TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TRANSGENDER HEROES Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002) Amanda Simpson Kye Allums Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002) was a Puerto In January 2010 President Obama Kye Allums is the first publically Rican American transgender activist. Most appointed Amanda Simpson to serve in transgender person to play NCAA commonly known as one of the inciters the Department of Commerce’s Bureau Division I college basketball. Kye, a of the monumental Stonewall Riots in of Industry and Security. Amanda made student at George Washington University New York City, she was also a founding history as the first openly transgender in Washington, D.C., announced in member of both the Gay Liberation Front woman to appointed to a government office November 2010 that while he identifies and later the Gay Activists Alliance also by a president. She is highly qualified for as male, he will continue playing on the in New York City. Along with her friend, her position, holding degrees in physics, women’s basketball team. Kye recognizes Marsha Johnson, an African American engineering and business administration. that the media attention around his trans woman activist, she also helped She has also served the LGBT coming out can provide visibility for the found STAR, a group dedicated to helping communities on the boards of the National trans community. “I am trying to help homeless trans youth. In addition to Center for Transgender Equality and Out & myself and others to be who they are.” being o ne of the first trans youth shelters Equal as well as volunteering in local work And Kye’s school supports him. Although STAR was also one of the first political in her home state of Arizona. the team is certain they’ll face difficulty organizations for transgender rights in the from other communities when they travel, world. Today the Sylvia Rivera Law Project they’re committed to supporting Kye, says (SRLP) is named in her honor. SRLP is teammate Ivy Abonia, “As long as we’re a non-profit organization that engages in united…we’re a team and we’re a family, policy work and provides trainings and free we’ll be okay” (AP). legal services for transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming low-income people of color. “ GENDER IS THE POETRY EACH OF US MAKES OUT OF THE LANGUAGE WE ARE TAUGHT.” – Leslie Feinberg, Trans Liberation Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network T (212) 727 0135 · F (212) 727 0254 · [email protected] 90 Broad Street, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10004 www.glsen.org · facebook.com/glsen · twitter: @glsen Leslie Feinberg Dr. Marisa Richmond Max Wolf Valerio Leslie Feinberg is a Jewish transgender Dr. Marisa Richmond is the first African Max Wolf Valerio is a transman and activist, speaker, and author. Leslie’s American, transgender person to be an American Indian (Blackfoot)/Latino acclaimed writing has galvanized hir place an elected delegate to the Democratic Sephardic Jewish poet, performer, and as a transgender icon. Ze wrote several National Convention from any state. Dr. writer. Max’s work has been recognized books about the transgender experience: Richmond is President of the Tennessee by poets such as Adrienne Rich and Allen novels Stone Butch Blues and Drag King Transgender Political Coalition (TTPC), Ginsberg, and has appeared in acclaimed Dreams and non-fiction books Transgender serves on the Board of the National collections such as This Bridge Called Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc Center for Transgender Equality, and on My Back. He is influenced by diverse to Dennis Rodman and Trans Liberation: the Sexual Violence Prevention Planning spiritualities, from Afro-Caribbean to Beyond Pink or Blue. Ze is known as Committee of the Tennessee Department of American Indian philosophies and has an first coining the term gender warriors. Health. TTPC is an organization designed ongoing interest in feminism. Max’s book, Feinberg continues to write, speak, and to educate and advocate on behalf of The Testosterone Files: My Hormonal and dedicate hir time to activism along with hir transgender related legislation at the Social Transformation from Female to Male life partner, poet and activist Minnie Bruce federal, state and local levels. has been instrumental in informing readers Pratt. Feinberg is a high ranking member about one person’s FTM transitioning of the Workers World Party (WWP), an process. The book highlights Valerio’s organization that supports the struggles of honesty regarding gender, identity, and self- all oppressed people and is a managing perception, which comprise the core of this editor of the Workers World Newspaper. personal and absorbing narrative. “ I AM PROUD OF MYSELF AS BEING THERE [AT THE STONEWALL RIOTS]. IF I HAD LOST THAT MOMENT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN KIND OF HURT BECAUSE THAT’S WHEN I SAW THE WORLD CHANGE FOR ME AND MY PEOPLE. OF COURSE, WE STILL GOT A LONG WAY AHEAD OF US.” – Sylvia Rivera to Leslie Feinberg, www.workers.org Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network T (212) 727 0135 · F (212) 727 0254 · [email protected] 90 Broad Street, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10004 www.glsen.org · facebook.com/glsen · twitter: @glsen.