LULAC Salutes Latinx Icons in LGBTQ Civil Rights History

Posted on 05/31/2021 @ 03:15 PM

Tags: LGBTQ, Empowerment

By Jesse Garcia
National LULAC LGBTQ Affairs Committee Chair

Brown erasure of our culture is not solely confined to U.S. History books. This disrespect is also found in the LGBTQ community where writers fail to look beyond the work of cisgender gay white males — figures who are often centered in our civil rights movement. This month, I encourage you to read up on significant change makers (including these amazing folks below) whose stories may inspire your journey. Happy Pride Month!

Tony Segura (November 25, 1919 – July 28, 1991) Cuban American
In the 1950s, the LGBTQ community began quietly forming groups around the nation to organize, socialize and improve their civil rights. These groups were part of the Mattachine Society. The first Mattachine Society was created in Los Angeles back in 1950. Cuban-born research chemist Tony Segura and psychologist Sam Morford cofounded the second society in New York, in December 1955. Within a year, Segura became one of the first “acknowledged homosexuals” to appear on live television to speak out about Gay rights. His broadcast was aired on March 10, 1956, with Segura appearing in mask.

Jose Sarria (December 12, 1923 – August 19, 2013) Colombian American
Before Kathy Kozachenko was elected to city council in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1974 and Harvey Milk even thought about running in San Francisco in 1973, a pissed-off drag queen who could no longer tolerate police raiding her San Francisco bar made history and filed for office way back in 1961. Jose Julio Sarria became the first openly-Gay individual in America to run for office. Sarria, a World War II veteran, came back to the states and studied to become a teacher. But when he was framed by San Francisco police for solicitation, the stain on his record would prevent him from ever working in education. Luckily for Sarria, he was tremendously talented in song and dance and took up the world of drag at The Black Cat to make a living. With a huge following that designated him a leader – coupled with the constant police aggression and lack of city hall support, Sarria was finally convinced that he had to run for an at-large seat in the upcoming San Francisco Board of Supervisors election to change things.

Sylvia Rivera (July 2, 1951 – February 19, 2002) Puerto Rican/Venezuela American
In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, along with others at the Stonewall Bar refused to sit quietly during an ongoing police raid. It has been said that Rivera “threw the first heel” that night at law enforcement who were exerting police brutality on LGBTQ patrons they deemed were guilty of inappropriate behavior. The community had reached its breaking point. Day after day, night after night LGBTQ bars were being raided, innocent people were being locked up, and patrons were being publicly humiliated. During their darkest hour, an opportunity to rise against oppression presented itself and courageous members of the LGBTQ community never looked back.

Gloria Anzaldua (September 26, 1942 – May 15, 2004) Mexican American
She called herself a “chicana dyke-feminist, tejana patlache poet, writer and cultural theorist.” But to many who knew her, Gloria Anzaldua was simply one of the great female authors of the 20th Century. Growing up in South Texas and working as a migrant field worker to support her family, Anzaldua was provided with enough life experiences to pen her most revered work “Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza.” This book focused on social and cultural marginalization. Anzaldua incorporated English, Spanish, and other variations of Spanish into her writings, which helped this former bilingual preschool teacher stand out among the rest in the literary world. Anzaldua searched for power in writing in order to create a world that would compensate for what the real world did not offer.

Pedro Zamora (February 29, 1972 – November 11, 1994) Cuban American
Pedro Zamora was one of the pioneers of reality television who used his short time in the spotlight to break down barriers of HIV/AIDS stigma and homophobia. Appearing on the third season of MTV’s The Real World based in San Francisco, Pedro was introduced to American households as an HIV-positive 22-year-old gay man who provided the social conscience voice in a house full of twentysomethings. During the five-month airing of the show, Pedro would often talk about his work as an HIV/AIDS educator and discussed prevention and awareness. He not only educated his fellow cast mates throughout the show’s 20 episodes, but also taught safe sex to the nearly 3 million viewers who tuned in each week. Many TV critics considered Pedro’s appearance on the show one of reality TV’s finest moments.

Daniel Hernandez, Jr. (January 25, 1990 - ) Mexican American
Just five days into his job, 20-year-old Daniel Hernandez, Jr., was helping Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords put together a “Congress on Your Corner” event in Tuscon, Arizona, on January 8, 2011. The supermarket parking lot event attracted around 30 constituents on that sunny day. Then the unthinkable happened. A disturbed shooter began firing his semi-automatic pistol into the crowd and directly at the Congresswoman. Giffords was struck in the head. Hernandez began checking on gunshot victims around him until he noticed Giffords lying on the ground with a severe wound. He went directly to her and started applying first aid, skills he had picked up during training as a certified nursing assistant in high school. He stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. In total, 18 people were shot. Six of those victims died. Giffords’ doctors credit Hernandez for saving the Congresswoman’s life. President Barack Obama recognized him four days later in a nationally televised memorial service in Tucson. Weeks later Hernandez turned 21 and on that day he was invited to the President’s State of the Union, where he sat next to First Lady Michelle Obama. Today, Daniel represents his hometown in the Arizona State Legislature and he launched a congressional campaign for his former boss’ old seat.

Ritchie Torres (March 12, 1988 - ) Puerto Rican/African American
From public housing to the halls of Congress, U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres made history in 2020 when he captured New York’s 15th Congressional seat and became the first Afro-Latinx LGBTQ member of Congress. Prior to this historic election, he spent seven years in City Hall, representing the Bronx and making sure enough resources were being directed to the city’s affordable housing program and toward fighting the city’s opioid epidemic. His progressive stances, new ways of addressing today’s problems, and bucking the archaic caucus system have sent waves in Congress. He demanded and got caucus membership in both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, something not allowed prior to his arrival. He also belongs to the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Future Forum Caucus and the Labor Caucus.

To learn more about extraordinary people in our movement, pick up a copy of Queer Brown Voices.