According to NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio, "putting up statues doesn't change everything, but it starts to change hearts and mindswe want to honor them because they lived their truth and they made history.[4] In addition to the monuments, Marsha P. Johnson State Park (previously East River State Park) in Brooklyn, NY has become the first state park in the state of New York to be dedicated to an LGBTQ person and a Trans woman of color. Date accessed. Their tireless efforts continue to resonate as issues surrounding the health, safety, and autonomy of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Trans women are still challenged. In 1990, Johnson was diagnosed with H.I.V. Lee: How do you move through these movement spaces that, you know, the bounds of white supremacy are still there? Lee: You know, I don't want to either/or it or make it too reductive or too simple. 6 June 2020. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. Having difficulty finding employment, Johnson turned to sex work. Jen Carlson, Activists Install Marsha P. Johnson Monument in Christopher Park, Gothamist, August 25, 2021. reinc: The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. In June of 2019, just as New York City was entering their month of Pride celebrations, the City announced its plans to build two monuments honoring the late Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera for their lifelong commitment to ending oppression for marginalized communities. Shes said that the town had zero tolerance for LGBTQ people and as a Willis: Well, you know what is interesting is we've gotta get out of this space of thinking that transgender people are having some kind of magically different gender experience. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. So it is hurtful, but I don't have the luxury of giving up. Rights for LGBTQ+ people were limited and sometimes ignored completely. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. The P stood for Pay It No Mind. To her, this was a life motto and a response to questions about her gender. Her father was absent and her mother died by suicide when Rivera was 3 years old. Solly, Meilan, New York City Monument Will Honor Transgender Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Smithsonianmag.org, June 3, 2019,https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/. (LAUGH) I almost don't have time to tweet on some days 'cause I'm so busy. Well, I know how to handle them. Thank you for having me. Transpeople were more likely to be homeless and targeted by police. Why did Marsha move to New York City? She returned to the city in 1992 after the death of Johnson. Screen excerpts from this film so that students can hear directly from Marsha and the people in her life. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City with only $15 and a bag of clothes. Apparently, the truck was not abandoned after all. Johnson also became an AIDS activist, later revealing in a 1992 interview that she had been HIV-positive for two years. Even when she found work waiting tables or performing in drag shows, she still made most of her money as a sex worker. And I think what is consistent unfortunately is the sidelining of our voices and the sidelining of our experiences and work. Explore our collection of the best LGBTQ+ Pride quotes. The full episode transcript for Into Black Trans Liberation. I never do it seriously. Marsha P. Johnson, We have to be visible. I walked down 58th Street and the young ones were calling from the sidewalk, 'Sylvia, Sylvia, thank you, we know what you did. And when you think about people like J.K. Rowling, and I want to read this quote, she said, quote, "If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased." During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. Is it a dropping of ego? [4]The transgender women at Stonewall were pushed out of the gay rights movement. Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor: Culinary Anthropologist, Dr. Wangari Maathai: The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Towards Hawaiian Sovereignty: Legacy of Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask, Chronicles of American Women: Your History Makers, Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38099161, https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera, https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/20/nyregion/sylvia-rivera-50-figure-in-birth-of-the-gay-liberation-movement.html, https://npg.si.edu/blog/welcome-collection-sylvia-rivera, https://ag.ny.gov/civil-rights/sonda-brochure, https://www.nps.gov/people/sylvia-rivera.htm, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/Sylvia-Rivera, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/forgotten-latina-trailblazer-lgbt-activist-sylvia-rivera-n438586, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/, https://www.villagevoice.com/2002/02/26/a-woman-for-her-time/, https://www.out.com/pride/2019/5/21/how-sylvia-rivera-created-blueprint-transgender-organizing. Johnson grew up in a religious family and began attending Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church as a child; she remained a practicing Christian for the rest of her life. Lee: I always wonder, and I had been a police reporter for a long time, so I've covered all kinds of crimes. So is it proximity, or is there actually a different dynamic happening there? Like, we all carry insecurities about our gender, about who we are and who we're supposed to be in the world. Lee: This is from a 1989 interview with journalist Eric Marcus. A term to describe people who wear clothes designed for the opposite sex. That is just another element of patriarchy. Thank you for having me. Once back in the city, Rivera got involved again with the fight for the inclusion and recognition of transgender individuals. I mean, I wish I could say yes, but Black cis folks are not doing enough. We have an issue particularly in media where we often get to be either victims, of course, and not alive, or we're a superstar or celebrity. Lee: Speaking of white women, that's a perfect segue. Hey, Marsha. Black trans lives matter. Emma Rothberg, Sylvia Rivera, National Womens History Museum, 2021. It was not easy to live on the margins. Now they are getting a statue in New York, Brooklyns East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson. She said in a 1989 interview that, Before gay rights, before the Stonewall, I was involved in the Black Liberation movement, the peace movementI felt I had the time and I knew that I had to do something. In 1990, Marsha contracted AIDS. Together, they started raising their voices. