can do if concerned about another person’s mental status.

“Just checking on your friends, checking on your family. Little signs, like they're giving away things that are important to them. They're just, all of a sudden, extra happy after seeming kind of gloomy for a while. Just check in,” she said. “And anyone that you are comfortable talking to, just check in with anyone.”

Bottom line: open communication is “super important,” she said. 

Zufall reviewed a list of Dos and Don’ts, such as Do validate the person’s feelings, ask if you can help, be patient and let them know you care. Don’t interrupt or speak over the person, tell how they should feel, jump in with solutions, be scared of their feelings or critical and blaming.

Open about her own identity as a lesbian, Makenzie, a junior at Batavia High School, has had her own family struggles, she said. 

“Not everyone in my family is super supportive,” she said. “But with GLOW Out!, I have a great support system. And I have a lot of friends that I am very thankful for. And people that I can reach out to. But family was a big struggle for me for a while.”

GLOW Out!, established in the spring of 2019 with the sole intention of creating the first Pride Festival in the four-county GLOW region, provides education and awareness of and around the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other) community, creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for LGBTQ individuals.

Sara Vacin is executive director, and one of her programs is a safe-space youth center at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia. It is there that local students and families have met and forged supportive networks, branching out to other initiatives, including a state-wide conference in Albany attended by several local students, including Makenzie.

Her efforts seem to be helping.

“I have a stronger connection with my family,” she said. “There are still times where I struggle a little bit, but I know who I can reach out to when those times are hard.”

The day was a filled with workshops, a panel and full representation from Genesee County Mental Health, Vacin said. There was a clinical supervisor, two nurses, a therapist and two care managers there throughout the day.

“What was really cool was that they were not just here in the beginning or the end, but were here all day providing information,” she said. “And it speaks volumes about Genesee County, and that they wanted to participate.” 

A total of 72 students attended, with the largest contingent from the Byron-Bergen school district, she said. 

Sara Vacin is pretty stoked about this year’s GLOW Out! event, which will not only draw upon her prior theater background but has garnered the attention of the New York State Legislature, which awarded the nonprofit a mental health grant as one of about only five local recipients, she says.

The funding comes from a little box about funding mental health efforts that folks can voluntarily check when filing their tax returns. Initiated in 2016, this campaign has raised more than $100,000, which is doled out to programs based on an application that must be submitted for review and approval. 

“So it's a real honor; it gets a lot of attention through the legislature because they're kind of a part of the funding and the whole process. But it is managed through the New York State Office of Mental Health. And I've been working with a person on their anti-stigma team for about a year now, preparing everything, which includes research, which is exciting,” Vacin said at her Batavia office as GLOW Out! executive director. “And a big part of the stigma program is measuring an impact. So everyone who comes through the theater eventually will have a pre and post-survey, and everyone going through the conference will also kind of get a pre-conference screening on stigma, you know, their beliefs, mental health stigma, would you get help? Wouldn't you get help? If you see people as being disabled, unworthy of opportunities, or you just get that it's another aspect of health, another part of us that we need to attend to.”

The grant will be used for GLOW OUT’s Rainbow Resilience Youth Conference. Free for attendees, it will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road, Batavia. 

“The conference is geared towards suicide prevention. It is for middle and high school students. And we explicitly intentionally reached out to the gender and sexuality alliances, the clubs in the various middle and high schools. We might see some schools or some people from out of the GLOW region, but we have I think seven schools at this point coming, and we have some individuals coming as well,” she said. “So if anyone wants to, they're welcome to come as individuals, come with their parents, come with some friends. Because we have kids who come to our drop-in center here, their middle school isn't going but we're all really well connected. So I reached out to their parents, and they're very excited to take them there.”

There are several workshops lined up, including:

• Responding to suicide risk factors and warning signs

• Understanding and overcoming mental health stigmas

• Dealing with difficult family members

• Knowing your rights and advocating for change

• Beloved Arise: faith-based youth organization

• Life on the stage with Roger Rosen

Self-care sessions also include topics of art, yoga, exploring spirituality, connecting with nature, journaling, healthy eating and mindfulness in motion.

