Honoring Lives, Uplifting Community: Chloe Corcoran Keynotes Transgender Day of Remembrance
Chloe Corcoran (she/her), Director of Alumni Relations at Palo Alto University, served as the keynote speaker at San Mateo County’s Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on November 20, the nationally recognized annual observance honoring transgender and gender-diverse individuals whose lives were lost to anti-trans violence. Her remarks anchored an evening of reflection, remembrance, and renewed commitment to action, grounding the event in both compassion and responsibility.
Hosted by the County’s LGBTQIA+ Commission in partnership with local and county organizations, the gathering brought together community members for a candlelight vigil, musical reflection, and a pastoral message from a local faith leader. The solemn reading of names served as the emotional center of the program, underscoring the purpose of TDOR: to honor lives lost and to acknowledge the disproportionate violence faced by transgender people, particularly trans women of color and trans people with disabilities, who experience the greatest impact of intersecting systems of harm. The gathering reflected a community-centered, trauma-informed approach that aligns closely with Palo Alto University’s focus on mental and behavioral health care.
In her keynote, Chloe invited attendees to view TDOR not only as a memorial but as a call to action, one that asks individuals, institutions, and communities to move beyond remembrance toward accountability, allyship, and sustained care. Drawing from her lived experience and years of advocacy, she spoke about the daily courage required to exist openly in a world that often demands resilience from trans people simply to move through it. Her message echoed PAU’s broader emphasis on equity-informed leadership, one that recognizes the role institutions play in creating systems of care, safety, and belonging both within and beyond higher education.
Chloe emphasized that honoring those lost requires intention: showing up for one another, speaking up in spaces where trans voices are absent, and recognizing that safety and belonging are collective responsibilities. She reminded the audience that allyship is not abstract; it lives in everyday decisions, in policies that protect or exclude, and in the willingness to stand with others even when doing so feels uncomfortable. Her message resonated as both deeply personal and broadly instructive, connecting individual action to systemic change.
Community Partnership and Shared Responsibility
The themes raised in Chloe’s keynote were echoed throughout the evening and reinforced by the broader community partnerships that sustain TDOR year after year. Among those contributing to this work is Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti, a 2000 graduate of PAU’s PhD in Clinical Psychology program and Director of the San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (BHRS) Office of Diversity and Equity.
Lorente-Foresti shared that BHRS and the Office of Diversity and Equity have supported San Mateo County’s Transgender Day of Remembrance events since 2015 through multiple Health Equity Initiatives, including the Pride Initiative, helping ensure the gathering remains community-centered, affirming, and grounded in shared responsibility.
She noted that transgender violence is rooted in intersecting systems of transphobia, racism, and misogyny, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown trans women, and stressed the importance of inclusive data and affirming behavioral health services in addressing these inequities. Her perspective echoed a central message of the evening: that remembrance must be paired with action, and that systems of care play a critical role in fostering safety, dignity, and belonging.
Lorente-Foresti’s long-standing commitment to equity, culturally responsive care, and community wellbeing was recognized in 2024, when she was inducted into the San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame. To learn more about her work and this recognition, read PAU’s earlier feature on her induction.
Leadership and Advocacy Beyond the Event
Chloe’s keynote comes at a time when her advocacy work continues to expand both within the broader community and in alignment with Palo Alto University’s mission. This past Spring, she was appointed to the City of West Hollywood’s Transgender Advisory Board, a body that advises the City Council, supports community programming, and advances policies related to transgender visibility, equity, and well-being. The Board focuses on public safety, inclusion in city services, cultural events, and strengthening local support systems for transgender and nonbinary residents. She was recently elected to become the Chair of the Board.
Nationally, Chloe is a sought-after speaker and educator, having delivered trainings and keynote addresses across the country on transgender equity, inclusion, and lived experience. She is also a co-star of the award-winning podcast Being: Trans, which brings honest, human conversations about gender identity and resilience to a broad audience. Across her work, Chloe uses storytelling as a tool for education—bridging personal narrative with structural insight to foster empathy and understanding.
Moving Forward Together
San Mateo County’s Transgender Day of Remembrance gathering served as both a memorial and a moment of resolve—honoring lives lost while reaffirming a shared commitment to action, equity, and care.
Palo Alto University is proud to recognize Chloe Corcoran’s leadership and the ways her work reflects the university’s mission to advance inclusive excellence, wellbeing, and community impact. Through her role at PAU and her advocacy beyond campus, Chloe exemplifies how higher education leaders can engage thoughtfully with the communities they serve, pairing remembrance with responsibility, and reflection with action.
To learn more about Chloe’s advocacy, speaking engagements, and educational work, visit www.chloe-corcoran.com.