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. Alexander Street is an imprint of ProQuest that promotes teaching, research, I don't think any of us have the luxury of focusing on one group or the other. Police then reclassified the case as a drowning from undetermined cause, but the LGBTQ+ community was furious that the police refused to investigate further and that many press outlets did not cover her death. No matter how marginalized you are, you can still be an oppressor. Speaking of white women, (LAUGH) and as we know that white women played a role in white supremacy and have always played a reinforcing role in that and also a role in the patriarchy, right? We have to be having a holistic conversation on violence that not only talks about state violence but it also talks about the violence in our own homes, in our communities. Lee: We got COVID-19, white supremacy, uprisings. Please try again. Willis: I don't think so. While short-lived, STAR House was an important space for those who needed it. Meilan Solly, New York City Monument Will Honor Transgender Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Smithsonian Magazine, June 3, 2019, Hugh Ryan, Power to the People: Exploring Marsha P. Johnsons Queer Liberation,. How Nan Goldin Waged War Against Big Pharma, How the Greensboro Four Began the Sit-In Movement, Biography: You Need to Know: Bayard Rustin, Biography: You Need to Know: Sylvia Rivera, Biography: You Need to Know: Dorothy Pittman Hughes. You know, we need the community organizers, and activists, and all those types of stories as well, and we don't often get that. And so cis women are also harmed by the patriarchy, and cis women are also harmed by men in our communities. Marsha P. Johnson: The way I winded up being at Stonewall that night, I was having a party uptown. New-York Historical Society Library. I would love for there to be a massive mobilization of allies of Black folks. At the time, 1992 was the worst year on record for anti-LGBTQ violence according to the New York Anti-Violence Project. Willis: I don't know. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project continues her legacy, working to guarantee all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. The intersection of Christopher and Hudson streets in Greenwich Village, two blocks from The Stonewall Inn, was renamed Sylvia Rivera Way. In 2015, a portrait of Rivera was added to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., making her the first transgender activist to be included in the gallery. Marsha described herself as a gay person, a transvestite, and a drag queen. That night, police officers raided the gay bar. Lee: I'm Trymaine Lee, and this is Into America. I'm not too friendly with them. You may wish to start with a screening of. Sylvia Rivera. National Womens History Museum, 2021. The new monuments and dedicated state park mark powerful steps toward recognizing and amplifying the voices of people who have changed history in their fight for equality, but much remains to be done. WebTo the brave souls who came before us, Marsha P Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk, Audre Lord, and igniting the fight for all of us. You might know King as the wife of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., however, her legacy extends far beyond the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.. I think about the Stonewall riots, and there were important Black trans folks who were on the front lines during that queer militant uprising back in 1969 against the New York Police Department. I think we have to have a real conversation on how white supremacy has also plagued the LGBTQ+ movement since its inception. Rivera frequently experienced homelessness and had problems with substance abuse. And it's just a reminder that we've been here and it's a reminder we're gonna be here. You know, I thought that we were at a point where we were past a lot of his misgivings or misconceptions about transness. At one point, Rivera attempted suicide. You know, at every level there's a systemic transphobia that is not being addressed. Not long after moving to New York, then 17-year-old Johnson met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. Her activism led her to become one of the most influential figures in the gay liberation movement. As one of the leaders of the Stonewall Inn uprising, the Black transgender woman was an early activist for LGBTQ+ rights in New York City. The monuments are dedicated to their legacy and to share their stories for generations to come. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I don't trust men that much anymore., On the Fight for Freedom: No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us., On Her Reputation: I know people think Im a stupid little street queen out there begging for change cause theres nothing else she knows how to do., On Gender Roles: I'm very comfortable around straight men. Sometimes, the strangers were violent. Wilchins, Riki, A Woman for Her Time,The Village Voice, February 26, 2002,https://www.villagevoice.com/2002/02/26/a-woman-for-her-time/. The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. LIVE! She believed no one should hustle or live on the streets, but she knew no other way to survive. This video was created by the New-York Historical Society Teen Leaders in collaboration with the Untold project. There's still a lot of behind-the-scenes educating that has to happen for cis people who don't understand transness or gender nonconformity. But I'll be honest. Trans women, particularly women of color, were regular targets of hate crimes. Lee: What do you think it would take to get that kind of allegiance, especially among Black folks, right? Willis: It does hurt. On every level, Black cis folks are not doing enough to show up in new and expansive ways around gender and it's a problem. New-York Historical Society. I've been around them for years, from working the streets. And in these moments where we see people rising up, and we see coalition building, and we see people coming together in the name of equality, do you believe in this moment that there is a true chance that we'll step closer to the equality that folks claim (LAUGH) they believe in? With public installations already being implemented, the plan is to complete renovations by 2021. Here are 14 quotes from Johnson that capture her spirit and endless passion for LGBTQ+ rights: On Coming of Age: I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I She dispensed cheer and joy. AMERICAN IDENTITY AND CITIZENSHIP; ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL CHANGE, Major support for Women & the American Story provided by, Lead support for New-York Historicals teacher programs provided by, In 1975, artist Andy Warhol crossed paths with Marsha and photographed her for his. But there's still a lot of work to be done. Rivera ran away from home at age 11 and became a victim of sexual exploitation around 42nd Street. A progressive social reformer and activist, Jane Addams was on the frontline of the settlement house movement and was the first American woman to wina Nobel Peace Prize. So there was infrastructure being built. In 1970, Johnson and Rivera founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organization dedicated to sheltering young transgender individuals who were shunned by their families. The two also began STAR House, a place where transgender youth could stay and feel safe. The Historic New Orleans Collection, acc. Johnsons father worked on the General Motors Assembly Line in Linden, NJ and her mother was a housekeeper. Not long after, her body was pulled from the Hudson River near the West Village. Steve Lickteig is executive producer of audio. Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. And so we've got to understand that. Lot of flying. She was beaten for doing so and, after being attacked on a school playground in sixth grade by another student, suspended from school for a week.
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