Remembering

It seems like every Transgender Day of Remembrance always has some part that get to me emotionally and yesterday was no exception.
One of the guest speakers was Rabbi Bremen and she loaned the Transgender Day of Remembrance the “Window of Hope” which is a window made up of shattered glass to symbolize Krystal Nacht, the night that the Holocaust began, the night they came for the Jews.

She talked so elegantly about the bigotry, hate and violence of that night and how they still exists today. How we must all fight that hatred as one and we must always be vigilant in our fight against the hatred and violence.

She went on to tell how the “Window of Hope” was made of glass from a Krystal Nacht (Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass) service many years ago. Everyone had a piece of glass that they dropped on the floor to shatter in order to symbolize the broking glass of that night 70 years ago. It was from those pieces, that they made the “Window of Hope.” Last year when they were bringing the window to the Transgender Day of Remembrance some of the panes cracked and they debated long and hard on whether or not they should replace the shattered panes. They decided to leave it as is, to symbolize the continuing struggle against bigotry and hate and violence.