[INSTRUCTIONS: ON THE DAY OF YOUR EVENT, PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE THIS RELEASE TO JOURNALISTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS WHO ATTEND THE EVETN. INCLUDE A SEPARATE PAGE WITH NAME, TITLE AND 3 SENTENCE BIO FOR EACH SPOKESPERSON. INCLUDE A ONE PAGE INFO SHEET ON TDOR AND ANY EVENTS IN THE LAST YEAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY. YOU CAN ALSO CUT AND PASTE THIS RELEASE INTO AN EMAIL TO EACH JOURNALIST—TV, NEWSPAPER AND NPR OR OTHER RADIO.]

[NAME OF MCC OR SPONSORING ORG –LOGOS OPTIONAL]

City, State, Phone, website ]

Media Advisory

[Month day, year]

Contact: [Contact Name], , 111-111-1111 [mobile phone]

Transgender Loved Ones Remembered by Faith Leaders, Families and Friends

[Title of Event] was Held on [Date] November Year at [Time].

(City, State/Province) – Violence against transgender and gender variant people is a major problem. The ##th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance honored individualswho have experienced discrimination, violence or death due to anti-transgender violence over the previous twelve months. The [Metropolitan Community Church] service was held in [City, State/Province] on [Date] at [Location].

This year, [name of keynote speaker] spoke of [name of person(s)] who was [killed] here in [City] on [date]. [Brief paragraph describing death, assault or discrimination]

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects (NCAVP) most recent report, Hate Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Communities in the United States in 2012, documented 25 murders. Almost three fourths of the victims were people of color and more than half were transgender women.

The first Day of Remembrance was in 1999. The event was initially created to mark the one year anniversary of the death of a Massachusetts transgender woman, Rita Hester, whose death remains unsolved. Today, events are held around the world to call on all people of good will to stop the violence.

[Church Name] MCC was a [co-sponsor] [sponsor] of this year’s event. Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), a Christian denomination with a positive, affirming ministry to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. MCC has ministries in 40 countries. Other sponsors include: [list].

For additional information about [Church Name] MCC, contact the church office at [Area Code/Phone Number] or by e-mail at [Church E-Mail Address]. (OPTIONAL: Information on the church's services and program may also be found on the Internet at [http://www/Your Church Website Address].

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