Gwen Amber Rose Araujo

Memorial

Gwen's Family Response

October 4, 2003 marked the one year anniversary of the loss of a seventeen year-old girl named Gwen Araujo. She was brutally murdered in Newark, CA by four men because she was transgender. We held a respectful memorial honoring Gwen's life that evening. Family,friends, the community and people from the Newark neighborhood gathered together that night. Many people expressed there outrage that something like this could happen in Newark. Many expressed their sorrow and love.

Livia Tomas, from Not In Newark, explained how the Not In Newark group was working with the city to reduce hate and discrimination. Al Nagy, a councilman for Newark, gave a very powerful speech against hate directed toward the Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Transgender people of Newark. Gwen Smith spoke about the national problems with transgender hate crime. Danielle Castro spoke about her experiences growing up transgender and a Latina. She admitted to being afraid to get out of her car while visiting a Newark shopping center.

Monica Taher spoke of the problems of transgender discrimination in the media. And how we are making progress in changing that. After four years of working with the Mercury News, Yomi Wronge the primary reporter on Gwen's story, for the first time, file a story that met the GLAAD guidelines for reporting on transgender people.

Yosenio Lewis, Stephanie Baumann and the Wellsville band gave very moving performances. Kate Lyness told of her experiences while attending schools in Newark. Felicity Morris, a Newark High School student, also spoke out about hate in the school system.

Julie Dorf told about the Horizon Foundation's establishment of the Gwen Araujo Memorial Fund. This fund is intended to help transgender youth deal with the issues of being transgender in a world that doesn't understand and often is hostile towards them.

Finally, the friends and family spoke. Sylvia started to speak and was joined by her grand daughter. Sylvia is constantly surrounded by children. I watched as her granddaughter, Isabel, that was only a few months old at the time of Gwen's death, walk around Sylvia. She reminded me that life does goes on. That there are still beautiful things in this world. Sylvia is one of fourteen siblings and the strong family ties were never more clear than they were that evening. Her granddaughter gave her the strength to say what she had to that evening. She has seen a lot of hate watching how people treated Gwen. She spoke of the refusal by the school to provide bathroom facilities for Gwen. She spoke about the acceptance of Gwen's many friends. She spoke about the hate exhibited by others.

Lupe, Sylvia's sister, told of how having such a large family was a blessing. When she was over come with sadness there were always a shoulders to cry on, and when someone else needed a shoulder she was there.

The evening concluded with an open mic portion. Anyone who felt like it, could get up and say anything that moved them. First they would take a rose from the vase and then they would speak. When they finished they would place the rose in another vase as a symbol of their love for Gwen. The vase was filled so full it could not hold anymore. There was so much love in the room. Sylvia was called back up and presented with the roses. She took all that love home with her that night. I just hope it helps her get through those times when we can't be there with her.

We had a very emotional and loving memorial of Gwen's life. Rev. Kolakowski closed the evening with a prayer. I just hope that all this has made Newark a different place. A place where being different doesn't mean you have to fear for your life. Only time will tell.

To see pictures and read the text of the speaker click on their name.

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