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He whakamaumaharatanga tēnei kia next. Haere te wairua ki tō iwi. Haere, haere, haere. Ah, kia ora whanau. So hi, I'm Rosie. My pronouns, uh, he, they, and I'm running the vigil with the help of my, um, lovely friends from QED. So, yeah, I, so basically, I'm just reading over my phone because I rode it on, like, the bus today.[00:00:30] So I thought a lot about what I wanted to say. Um, also I have autism, so sorry about the tone. I think that it's really critical to remember those who came before us and who made Pride a riot. Like then, I think that we are at the beginning of a revolution, but that can be said, Because a revolution begins when things are stacked against us, and things have always been stacked against us, at least in colonial western driven [00:01:00] societies. Our governments, our fellow humans, those who are meant to keep us safe from harm, are voting for those who mean to do us harm or, or harming us. We are not the bad things that they say we are. We are human and being queer unites us both on our grief and our joy. Maybe in some ways, in a way that people who aren't queer will not understand. We don't choose to be queer but we can choose to use [00:01:30] our shared experiences to come together and unite and remember what we have lost and fight what everything we can gain for those because of those. Before us and those that are going to come after us, our lost trans siblings all around the world would be proud of everyone here today who is remembering those who have we lost and remember and remembering what we are here to fight for remembering them helps us use our anger, our grief and our [00:02:00] fear about being queer in today's world to spark a revolution like and fight for our rights like at the Hikoi. Um, that's happening this weekend. So, no more dead trans kids. Alright, um, we would like to read out the names of [00:02:30] our trans fan out who have been lost to us already through violence this year, 2024. There's more names on this list than I thought there would be, and there's more names on this list than there should be. In 2024, already lost to us. Next, Benedict. Kitty Munro. Layla Catalan. Lola. Eduarda [00:03:00] Dertresilva. Vanessa. Gabby Ortiz. Katiushka Cedeno. Sofia Oliveira. Giovanna Souza. Miriam Nohemi Rios Rios. Bonitinia, Dr. Samantha Finesca, Mayla Rafaela Martins, Diva Reyna de los Santos Contreras, Ify Dillith, Kelly [00:03:30] Sousa, Raffaele Costa, Simi, Kal, Dana Lakshmi, Amanda Suarez, Pasa, Emma Garcia, And all those whose names we do not know. We would like to observe a minute of silence. In remembrance of our lost trans final. Thank you.[00:04:00] Thank you, Tracy. [00:04:30] So now we're going to be lighting candles and riding on chalk. If you want to speak just make sure that you make a line and stay up here. So yeah, thanks. Yeah, uh, hi, hi everyone. Um, Yeah, I'm, uh, I'm here to, uh, Yeah, to, to acknowledge the, uh, Yeah, the, the passing of, uh, Yeah, the, the murder of Ex Fanatic, but [00:05:00] I'm I'm Mainly just here because To be honest, I, I, I'm afraid Yeah, that's um, that, you know, what happens next, it's, it's the thing, you know, that I, you know, that I imagine every time I, I use the bathroom and I, I'm sure I'm, I'm not alone in that.[00:05:30] And um, yeah, while uh, Oklahoma, maybe, maybe far away, it, it doesn't feel like that. So, a lot of the time hearing, um, things that have been said, um, by politicians and also just by people in my life. Um, [00:06:00] yeah, I'm, uh, And I'm, I'm scared, you know, that maybe a few, in a few years down the track we, we might see something like this happen here and, yeah. That's, that's awful. That, that terrifies me. Yeah, uh, thank you. Um, I just want to keep mine short and simple pretty much what [00:06:30] I wrote on the candle was that list of names is Terrifyingly long, but it is also one many name too long. There's also one name is one too long One name one person dead is too many dead Um, and I will never forget next and I will never forget these people because they are a part of us And yeah I [00:07:00] think I can speak for more than one person when I say that being young and Queer and trans is terrifying. And especially in an age where we can get all this news from across the world so easily We were way too aware of our own mortality, even if it's not in our own country, but it soon could be Um, the whole reason I like actually paid attention Like, well, it's because I always pay attention, but the next Benedict got so much press. And looking at, and like, reading about them, [00:07:30] is, they were the same age as me. They look like so many of my friends. Um, and it's just, am I allowed to swear? And it's fucks. Um, and that should not be my thoughts when I read the news. Is that person the same age as me? They look like my friends. Um, yeah, that's all. I mean, just to continue on, on what my friend said, um, we were in [00:08:00] music class when they brought up what had happened and we had read the article together and I just couldn't believe that it had happened because as Jay said, they were our age. They were. Like me, non binary, and I am lucky to be mostly cis passing, so it would be less likely to happen to me, and I just generally don't go into bathrooms, because I'm scared of that happening to me. Because also, [00:08:30] like, cis people say that we are the people who are harassing people in bathrooms, when the reality is that they are the ones harassing people in bathrooms, and they are the ones forcing us into the wrong bathrooms. They say. That, you know, trans women aren't women and should be in the men's restrooms when they shouldn't be. And by saying that trans people should be in the restrooms of their assigned sex, they're also pushing trans men into women's bathrooms and then putting them in danger as well. [00:09:00] And I am just honestly scared that this is actually going to come to New Zealand. And I hope for me and my friends and the generation of trans and queer youth in front of me that it doesn't get here because America is fucked over with their trans hate and it really shouldn't be like that.