Los Angeles LGBT Center On The Passing of Employee, Day Rodas - Los Angeles LGBT Center

We at the Los Angeles LGBT Center are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Day Rodas, our colleague and friend, and express our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. Day was a vital member of the Center, working within our Community Health Program, and she worked devotedly during her tenure to keep LGBTQ+ people educated, informed, and safe. 

We are so proud of the work that Day did for the Center and our community. Shortly after joining our team, Day announced that she identified as a transgender woman. Her colleagues and family alike have expressed that Day seemed like she was beginning a new chapter—one where she could finally be her authentic self. To have her life cut short in this moment—and under such troubling circumstances—makes her loss all the more heartbreaking. 

We cannot honor the life of Day Rodas without naming that violence against transgender people—particularly transgender women of color—is at an all-time high. Her passing comes shortly after Transgender Day of Remembrance, where we mourned at least 38 people in our community who we lost to acts of violence. We are witnessing a rise in anti-trans political rhetoric and cultural phobias that contribute to hate crimes against transgender people, many of which go unsolved. In the moments following Day’s passing last week, she was repeatedly misgendered by authorities and the local news media. We categorically condemn such carelessness, and we will do everything in our power to make sure these forces recognize our colleague as she deserves.

We commit to honoring Day’s life by continuing her work helping our community, and to ensure that transgender people are treated in our society with the dignity and justice that they deserve.

— Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center