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