Sylvia Rivera marches with Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.) Flag

Sylvia Rivera marches with Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.) Flag

In this photo, Sylvia Rivera and an unidentified woman participate in a march while holding a rainbow pride flag with the S.T.A.R. logo on it. S.T.A.R., or Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries, was an organization co-founded by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson in New York in 1970. Sylvia and Marsha’s ongoing experiences with homelessness informed S.T.A.R.’s goal to provide housing for queer and trans people, in addition to fighting more broadly for gay liberation. S.T.A.R. disbanded in 1973 but was briefly reestablished by Rivera in 2001 before her death in 2002. This later period of activity for S.T.A.R. is likely when this photo was taken.

Though, for the most part, the organizations’ periods of activity do not overlap, many of the organizational goals of both S.T.A.R. and CAAAV are aligned. Most significantly, CAAAV and S.T.A.R. have both advocated for low income people’s right to housing in New York City. For S.T.A.R., this work manifested as the S.T.A.R. House in 1970, which provided housing for queer and trans people in need. An example of CAAAV’s work to defend access to housing is the Chinatown Tenants Union. In 2007, this union organized a successful rent strike for repairs and an end to evictions.

It is unclear what the purpose of the march in this photograph is. However, that both CAAAV and S.T.A.R. were in attendance makes it clear that both organizations shared similar goals.

Undated

Digitized by: Arlene Gao
Cataloged by: Brenna Moran

Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities.

Photograph

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