Being authentically yourself takes courage, and nobody understands that better than trans people, especially trans people of color.

Daily, these heroic and inspiring everyday people face harassment, discrimination, violence and even death.

Since 2014, November 20 has been marked as a day to remember those amazing individuals whose lives were taken too soon by anti-trans violence.

The day is known as the Trans Day of Resilience, and is a time where we not only mourn our lost trans brothers and sisters, but also “honor the resilience and power of our living trans family,” according to Forward Together.

Forward Together helps to lead the Trans Day of Resilience celebrations, and is an organization that builds courage and connections among a multiracial community of activists to secure the rights, recognition and resources all people need to thrive.

Originally known as Trans Day of Remembrance, the name of the holiday was changed in 2015 in answer to a call from BreakOUT, a New Orleans trans justice organization. They wanted to celebrate the gifts of living trans people of color while remembering the fallen, believing that it isn't enough to just remember, but that the trans community and its allies must be be resilient going forward.

To mark the event this year, Forward Together gathered 10 trans, gender nonconforming and non-binary artists of color to share artwork and poetry that builds “visions of a world beyond fear and violence.”

You can explore more of the fantastic artists representing for Trans Day of Resilience at tdor.co.