11/11/2017
QAAPI family and friends,
CONTENT WARNING: death, su***de & transphobia
Please do not read ahead unless you have the emotional capacity in this moment.
Last week one of our founding members, Natalie Nguyen (she/her/hers) passed away.
Natalie was a Vietnamese trans woman, and was deeply loved by her campus community here in Riverside. She graduated Fall 2016 for Computer Science, and had since moved to Seattle. We wish to remember Nat with her joy and love for our q***r and trans community. We want to remember her through her many passions for gaming, internet memes, wine drinking and conspiracy videos. We celebrate Natalie’s life, and all the strength, friendship, and kindness she displayed in her relationships. We will continue to honor and remember Natalie in our hearts and memories.
Folx in the UCR area are planning a collective space to remember Nat. We will make this information available with you all as soon as we can. Please also let us know if you would like to be involved with the planning process.
We would like to acknowledge the difficult process of grieving, especially within the LGBTQ community. Please, be gentle and patient with yourself. Furthermore, do not hesitate to reach out to QAAPI board members if you need support and community. We are all here for each other, and to uplift one another.
If you need additional support, there are resources on campus that are aware of Nat’s passing and are available for you. There are also hotlines with folx ready to support anyone in crisis.
-Trans LifeLine: 877-565-8860 // https://www.translifeline.org // for trans people by trans people
-Trevor Project Hotline: 866-488-7386 // http://thetrevorproject.org // for LGBTQ youth in crisis
-Nationwide Su***de Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 // for anyone in crisis
-UCR TALK Line: 951-827-8255 // a 24/7 service for UCR students, answered by trained counselors; from 9am-5pm it goes to CAPS office and after hours it goes to other trained counselors
-CAPS (Counseling & Psych Services): 951-827-5531
With love and care from QAAPI,
Aian Mendoza (they/them), Johnson Phạmson (they/them), Lydia Brcak (she/her), and Michelle Tabajonda (they/them)
REST IN POWER & PEACE NATALIE
Trans Lifeline - Crisis Hotline by and for the transgender community.