Since 2013, more than 250 transgender and non-binary individuals have been killed in the United States.

Even in the face of this physical danger, hatred and discrimination, transgender and non-binary Americans live courageously and overcome unjust barriers in all corners of our country. But until we as a country collectively address and dismantle these barriers, transgender and non-binary people will continue to face higher rates of discrimination, poverty, homelessness and violence.

While it’s tempting and common to pursue largely reactive and temporary solutions, we must address the root causes of this violence to make our communities safer for everyone. It is unacceptable that transgender and non-binary people are killed simply because of who they are.

It’s not enough to grieve the loss of victims of violence against transgender and non-binary people. We must honor their memories with action.

In this resource, we hope to demonstrate how stigma against transgender and non-binary people, denial of opportunity and increased risk factors compound to create a culture of violence. But most importantly, we provide clear ways that each of us, no matter who we are, can directly make an impact to make our society a safer place for transgender people.