Meet eight amazing Latinx LGBT activists who are changing the world. This is not meant to be a complete list, nor do I claim to be an expert on who would even be on the complete list. I can say withought hesitation, however, that these are eight amazing people who I find inspiring, and I believe you will as well.
Daniel Hernandez
Follow Daniel on Twitter: @djblp
Follow Daniel on Instagram: @djblp
Daniel Hernandez is a Victory Fund candidate for the Arizona State Legislature. You may know him better, however, as the intern for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on the life-changing day she was shot at a campaign event in Tucson. At the young age of twenty, Daniel’s quick thinking and courageous action is is credited by many for saving Rep. Giffords life.
Now as a candidate he is an outspoken advocate both for LGBT Equality and for sensible gun control. While this may make Hernandez seem unlikely to be a rising start in a state like Arizona, many locals would describe him as exactly that. Visit his campaign website at: www.danielforarizona.org.
Joanna Maria Cifredo
Follow Joanna on Twitter: @JoannaCifredo
Follow Joanna on Instagram @JoannaCifredo
Joanna Cifredo is the Racial and Economic Justice Policy Analyst at the National Center for Transgender Equality, the nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people.
Joanna serves on the Board of Directors to Whitman Walker Health and the DC Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs Advisory Board. She is the recipient of the 2015 Visionary Voice Award by National Sexual Violence Resource Center for her work Health Equity and Trans-Inclusive Healthcare, she was also honored by Mujeres en el Movimiento as one of DC’s Rising Stars. She can sometimes be found blogging at joannacifredo.com.
Marco Quiroga
Follow Marco Quiroga on Twitter: @DREAMarcoAble
Follow Marco on Instagram: @maquirog
Marco Quiroga describes himself on twitter as “Gay, Undocumented and Unafraid,” Marco is known by many for three amazing years of work at Immigration Equality working on the front lines of our movement’s struggle for LGBTQ immigrant justice.
This year Marco began a new chapter as Director of Public Policy at the True Colors Fund, as he turns his attention to ending LGBT Youth Homelessness. Find out more at truecolorsfund.org.
Lisbeth Melendez Rivera
Follow Lisbeth on Twitter at @buchadc
Lisbeth Melendez Rivera is the Religion and Faith Program’s Director of Latino and Catholic Initiatives at the Human Rights Campaign where she has worked on the A La Familia project.
Over the years Lisbeth has worked at many organizations in the movement including Freedom to Marry, NARAL, Family Equality Council and Now. And of course, Lisbeth did groundbreaking work at LLEGO the The National Latino/a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organization where she served as Director of Community Education and Training.
Christopher Soto
Follow Christopher on twitter at @loma_poetry
Christoppher Soto (aka Loma) is an nationally recognized poet and activist. Their first chapbook “Sad Girl Poems” was published by Sibling Rivalry Press and tackles some tough topics like LGBTQ youth homelessness, Intimate Partner Violence, and suicide. Their work has been translated into Spanish and Portuguese.
They are currently working on a full-length poetry manuscript about police violence and mass incarceration. Originally from the Los Angeles area, Christopher now now resides in Brooklyn. Visit Christopher’s website at christophersoto-poet.com.
Ruby Corado
Follow Ruby/Casa Ruby on twitter at: @CasaRubyDC
I’ve known Ruby Corado much longer than anyone on the list and if you’ve ever met Ruby, I’m sure you would agree with me when I say what I love most about her is her heart. Ruby was born in San Salvador, El Salvador. She fled a civil war when she was 16 years old. Washington DC has been her home since then where she has been a tireless advocate for the entire LGBT community, but especially Trans, Genderqueer, and Gender Non-Conforming People and the Latino community.
The Casa Ruby community center opened it’s doors in June 2012 and has has met an important need in the community since that day. open to everyone but primarily serving the Latino LGBT community. Find out more and learn how you can support Ruby at www.casaruby.org
Jack Harrison-Quintana
Follow Jack on twitter at: @jchq59
Follow Jack on instagram at: @jchq59
Jack Harrison-Quintana, M.A., is a queer Latino activist, demographer, and researcher currently serving as the director of Grindr for Equality. Prior to his current position, Jack worked for the National LGBTQ Task Force, the Global Trans Research and Advocacy Project (GTRAP), the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Khmera.
In 2010, he was a contributing author for Outing Age 2010: Public Policy Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders, and in 2011, he was a co-author of Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. His other work has addressed issues of sexual liberation, racial justice, post-colonial movement building, diaspora activism, and anti-genderqueer discrimination.
Ignacio Rivera
Follow Ignacio on twitter: @Papi_Coxxx
Much like Christopher Soto, the work of Ignacio Rivera blurs the lines between art and activism. Ignacio identifies as “Brooklyn, New York City born and raised Queer, Two-spirit, Black Boricua Taíno” who uses the gender-neutral pronoun they.
Ignacio is also one of the founding board member of Queers for Economic Justice; a progressive non-profit organization committed to promoting economic justice in a context of sexual and gender liberation. And while this organization is no longer around, it had a profound impact on our movement, highlighting how LGBT folks living in poverty are affected by issues like welfare reform, homelessness and the shelter system.
These days Ignacio wears many, many hats. They are a performance artist, activist, lecturer, and most recently a filmaker. Learn more about Ignacio at their website, www.ignaciogrivera.com.
Eight great sisters and brothers!!! We could probably fill the page with names of many, many others. We are everywhere!!!