Sylvia Rivera Society

SRS advocates for, supports, and creates a platform for the voices of LGBTQIA students at the Humphrey. Through a variety of events and activities, SRS addresses queer issues, social justice, and change--both within and beyond the public affairs and policy arena—while emphasizing intersectionality and recognizing the centrality of privilege in systems of oppression. Trans and gender non-conforming students are explicitly included in these efforts.

SRS is named for Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002), a transgender Latina woman from the Bronx whose activism ranged from rioting at Stonewall to lobbying for trans-inclusive nondiscrimination legislation. She was a part of feminist, civil rights, and anti-war movements, marched with the Young Lords and the Black Panthers, and advocated for homeless young trans women.