May 9, 2024
When I think about legacy, I often contemplate the evolution of what is made possible because of the choices our ancestors, trancestors and current movement builders have made. Cecilia Chung and Tita Aida embody legacy and the magic, power, and joy of the queer trans API community. I was really emotional bearing witness to their stories. Thanks to the seeds they’ve planted and nurtured, trans API individuals like myself have the opportunity to inherit, harvest, and breathe more life into the fruits of their labor. Because of their work, my generation and those to come have the ability to continue dreaming, building, and weaving worlds into reality.
I appreciated learning about how Trans Day of Remembrance was formed and why our acts of remembrance and continued creation of joy are integral to our resistance and power, especially when our systems always try to enact violence and erasure upon us. A significant theme and lesson I took away from their talk was how relationship building and connection were always at the heart and center of their work, which serves as a beautiful and grounding reminder for me of how I want to continue moving in this lifetime. It was beautiful to witness Cecilia and Tita’s friendship and love for each other on stage. I felt like I was sitting in their living room, having a morning tea with them, hearing their banter toward each other while sharing tender moments of reflection within their friendship and their community organizing work of badassery.
I want to acknowledge that Anand did such an amazing job facilitating and asking the right questions for such rich conversations to emerge. You can tell Anand has a deep respect and friendship with both Cecilia and Tita Aida because of the level of care, intentionality, and love put into the dialogue. This is my first-ever Fresh Meat Productions event, and I know in my heart it won’t be the last. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this monumental event.
By Sal Tran