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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2001)
n I] l i t : IV! 4 -i m e w s September 21.2001 • B urning the C andle at B oth E nds Vigil honors victims of hate, terror by K elly R e illy • P h o to s by M arty D avis s the sun set Sept. 14, the light of more than 500 candles in Pio neer Courthouse Square illumi nated the sorrow, hopes and fears of trans people everywhere, The vigil, sponsored by numerous groups representing £ x u a l minorities, was called to Hundreds pack Pioneer Courthouse Square to honor Loni Kai Okaruru as well as those who died Sept. 11 honor the memory of Loni Kai Okaruru, who Northern Marianas community here in Oregon, munity, and we will speak out against this hate Washington, and this hate crime, of a young was brutally slain by an unknown assailant I would like to extend a sincere appreciation to ful murder,” Keeley said. “We must continue to Aug. 26 in niral Washington County. Dozens of person who was singled out and murdered for a the coalition for putting together this vigil, to advance the forces of social justice and civil lib specific reason that had to do with gender tran people also came downtown to recognize the those organizations who cared enough not to let erties and to foster our belief in the capacities of sition," Krtxiker said. “I think what emerges thousands killed during the terrorist attacks her death be just another tragedy.” human beings.” with me is the universal flame of life that needs Sept. 11 in New York, Pennsylvania and Wash Perhaps the trans people and their personal Multnomah County Commissioner Serena to bum. It’s never OK to kill people. To me, ington, D.C. being here tonight is something I can do to say Cruz, a longtime and eloquent supporter of stories made the most moving expressions during Before the event began, several participants the vigil, because their experiences mirror human rights for all, agreed. “This event was a we think it’s abhorrent and to set the example voiced their opinions and expressed their feel Okaruru’s in many ways. Curtis Rudd of Basic tremendous show of support for the trans com for my police department that acts of bias— ings about the tragic circumstances surrounding Rights Oregon deeply affected the crowd during munity in Portland. It gave us a chance to rec even insulting acts of bias, let alone assaulting Okaruru’s death. One was Bethany Hermania, a his speech. trans woman from Washington “My name is Curtis,” he said. “I County. am known by other names as well, “A lot of us trans people refer some of them chosen names, some to ourselves as sisters, like we are are given. When someone calls me related by blood,” she said. “In ‘he,’ I feel the person speaking has fact, we are related by blcxxi. The taken the time to honor my gender. bkxxl that was shed in violence. We live in a world where many Then of course there’s the bkxxl trans people can’t get jobs or apart of self-destruction, the bkxxl of ments, where the most mundane the young person that’s afraid that aspects of daily life, like buying gro they are a freak and slashes their ceries or going to the doctor, are wrists. The bkxxl we shed working ordeals requiring tremendous to correct our fxxlies to match our courage and commitment. W hen I minds. Remember also the emo read the coverage of Loni’s death, tional bkxxJ of families that are the mainstream papers consistently split apart because a parent is referred to her by male pronouns transgendered. We all have the and gendered words such as “men” same fight.” Members of the Saipanese community listen to speakers during the vigil; right, Portland Police Assistant Chief Mark and “male.” I was personally insult The deeply moving ceremony, Paresi and Chief Mark Kroeker show their support even though the hate crime occurred outside their jurisdiction ed.” which began with a traditional Commenting on why trans peo performance by the Pacific Island ple feel the need to make these significant ognize Loni for her life and acts, let alone murderous Singing Group, brought many people’s emotions changes in their lives, speaker Tyler reported that remember no one should acts— are never to be toler to the surface, from tears to expressions of frus "Whether it is one person a friend once said: “I didn’t transition to pass. I ever be murdered for being ated. Otherwise, we disinte tration, and culled hopes of progress toward or 10,000 people, transitioned so that when I look in the mirror, I trans." grate into the abyss. And I human and civil rights for the trans movement. see the same person I see when I close my eyes.” Drag queen Misha Roc- Lori Buck waiter, It’s Time, Oregon! execu didn’t come here to make a the same thing is a t the At one point during the event, a nameless kafeller added: “This is speech; 1 came to show my tive director, said in her dramatic remarks: “Loni base o f this. It's hate. We about making people under passerby admitted: “I just happened upon this. I personal support.” died in a terrible act of hate, and the senseless didn’t intend to be here. I felt drawn in when I stand that someone’s life Paresi added: “W hether brutality that ended her life is still incompre as a people need to realize saw the candles and when I heard the speeches. was snuffed out. I’m just so it is one person or 10,000 hensible to us. How could this happen to such a people, the same thing is at gentle soul? Now we see that acts of hatred and that it doesn't take 10,000 outraged by it. By educating I had no idea that people live with this kind of stuff. And what happened in New York. It’s just people, hopefully we can get the base of this. It’s hate. terror occur before our very eyes in the light of people dead and injured unbelievable.” to the point that everyone We as a people need to day, and the world seems to have lost its senses. will be outraged by it.” She lit a cigarette, leaned back and slowly realize that it doesn’t take All those dreams lost, all those bright futures for us to fight hate. shook her head. Washington County 10,000 people dead and stolen away, for what? The fear and vulnerabili Commissioner Dick Shout- injured for us to fight hate.” ty that some of us have felt for a long time can en, his eyes tinged with Contributions for the LO N I O K A R U R U M E M O R IA L Patricia Keeley said the now be better understood by many others. F u n d may be nude by unting to Bank o f Ameri sadness, said, “I’m here to West County Coalition for Those of us who are transgendered know what ca, Hillsboro Banking Center, 409 E. Mam St., show solidarity and to let people know by my Human Dignity is planning a Community fear is like. We live with it every day." Hillsboro, OR 97123, or by itsitmg any local presence that we don’t have any tolerance for Rally Against Hate so people in Hillsboro also Among those in attendance were Portland branch. hate crimes in Washington County.” Police Chief Mark Kroeker and Assistant Chief can recognize Okaruru. The event will begin MariaLena Palacios of the Mariana Islands at 5 p.m. O ct. 7 in front of the Washington Mark Paresi. Association, wearing a pretty tropical green tra KELLY R eilly is a professional journalist living m County Courthouse. “1 put the collective sorrow of two officers Portland. Her email address is kelly _reilly@ ditional dress, spoke with great emotion: “On “I want to say that we deplore the bigotry that were killed stxith of Salem, and this terrific hotnuul.com. behalf of the family of Loni Okaruru and the and violence that caused her death in our com hate crime that tixik place in New York and in — Mark Paresi
