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In 2014, Lopez acted as a publicist with STARR when the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) of New York City offered gender reassignment surgery for a 21-year-old, former foster care child. The city paid for the surgery.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Exclusive: A sex change operation is funded by New York City's Administration for Children's Services|url = http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-pays-sex-change-operation-article-1.1601167|website = Daily News New York|accessdate = 2015-06-15}}</ref>
In 2014, Lopez acted as a publicist with STARR when the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) of New York City offered gender reassignment surgery for a 21-year-old, former foster care child. The city paid for the surgery.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Exclusive: A sex change operation is funded by New York City's Administration for Children's Services|url = http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-pays-sex-change-operation-article-1.1601167|website = Daily News New York|accessdate = 2015-06-15}}</ref>


In 2015, Lopez served on a panel discussion at the [[National Action Network|National Action Network (NAN)]] about LGBTQ rights and homophobia in the Black community, moderated by [[Patrik-Ian Polk]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title = Creators of FOX's hit Empire amongst honorees at Al Sharpton's NAN 2015 Conference|url = http://buzzfeedi.com/creators-of-foxs-hit-empire-amongst-honorees-at-al-sharptons-nan-2015-conference/|website = Voice World News|accessdate = 2015-11-15|date = 2015-04-01}}</ref> The panel included Sean Coleman, Executive Director, Destination Tomorrow, Reverend MacArthur Flournoy, Director Faith Partnerships and Mobilization, [[Human Rights Campaign]], Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director and CEO, [[National Black Justice Coalition]], Lawrence "Miss Lawrence" Washington, Co-Host, [[Bravo (U.S. TV network)|Bravo]]'s ''[[Fashion Queens]]'', Daniel Williams, Youth Huddle Member and Chairperson, LGBT Committee, NAN New York City Chapter, Reverent Steffie Bartley, Sr., President, NAN Elizabeth, NJ Chapter & NAN Board of Directors and BJ Coleman, President, Coleman Entertainment Group.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://nationalactionnetwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ConventionSchedule2015.pdf|title = Convention Schedule|date = 2015-01-01|accessdate = 2015-11-14|website = National Action Network (NAN)|publisher = |last = |first = }}</ref>
In 2015, Lopez served on a panel discussion at the [[National Action Network|National Action Network (NAN)]] about LGBTQ rights and homophobia in the Black community, moderated by [[Patrik-Ian Polk]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title = Creators of FOX's hit Empire amongst honorees at Al Sharpton's NAN 2015 Conference|url = http://buzzfeedi.com/creators-of-foxs-hit-empire-amongst-honorees-at-al-sharptons-nan-2015-conference/|website = Voice World News|accessdate = 2015-11-15|date = 2015-04-01}}</ref>


Between 2017 and 2018, Lopez filed multiple lawsuits related to her experience with Marsha's House, the only shelter for LGBTQ adults in New York City.<ref name="Newman 2022" /><ref name="Davis 2022">{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Emma |title=New York City's only shelter for LGBTQ adults is 'a nightmare,' ex-residents say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/new-york-citys-only-shelter-lgbtq-adults-nightmare-ex-residents-say-rcna13358 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=February 9, 2022}}</ref>
Between 2017 and 2018, Lopez filed multiple lawsuits related to her experience with Marsha's House, the only shelter for LGBTQ adults in New York City.<ref name="Newman 2022" /><ref name="Davis 2022">{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Emma |title=New York City's only shelter for LGBTQ adults is 'a nightmare,' ex-residents say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/new-york-citys-only-shelter-lgbtq-adults-nightmare-ex-residents-say-rcna13358 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=February 9, 2022}}</ref> By 2019, the cases resulted in two confidential settlements for Lopez,<ref name="Davis 2022"/> and in 2022, New York City agreed to increase and improve access to shelters for trans people, to require staff to sign non-discrimination agreements, and to conduct training for staff.<ref name="Hogan 2022">{{cite news |last1=Hogan |first1=Gwynne |title=NYC Must Provide Separate Housing for Trans People in Homeless Shelters Under New Settlement |url=https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-must-provide-separate-housing-trans-people-homeless-shelters-under-new-settlement |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=[[Gothamist]] |date=January 3, 2022}}</ref>


In 2021, Lopez advocated for real flowers to be planted in a park that was named for Marsha P. Johnson in 2020, after the state parks department proposed a plastic installation, and she proposed an additional memorial garden for Johnson, Rivera, and other transgender people at [[Gansevoort Peninsula]].<ref name="Imbler 2021"/><ref name="Duggan 2021" />
In 2021, Lopez advocated for real flowers to be planted in a park that was named for Marsha P. Johnson in 2020, after the state parks department proposed a plastic installation, and she proposed an additional memorial garden for Johnson, Rivera, and other transgender people at [[Gansevoort Peninsula]].<ref name="Imbler 2021"/><ref name="Duggan 2021" />

Revision as of 17:47, 3 July 2022

Mariah Lopez
Born1985 (age 38–39)
United States
Other namesMariah Lopez Ebony
OccupationActivist
Known forTransgender activism
Websitestrategictransalliance.org

