Updated:October 18,2022, 12:o8 P.M.
Vancouver, B.C.
Keeping January’s legacy alive ten years after her murder
The tragic death of January Marie Lapuz ten years ago in 2012 shocked her family and communities. A local support group responds with actions to cherish her legacy and to highlight the struggle of immigrant transgenders of colour.
Mildred German
Born on April 9, 1986, in Santiago City, Philippines, January Marie Lapuz would be 36 years old this year if not for her tragic death. January passed away on September 30, 2012 in New Westminster, B.C after she was stabbed in her own home and later died in the hospital. She was 26 years old.
January was the Social Coordinator of Sher Vancouver, a support group for South Asian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, and was the first transgender person to hold an executive position within the organization. She welcomed new members, connected them to information and support services, helped organize and plan social activities and events, helped other transgender women with their gender transition, and performed at Sher events including fundraising efforts and social gatherings. She loved to dance and sing.
Although not of South Asian descent, January was a bright light and shining star in Sher Vancouver; her special ability to get people to put their differences aside allowed them to move forward in the best interests of each other and the organization.
Thus, her unexpected death was a shock and a great loss for those who loved her, her loved-ones, and the LGBTQ2+ community locally and internationally.
SHER VANCOUVER RESPONDS TO KEEP JANUARY’S LEGACY LIVE ON
Since January’s death ten years ago, Sher Vancouver has responded with actions to cherish their fallen colleague’s legacy and to tackle the struggles transgenders of colour face.
Sher Vancouver Founder, Alex Sangha, a social worker (MSW), community advocate and film producer, along with his colleagues, became a voice in bringing out January’s story and in remembering her legacy over the years.
According to past interviews of Mr. Sangha, which were archived on the Trans Lives Matter website, January was “a kind, caring, generous, and loyal friend, who had many challenges and struggles as an immigrant, as a person of colour, and as a transgender woman living in poverty”. (https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2012/09/29/january-marie-lapuz_new -westminster-british-columbia-canada_6e2dd157)
THE JANUARY MARIE LAPUZ YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD
The January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award is an annual award bestowed upon a deserving youth who has demonstrated involvement, commitment and leadership in the queer community whether locally, nationally and/or internationally. It is an annual scholarship program in January’s honor that was developed in 2015 by Sher Vancouver.
Hundreds of youth leaders aged 16-30 apply to the annual January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award. Some of those who have won major scholarships have also been accepted at prestigious universities and many of the winners have also gone on to do great advocacy work to support LGBTQ2+ rights across Canada and around the world.
Any youth anywhere who are 16 to 30 are eligible to apply and do not have to be queer or South Asian. Sher Vancouver welcomes all youth doing amazing things in the queer community.
For more information about the January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award scholarship, more details can be found at the Sher Vancouver’s website, https://www.shervancouver.com/youth-award.html
FILM: MY NAME WAS JANUARY
Sher Vancouver also created its first short documentary entitled My Name Was January in honor of January Marie Lapuz. Released in 2018, My Name
Was January won 14 international awards and was an official selection at 66 film festivals around the world in 11 countries.
“We also would not have made the award-winning Emergence: Out of the Shadows and now our third film, I, Migrant if we did not first produce My Name Was January in order to remember and create a legacy for our dear friend January Marie Lapuz,” states Sher Vancouver on how the film dedicated to January’s life continues to have an impact to this day.
The 30-minute film My Name Was January was directed by Elina Gress and Lenee Son, and was produced by Alex Sangha and Ash Brar. It has its own website, https://januaryfilm.com/ and was recently made available for viewing online via Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIfDxWkGnpg
“All of her friends here today and her supporters in Sher Vancouver miss her dearly. January’s legacy of love, kindness, caring, and compassion will live on forever in our hearts and minds,” states Sher Vancouver via My Name Was January Facebook group page, wherein a newly released digital memorial poster for January was also posted. It was designed by local Vancouver visual artist Jag Nagra, who knew and worked with January in Sher Vancouver in the past.