This Sunday morning, during Trans Day of Remembrance, we woke up to the painful news that more of our siblings have faced another act of endemic trans/queerphobic violence. Even before this attack, there were already at least 32 murders of trans and non-binary people in this country this year. Our trans community deserves better than this hostile world.

As more details emerge from the senseless, hateful shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado, we know that it was patrons of the club that subdued the gunmen. The police knew about the shooter, his hateful views, and his threats for a year. They did not intervene, nor did they prevent the deaths of 5 of our siblings and the injuries to 25 more. This is a reminder that community intervention can help create safety, while police do not keep us safe from hatred.

Our hearts sit heavy from the news, and we dream of a world free of violence for our communities–a world where trans and queer folks can exist in public, dancing, gathering, and breaking bread in community without fear and hesitation. We dream of a world where we can love and be loved without it being a death sentence. To do this, we must disarm hate and strengthen the laws to stop gun violence across the US. Today, as we mourn, and remind each other that we keep each other safe, we demand Congress pass stricter gun laws, we can’t delay our safety and our dreams.