By Prema Kapoor

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Happy LGBT History Month! This month-long event celebrates the history of the LGBT community and the many gay/civil rights movements that have helped shaped our world to become more inclusive. October is the time to celebrate the many achievements made by people who identify under the LGBT+ umbrella and to help pave the way for others who may not feel comfortable with themselves.

Since the community has come a long way, it’s important to commemorate those who have helped build it up from the ground and those who cared about making the world a better place for everyone to live. To start things off, we’ll introduce you first to Marsha P. Johnson.

Marsha P. Johnson was an American gay liberation and AIDS activist and an advocate for trans women of colour. Alongside Sylvia Rivera, she organized the Stonewall Riot in 1969. Following the riots, she established the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which was a group committed to helping homeless transgender youth in New York. Unfortunately, on July 6th, 1992, she was murder when she was 46. And although her life was far too short, she accomplished so much and paved the way for many others to follow in her footsteps.

Marsha P. Johnson (left) and Sylvia Rivera (right) at the Riot

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