Sylvia Rivera

Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002) was a Puerto Rican-Venezuelan transgender activist present at the Stonewall uprising (1969) — one of the most important figures in LGBTQ+ rights history. Co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with Marsha P. Johnson to support homeless transgender youth. Born in NYC to a Puerto Rican father and Venezuelan mother. Fought for inclusion of transgender people in anti-discrimination legislation. Often marginalized within mainstream gay rights movement. Embodied the intersection of Puerto Rican diaspora identity, gender nonconformity, poverty, and resistance. Monument in Greenwich Village (2019): first public monument honoring transgender people.