06/15/2026
This Pride Month, Roosevelt House spotlights Cecilia Gentili (1972-2024), a legendary trans-rights organizer, author, advocate, performer, and community icon. Born in Argentina, Cecilia later immigrated to the United States as an adult.
Early in her community work, Cecilia built transgender health services at Apicha Community Health Center. Her leadership increased the program from 27 to more than 500 patients. Later, she served as a Managing Director of Policy at GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), where she worked to pass GENDA (Gender Non-Discrimination Act) and co-founded Decrim NY, fighting to decriminalize and destigmatize the s*x trade.
In 2018, Cecilia launched Trans Equity Consulting, partnering with organizations like the CDC, AIDS Institute, and the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Through this work, she founded C.O.I.N. with Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, a free clinic for s*x workers, and created TRANSMISSION, the first all-trans music festival at Marsha P. Johnson State Park.
Beyond advocacy, Cecilia was a celebrated artist. She starred in Netflix’s “Pose”, released the award-winning memoir “Faltas”, and performed her solo show “Red Ink” off-Broadway. Whether it was on the stage, screen, or written page, Cecilia passionately and consistently advocated for the various communities that shaped her practice. Celilia passed in 2024 in New York City at the age of 52.
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