The Marginalized Orientations, Gender Alignments, and Intersex Club (MOGAIlize), held transgender awareness week on campus from Nov. 13 through Nov. 20. The organization was created to promote awareness, create change across campus and provide a safe space.

The week consisted of a Trans workshop, Trans yard sale, a documentary and discussion, and a Vigil.

The purpose of this week is to bring awareness and shed light on the transgender community on campus. Gab, the secretary of MOGAIlize, explains the impact this week will hold on students.

“I think it will impact students’ understanding by providing education and exposure to the transgender community. I feel that a lot of negative feelings towards the trans community stem from lack of knowledge beyond the portrayal of trans people in the media,” he said.

Transgender awareness week provides multiple opportunities for students to learn about the transgender community through workshops and gives students an opportunity to interact with MOGAIlize members.

This week helps MOGAIlize showcase who they are and what it means to be a transgender person in society. Throughout the week, students can learn about the struggles they face as individuals and how they have overcome them.

MOGAIlize President Nate W. explained that the week brings happiness to people.

“To have a week dedicated solely to those who identify as transgender brings so much happiness to people. Those who don’t identify with the term also finds themselves supportive of the week,” he said.

MOGAIlize will be holding a Vigil on Monday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Bixler/Gerber quad. They will be holding this candle lit Vigil in observance of Transgender day of Remembrance (TDOR), where they acknowledge and mourn the lives lost to hate crimes related to transphobia. Josh Carbajal, MOGAIlize spokesperson, spoke on the importance of the Vigil. “It’s an extremely powerful event that lets people know that transphobia is, unfortunately, still a huge problem, and it reminds us what and who we are truly fighting,” Carbajal said.

Although transgender week ends Nov. 20, members of MOGAIlize encourage students to attend their meetings and events even if they aren’t a part of the transgender community. Their goal is to keep educating students on who they are. The week allows the transgender community to show their pride, express themselves and educate.

“Education is key to mitigating ignorance, and we want people outside of the trans community to know who we are and that they can come to us if they have questions about the community,” Carbajal said.