February 16th, 2021

Marsha P. (“Pay it No Mind”) Johnson born in 1945 in Elizabeth, she was the 5th of 7 children. She was an transgender pioneer, activist, drag performer, sex worker and friend. She played a key role in the Stonewall Riots and the activism during that time that influenced a new phase of the LGBTQ+ movement.

History isn't something you look back at and say it was inevitable, it happens because people make decisions that are sometimes very impulsive and of the moment, but those moments are cumulative realities.

– Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha was on the forefront of pivotal moments in history. She was a big part of her community and wanted to give back. Marsha and her friend Sylvia Rivera established STAR in New York City, which is a space for LGBT+, and homeless youth who needed help at the time.

When she passed in 1992 at 46, her body was found in the Hudson River and it was ruled as a suicide, but her friends were skeptical. Marsha’s death is a case that still remains open.

Marsha will remain honored and her part in history will continue to keep her memory alive.