Keynote speaker Ashton Daley, who serves as the youth/young adult recovery program director for Youth Voices Matter, is a “firm believer in serving his community, and in doing so has volunteered extensively through multiple recovery programs and currently as a youth mentor for trans-identifying young people in the Capital Region,” his bio states. 

"And I think that's a part of the appeal because he gets our students. He'll be talking about his experiences; he's transgender, and he's from a rural area," she said. "He's now a social worker, and he serves on some pretty important committees for New York State. And he overcame some suicidal ideations and some substance use issues as well. So he can be quite the inspiration on many points to our youth. 

The day is to also include a panel discussion featuring “LGBTQ inspirations” with:

• Genesee County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia (she/her)

• GLOW Out! Communications Director Lauren Berger (she/they)

• Medina Village Trustee Jess Marciano (she/her)

• Roger Rosen, actor and educator (he/him)

• Ashton Daley (he/him)

And this is the starting point of the theater project, she said, and where her bachelors in theater will come in handy. 

“After the keynote, I will be working with all of them at one point in the day or another, to do a workshop specific on anti-stigma, mental health stigma, that needed to get help, and also using theater. What's really neat is we learned so much through COVID about stigma and distance and how personal distance is a good way to measure how comfortable people are around each other. So theater games, where people get up on their feet, and move around, and I kind of lead them in a way that they get out of their heads. And then they kind of get led in a process to maybe feel some of this, rather than try to get it intellectually, they can get that part later," she said. "So it's a kind of deeper way to learn about stigma. And from there, we're taking Ashton's inspiration and asking them to help us with different scenarios that they see or they've experienced, as far as leading mental health support or issues with suicide. And after the conference, we're going to work together with this troupe and with all of my LGBTQ youth in the GLOW region, to take those scenarios and create them into scenes. And so the conference is the starting point, Ashton is the inspiration, but then the workshops lead to the creation of the scenes.

“We’ll be auditioning in all four counties for the troupe. It's an LGBTQ youth troupe. We're looking at individuals 14 to 18 years old. There's a four-night acting intensive in August, all paid for. It’s like a camp and acting intensive that we’re taking them to.”

Auditions will be in May, and the cast will be announced during PRIDE events in June, she said. The theater project then culminates in September and October with performances for the public, including Ashton Daley so that he can see what resulted in this beginning phase, Vacin said. 

“And we're hoping that there's some deeper education that comes from it. So the cool part about the creation cycle and this LGBTQ theater troupe is that once it's done, we will be self-sustaining. You know, grant money ends but we'll have this troupe. And we'll have this really neat mechanism to help train people. And to help understand what it feels like being young and LGBTQ," she said. "One of my challenges has always been supporting parents. We have PFLAG, which is a group specifically to help parents and families. And most people reach out soon after their kids come out. And we just can't get the parents here. But you get your kid on stage, and you'll be in the front row. So we're hoping that this will work to educate the whole community in a really creative way." 

To register for the conference, go HERE

Press Release: 

Each year, on Nov. 20, people worldwide take time to remember those lost to anti-transgender violence. This year, GLOW OUT will host four ceremonies in all GLOW counties simultaneously. 

In a broad sense, the phrase “transgender” means anyone whose gender identity or expression is outside of the norms that society ascribes to the gender someone was assigned at birth. Some might take medication or have surgery to align their body with their gender, while others might not. 

In the US, transgender people are more likely to be bullied, become homeless, go to jail, or experience violence than their cisgender (non-trans) peers. For these reasons and others, transgender people are also more likely to consider or attempt suicide.

Genesee County’s remembrance ceremony will take place at Old Batavia Courthouse on Main & Ellicott streets; the Zion Episcopal Church in Avon will host Livingston County’s vigil; the ceremony in Orleans County will be at the Rotary Park on Main Street in Medina; and the event in Wyoming County will be held on the street corner of Main & Borden in Perry. All of the vigils will begin at 7 p.m.

