Sylvia Guerrero
River City Sparkle 2010 Keynote Speaker
Sylvia Guerrero
We are honored to welcome Sylvia Guerrero as our keynote speaker for River City Sparkle 2010. Sylvia Guerrero is the mother of murdered transgender teenager Gwen Araujo and a tireless activist for LGBT civil rights.
A native Bay Area resident, Sylvia Maria Guerrero is the mother
of four children and comes from a family of fourteen. In 1999, one
of Sylvia’s children confided to her that despite being born a boy,
she had never felt comfortable being male. Instead, this child, who
was always very feminine, felt she was and should become a woman.
This child would soon become known to the world as Gwen Amber Rose
Araujo.
By 2002, after a few years in which Sylvia and her family came to
accept her child’s transition from male to female, Gwen was living
full-time as a woman. Tragically, in October of that year, Gwen was
brutally murdered in Newark, California. She was just 17. Four men
were convicted of the crime. Two are serving 15-years to life, on
second degree murder convictions. The other two plea-bargained for
nine and 11-year sentences.
"Nothing is going to bring my daughter back. I am an advocate now and I speak because I think it is important to share my daughter's story. And now is the time. Things are happening and I believe there is a lot of hope for the LBGT community, but I believe there is a lot of work to do." – Sylvia Guerrero
In the months following Gwen's death, Sylvia and her family and friends were
thrust into the forefront of transgender activism. Learning as she
went along, Sylvia began to speak out about the pain and injustice
that her daughter and her family suffered – and suffer still – due
to societal ignorance and transphobia.
A 2006 Lifetime movie,
A Girl
Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story, captured Gwen’s journey to
self-acceptance and her mother’s determination to educate others
about transgender people.
As the quest to bring Gwen’s murderers to full justice continued,
Sylvia remained committed to protecting other families from experiencing
such pain. Through the Gwen Araujo Memorial Fund for Transgender
Education, Sylvia began speaking at middle and high schools about
transgender awareness and understanding. She also speaks to people
who recognize her on the street, youth in her town, community
groups, LGBT groups, and other organized events about Gwen’s
experiences in school and the workplace. and about the need for
societal change and education regarding transgender equality.
Sylvia’s dedication to speaking out about familial acceptance and
educating others about transgender people sends a powerful message
that change is not only possible, but that one day transgender
people like Gwen will be honored and protected for living openly as
their true selves.
Bio and Trans March photo Courtesy of Cause + Effect