[00:09:30] Kia ora everyone, um, I am an American exchange student, uh, at Vic. It was absolutely devastating to read the news of something that happened in my own home. And I don't have anything original to say, necessarily. Um, and I wanted to make sure I got my facts right, but, um, I'm sure some of you have seen a video of a man named Dan, who has a transgender son. And I'm simply here to reiterate his words, that his child [00:10:00] is not filth, and we are not filth. Our family, our found family, is not filth. Filth. Thank you. Kia ora. I'm also an American exchange student. Next was murdered about, I believe, two weeks into me being here in New Zealand, um, and just like you all stated, they looked like [00:10:30] my friends back home. All I wanted to do was hug them, um, and I work with queer youth. I have been a queer youth, um, um, And I wish I didn't know the details of who Nex was. And I wish I also got to meet them at a gay bar when they were too young to be there. And we just pretended like that was okay. Um, that's, that's a situation in which I would have, uh, wanted to get to know Nex and all of their quirks. And, um, I want to also honor that they are indigenous, uh, to [00:11:00] Turtle Island. And that identity is a really big part of their experience. Um, yeah, and I You know, as someone from America that lives with this, uh, queer fear, I guess, um, there is also such a beautiful queer community, and I'm so grateful for that being a universal thing. When I saw that you all were honoring necks, I was so unbelievably touched, um, and so heavy in grief, but also just so [00:11:30] touched, um. And I, you know, in moments like this, like, I am so grateful for queer community and being able to look at all of your beautiful queer faces and just be glad to be here. So, thank you all for gathering in honor of NEXT. Kia ora. I, um, obviously this has been on my mind. I mean, even before it happened to Nex, this is an ongoing thing that I, that haunts me and [00:12:00] haunts us all. Um, I work in a public service role and I work with a lot of school children. Uh, and I'm visibly queer and like, I wear my badges and I, I see the queer kids. Who interact with me, and I see the recognition in their eyes, and This whole time, since, since I heard about Next, I'm haunted by them, [00:12:30] in the, the faces of these, of, of these queer kids. And it's just, this like, never ending horror. And hope, and joy, and it's, it's the biggest mess, and I, This isn't a choice that everyone can make, but I choose to remain visible, I choose to stay here, I choose to be here, and I refuse to give up ground, because if me, sitting where I sit, and being [00:13:00] visible to those queer kids, gives them a reason to stay, gives them a reason to hold their head up high, I'm gonna keep doing it. Um, cause that's what kept me here, that's what. You know, I think we can all relate to that. And yeah, so I'm not going anywhere. Ah, kia [00:13:30] ora, um, I just wanted to acknowledge, uh, Zena Campbell, who was murdered in Pōneke in 2018. Um, and I also wanted to voice that, uh, half of all trans victims of murder are sex workers. Uh, so the struggle for trans liberation is also a struggle for sex workers. Thank you. I just want to say something short and [00:14:00] something that I very firmly believe in and it's that queer rights are human rights and that we all deserve a better world where we are all accepted for who we are. Thank you. I've been thinking about names today and how choosing my name as a trans person was the start of my life and how [00:14:30] I shouldn't know these people's names because they should still be alive. And the amount of lives lost to violence whose names I will never know. Um, that's why I wrote this today. To give oneself a name is to know who you are. To give yourself your own blessing to exist. And in a world that doesn't want you to, to create your own self is a radical act. No wonder they want to destroy us. Us who know who we are and are bold enough to know our own name. To shed who the [00:15:00] world tells you to be and be yourself instead. That is the beginning of our freedom. Um, kia ora everyone. Um, this is a bit scary for so many people, but um, yeah, I'm quite emotional. Um, I don't really know quite What to say except, um, I agree with everything that's been said and [00:15:30] queer rights and trans rights are human rights and I similarly to everyone else like, um, a lot of the most important people in my life and the most beautiful incredible people are my trans friends and I have so many just sorry um, it's just absolutely devastating that um, what's happening in the rest of the world and um just trying to be a little bit hopeful and Honestly, so grateful that we have such a strong and supportive queer community [00:16:00] in Aotearoa, and I just think it's really beautiful, um, all of you guys for coming along and just showing our continued solidarity and support for our trans whānau. It's so important to keep fighting, so important to say their names, and yeah, rest in peace and power. Um, I lost a friend to trans violence, or violence against trans people last year, um, And, I'm [00:16:30] gonna keep this quick, but I want to acknowledge them and acknowledge Nex, and say that we're going to keep fighting for their sakes as well as our own. Uh, I only really have one thing to say, and that is trans rights are human rights, trans rights are human rights, and trans rights are human fucking rights.