The Trans National Day of Remembrance was Tuesday, and the local LGBTQ community honored those lost with a vigil in Rochester.

“It’s an injustice," said Steve Lewis, Rochester resident and LGBTQ ally. "People are being punished for being who they want to be.”

Twenty-three: That’s the number of transgender individuals known to be killed violently in the United States in 2018.

“When trans people are killed, they are normally killed in a terrible, brutal way," said transwoman Pam Barres. "And they’re killed out of hate.”

Allies and members of the LGBTQ community gathered at the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Park in Rochester Tuesday night to honor their memories. Out as transgender since her mid-40s, Barres was one of those there in solidarity.

“We all care about each other, and we’re doing our best to take care of each other," Barres said. "And we need to do that as a human body. All human beings need to be given the same rights as other human beings.”

She spoke to the crowd about everyone doing their part, especially persons in places of privilege, to spread the message of inclusivity.

“We have to be the ones to say those jokes aren’t appropriate. We are not to be talking about those kinds of jokes," Barres said. "And stop being quiet. Staying quiet is almost as bad as laughing at these inappropriate jokes.”

And such people were there, like Lewis, who says he is proud to be an ally to the community.

“To stand together is important," Lewis said. "To have a voice, it’s important to step out. Show up, it’s important.”

He too says the world needs to be more accepting.

“People are born in all different walks of life. People don’t choose who they are, but they can choose who they want to be,” Lewis said.

Lewis and Barres hope a day will come, where they won’t have to read any names at all.

“There’s a lot of people like us, and we deserve the same human rights as everyone else,” Barres said.