Mariah Lopez (born 1985) is an American activist based in New York City. She has been a plaintiff in multiple lawsuits related to civil and human rights, and has lobbied for legislation and greater policy protections for LGBTQ people. Lopez is the executive director for STARR (Strategic Trans Alliance for Radical Reform), a transgender rights advocacy group.[1]

Early life and education

Lopez was born and raised in the Amsterdam Houses on the Upper West Side of New York City.[2][3] At age 9, she was placed in foster care after her mother and grandmother died.[2] She resided in a variety of group homes, including group homes for gay and transgender youth.[2][4] She left high school before graduation and later completed a GED and then attended college.[2]

At age 13, she became the lead plaintiff in a 1999 class action lawsuit that alleged routine violence and psychological abuse was perpetrated against gay and lesbian children in New York foster care.[2] After being placed in an all-male group home at age 16, she sued pursuant to the New York Human Rights Law and at age 17 won the right to wear skirts and dresses.[2] At age 20, she lost a lawsuit she filed to have the cost of her gender affirmation surgery covered by New York City, after winning at the trial court level and losing on appeal.[2] Two years later, New York City changed its policy to begin covering surgery.[2] Before her surgery case was completed, she sued the New York City Police Department, alleging false arrests for loitering and assaults during "gender checks"; the case was settled with a $35,000 payment to Lopez, and she then went to Florida for her surgery.[2]

Activism

By July 2022, Lopez had filed 14 lawsuits against government agencies.[2] In 2014, she renamed and relaunched the transgender rights group founded by Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera as Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) as Strategic Transgender Alliance for Radical Reform (STARR).[2][4]

In 2012, Lopez lobbied for a reexamination of the 1992 death of Marsha P. Johnson, a Black transgender rights activist. Initially the case was considered a suicide but in 2012 the New York Police Department re-opened the case as possible homicide.[5] In 2017, the documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson was released by Netflix and Lopez was filmed for the documentary but not featured in the final film.[6] The film prompted a discussion around who should tell the story of Marsha P. Johnson, and their power and relationship to profiting off of a marginalized community and sharing someone else's story.[6] STARR (Strategic Trans Alliance for Radical Reform) is intended to be a reboot of Johnson and Rivera’s organization STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries).[6]

Lopez helped open the very first transgender housing unit for the largest prison in America, Rikers Island, in 2014. She wrote on Facebook on July 30, 2014 that "the country's first exclusively transgender facility" would open within days.[7] The new unit would help better protect transgender individuals as Lopez stated the housing unit was in response to "abuses so severe and taboo that most people (the general public and elected officials) believe these practices to be outlawed and or no longer practiced"; writing that "abuses included strip-searches by officers, beating and rape of trans individuals while incarcerated throughout the United States." citing Amnesty International's 2003 report, "Stonewalled".

In 2014, Lopez acted as a publicist with STARR when the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) of New York City offered gender reassignment surgery for a 21-year-old, former foster care child. The city paid for the surgery.[8]

In 2015, Lopez served on a panel discussion at the National Action Network (NAN) about LGBTQ rights and homophobia in the Black community, moderated by Patrik-Ian Polk.[9]

Between 2017 and 2018, Lopez filed multiple lawsuits related to her experience with Marsha's House, the only shelter for LGBTQ adults in New York City.[2][10] By 2019, the cases resulted in two confidential settlements for Lopez,[10] and in 2022, New York City agreed to increase and improve access to shelters for trans people, to require staff to sign non-discrimination agreements, and to conduct training for staff.[11]

In 2021, Lopez advocated for real flowers to be planted in a park that was named for Marsha P. Johnson in 2020, after the state parks department proposed a plastic installation, and she proposed an additional memorial garden for Johnson, Rivera, and other transgender people at Gansevoort Peninsula.[3][12]

Personal life

Lopez is a Black-Latinx trans woman.[12]

References

  1. ^ "The 2021 Pride Power 100: 51-100". City & State. June 20, 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Newman, Andy (July 3, 2022). "Suing New York, Over and Over, for Transgender Rights". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b Imbler, Sabrina (March 20, 2021). "The Perseverance of New York City's Wildflowers". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b Blanchard, Sessi Kuwabara (June 8, 2020). "At STAR House, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera Created a Home for Trans People". Vice. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  5. ^ Jacobs, Shayna (2012-12-16). "DA reopens unsolved 1992 case involving the 'saint of gay life'". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  6. ^ a b c Juzwiak, Rich. "Who Owns Marsha P. Johnson's Story?". Jezebel. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  7. ^ "Rikers Jail to Open Transgender Unit". gaycitynews.com. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  8. ^ "Exclusive: A sex change operation is funded by New York City's Administration for Children's Services". Daily News New York. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  9. ^ "Creators of FOX's hit Empire amongst honorees at Al Sharpton's NAN 2015 Conference". Voice World News. 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
  10. ^ a b Davis, Emma (February 9, 2022). "New York City's only shelter for LGBTQ adults is 'a nightmare,' ex-residents say". NBC News. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  11. ^ Hogan, Gwynne (January 3, 2022). "NYC Must Provide Separate Housing for Trans People in Homeless Shelters Under New Settlement". Gothamist. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  12. ^ a b Duggan, Kevin (March 5, 2021). "State halts Marsha P. Johnson Park revamp following outcry by family, trans activists". The Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
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