Midwest Buddhist Temple’s

1st annual LGBTQIA+ Memorial Service and mini Obon

When: Sunday, November 29th, 2026
Time: 10:30am service, 11:30am mini Obon

Why: The last Sunday of November was selected to hold an LGBTQIA+ memorial as it falls between two important dates for the LGBTQIA+ and broader communities, to give everyone a chance to remember those who have passed away and especially to remember them as they were and how they would have wanted to be remembered. November 20th is the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, a time to reflect on the lives lost due to anti-transgender violence, while December 1st is World AIDS Day, a day to remember the 32+ million people who have died due to AIDS-related illnesses. More broadly, this memorial service is for all LGBTQIA+ folks to be remembered as they were.

Unfortunately, there is still stigma, discrimination, and hate in our society towards LGBTQIA+ people, those living with HIV, etc. The stigma and discrimination often extends even into death, through deadnaming and misgendering transgender, nonbinary, agender, genderfluid, and gender nonconforming folks, to refusing to acknowledge how one lived or died, to denying partners and friends inclusion in funerals, etc.

Arising out of Queer Obon held in Los Angeles in 2023, which was organized in part by lay members and ministers from several BCA temples, and other Transgender Day of Remembrance services held at other BCA temples in recent years, we decided to hold both a memorial service and mini-Obon so that our MBT sangha members and the broader Chicagoland and Midwest communities can have an opportunity to remember loved ones and friends as they truly were in life, and also to be ourselves as we truly are.

We invite everyone to join us for this memorial service, share the name(s) of loved ones and friends whose memories you wish to honor, and be in community with others. Then join us after service in the social hall as we dance with joy while holding those memories dear and reflecting on our causes, conditions, and connections in this world. No need to practice the bon dances beforehand as MBT’s Minyo dancers will be there to lead us for each dance, so just be yourself and dance!