Black flyers began appearing on Capitol Hill and several other Seattle neighborhoods, including Ballard, the U-District, and the International District/Chinatown, calling for people to come to City Hall on October 20 to share stories of Trans suffering and loss in a one-minute public comment during a city council meeting.

The council agenda that day included a vote on whether to approve the Vehicle Resident Assistance Program sponsored by Dan Strauss. In the six pieces of legislation, RVs and motorhomes without permits are required to move every two hours when parked on city streets. Critics argue that this proposal would further disadvantage the unhoused and even criminalize them, and many showed up that day to reprimand the council for even considering the idea. The meeting began with a proclamation from Alexis Mercedes Rinck recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Seattle.

Those who responded to the flyers’ request included Mia Larotonda, who thanked Rinck for her letter in solidarity with Larotonda’s legal battle. Larotonda is currently a plaintiff in a lawsuit arguing for her late fiancée Indigo Greene’s final wishes to be honored. She presented a box containing half of Indigo’s ashes. 

Mon-Thai, a Trans woman and a survivor of sexual assault, spoke about how her assailant being a Trans man has put her in a devastating situation: having to stay silent to protect her community from further scrutiny.

Evan Sanders, a Trans man, spoke about how the RV ban would worsen the Transgender migration crisis. Having been assaulted in broad daylight in a hate crime, he warned of rising violence against Trans people. “I’m scared to share this, because it feels like I’m telling my community we can never be safe, but staying silent protects no one,” he said. 
Kira, a schoolteacher, related being fired from their job after being falsely accused of preying on minors. 

The posters also instructed people to bring a memento or relic. Lydia brought her volunteer badge from the vigil for Juniper Blessing at the University of Washington and a copy of this May’s edition of the SGN in which Blessing is featured on the cover. Lydia keeps the paper on her nightstand, “because I see her face every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to bed.” 

The last in-person speaker was Eevee, who  mentioned that on Trans Day of Remembrance, there will be an event at Cal Anderson Park at which quilts will be dedicated to Trans people we’ve lost, taking inspiration from the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

As for the council agenda, despite all those speaking up against the harm the VRAP would cause for those who are already struggling in Seattle, it passed in a 6-3 vote.