A Blue Ridge support group welcomed local members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary and queer community and allies to a festive gathering on Market Street Thursday, to mark the annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Vigils and other events are being held to draw attention to transgender people who have lost their lives due to violence in the past year.

An LGBTQ advocacy group says at least 32 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the United States in 2022.