[00:17:00] Hi, um, I'm Asami. Um, I'm also genderfluid. Um, when I learned necks died, and I also learned that they're genderfluid, it kind of hit a bit hard. too close to home, especially when I saw the video of his police interview, um, seeing them be a lot like me, like, I would have reacted the same in that situation.[00:17:30] Yeah, that hit a bit too close to home. Necks deserve to live. This is ridiculous. The amount of trans people that get killed for dumb shit. Okay, we deserve to live. And I'm tired of, like, living in fear. And I don't want to have to lose any friends because of the death of transphobes and people who can't seem to Sorry, I'm just so pissed off. But yeah, trans lives matter and rest in power, necks. You deserve better.[00:18:00] My name is Lelio. I'm older than a lot of people here, and I wish I didn't have to be here. It's been 40 years of this shit happening again, and again, and again. So many lives on this wall, just from this year. So many people lost. And yet, we're still here. We ran Posie Parker off when she came to these shores. She tucked her tail and fled. [00:18:30] We can fight this, and we can win. And even still being here, still being alive, that is, your own victories. Each day, one after another. I wish there were fewer names on that list. I wish we'd been able to change it more, change it faster. But we are still here, and we will give nothing to those who wish to destroy us. Because trans rights are human rights, and we all deserve to live [00:19:00] safely. I've heard from many people tonight that, um, that we feel scared. Um, particularly when people's lives are taken. Um, don't. It frightens us, and I think that's absolutely valid. Um, I'm somewhat of an optimist, and I've seen over the last, particularly over the last five years in this city, the way the trans community has [00:19:30] grown, um, and the way that we've supported each other. Um, quite often in queer spaces, it can be hard to really Love one another because we're so spiky from having to put our spikes out against the world. But I genuinely believe that no matter what people bring, that we can defend each other and that we will do so. Um, on Saturday there are two big pride events happening in the city. There's a, um, more commercial celebratory parade in the evening. Um, and that's, that definitely has a place. Um, [00:20:00] in, in the morning there is a The Hikoi, um, which is less of a celebration and very much not a commercial event, um, that is more of a protest march, um, and that will be kicking off here at 10. 30am on Saturday, and that will be a chance for us to take that, the feelings that we have of like fear, um, and anger and turn it into something collectively together. Um, and so, I would just encourage people, if you feel confident to do so, um, [00:20:30] turn, and you don't have anything else on, turn, um, turn up here at 10. 30am on Saturday, and we will support one another, and we will march together. Um, kia ora. Kia ora. I just want to say thank you to everyone speaking, and Naming people that are lost because there's this is just not even everyone that we have lost. This is just the ones that we were able or applauded. So. [00:21:00] Oh yeah, so thank thank thank you everyone. Um, so yeah, I'll head the mic over to Isla to close. Uh, hi, um, I'm actually just gonna remix it a little bit because I also have something to say, um, and I said this last year when we were here for, um, Brianna, and I know a few of you were here as well, um, and I just think it's important that, uh, I don't know, you hear this. It's easy to feel hopeless in a time like this. Like no matter what we do, we are [00:21:30] still hated and discriminated against. I know that when I first heard about yet another killing, I felt hollow. Why should we have to die just because we're different? What can we do to fight back? Many of us here are working to further the rights and freedoms of trans folk already, but for those who do not know where to start, or do not have the capacity to, simply living and existing as we are is an active form of rebellion. To find love and joy in life as a trans person destroys their narrative. So take [00:22:00] care of yourselves, take care of each other, because our survival is our strength. Rest in peace, necks. It's horrible what the world has done to you. Tēnei wā kanoko whakamauri. Mātou i rātou i aroha. Tēnei te awa o tātou tīpuna o ngā atua. Um, so this is just, uh, [00:22:30] some water that in Māori custom we use after tapu ceremonies, uh, to cleanse yourselves. Uh, obviously we probably don't have enough for everyone, uh, but if you would like to come and cleanse your hands, you can use some of this. Um, so I will. Just plop that there. Uh, and hope that everyone gets home safe.
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