First officially observed in 1999, the International Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day of mourning initiated by a group of US transwomen. It began with a memorial service for Rita Hester, a Black transwoman who was killed in her Boston apartment, a murder that remains unsolved. 

Annually, the remembrance ceremony is held in a somber acknowledgment of the friends and loved ones taken too soon because of anti-transgender violence. 

Anti-transgender violence happens nationwide, resulting in a troubling number of murdered trans people every year. As transphobia intersects with sexism and racism, a large proportion of victims (every single year) are trans women of color - specifically, Black and Latina. 

Overall, the number of those killed in the US has declined since 2021 (59, with 41 in 2022). As of this writing, at least 25 transgender Americans have been killed in 2023. Because the Remembrance period begins in November, those killed in the Club Q anti-transgender mass shooting in Colorado in November 2022 will be included in the list read at the vigils. This list is likely incomplete, because of the misreporting and underreporting of these crimes. Some have been disrespected in death by using their “dead name”, the name they were assigned at birth.

Since 2009, November 13-19 has been recognized as Trans Awareness Week. This observation creates the opportunity to uplift joys and successes for our trans loved ones as well. This week allows us to remind our transgender community that their lives are more than tragedy. 

After all, we cannot wait for someone to die to give them their flowers. We owe it to their memory and to our future to recognize the importance of supporting and celebrating our transgender loved ones, community members, and friends – remembering them in death, yes, and loving them while they are alive.

Press Release:

GLOW OUT!, the LGBTQ+ outreach agency serving the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (GLOW) region of Western New York, is thrilled to invite the community to a special event this weekend. 

GLOW OUT! organizers encourage everyone to join them at the First Presbyterian Church of Batavia at 300 E. Main St. in Batavia from 12 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 22 to celebrate Coming Out Day. 

This Open House and Celebration will showcase the variety of programs the organization offers, including the youth LGBTQ+ Drop-In Center which meets weekly on Thursdays from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. at the church. 

LGBTQ+ youth, ages 12-18, and their ally friends are encouraged to tour the space and meet fellow youth members during the Open House.

GLOW OUT! is taking the celebration of Coming Out Day to a new level by introducing the Living Library experience. Attendees will have the opportunity to “check out” a human book, each of whom will share their unique Coming Out journey in small group settings. 

This initiative aims to encourage dialogue, foster a deeper understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience, and empower attendees to better support individuals in their lives who may be going through the Coming Out process. 

In addition to the Living Library experience, GLOW OUT! is using this event to mark the beginning of a year dedicated to storytelling as a powerful educator. 

In 2023, the organization received Anti-Stigma funding from the NYS Legislature and the Office of Mental Health, allowing them to establish a youth LGBTQ+ theatre troupe, starting in the spring of 2024. This troupe’s mission is twofold: suicide prevention and education on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth. 

For more details on this exciting endeavor and the impact on the GLOW region, please contact director Sara Vacin at svacin@glowout.org .

Sunday’s celebration will also feature a craft, basket, and bake sale, with all proceeds contributing to our vital LGBTQ+ support programs and services. Items for sale will include candles, painted potted plants, bookmarks, and youth designed T-shirts – all illustrating their unique perspectives and immense talent. 

The group will also have chili available (vegan and meat options) and encourages participants to warm up with a hearty bowl while listening to impactful stories, perusing the youth-made artistry, and helping to build a more inclusive, caring community.

Learn more about the organization, show support for LGBTQ+ youth, and help build up the vibrant community that embraces them. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.glowout.org or email your questions to info@glowout.org.

The day is to include a craft sale, basket raffle, 50/50 and a living library, with an enlightening and opportunity to delve into the diverse coming out stories of LGBTQ+ leaders for participants of all ages

The open house will feature a designated youth space where PFLAG and SAGE meetings will be taking place. Meet board members, Act Out leaders and learn about exciting opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies happening in the GLOW region, organizers said.

This event is free and open to the public.