The Stonewall National Museum and Archives, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, held a special event on May 7 at CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, where attendees watched a screening of a documentary about the late Urvashi Vaid and a discussion featuring actress Laverne Cox.
The event kicked off with a screening of the 2023 documentary “There Are Things to Do,” which focused on the life of the late Urvashi Vaid as well as her partner, Kate Clinton. The short film was made as a gift to Provincetown, where Vaid and Clinton lived, and it has been screened at numerous festivals.
Cox, for her part, was enshrined in the “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes” exhibition, which showcases LGBTQ+ stories at the museum. Other such heroes include Audre Lorde, Billy Porter, Larry Kramer, and Diana Nyad.
In her remarks, Cox discussed the current state of issues — attacks on trans rights, women’s rights, and multiple wars around the globe — as she conveyed that she felt unworthy of such an honor during a time of trauma.
Andrew Rich, who is the dean of CCNY’s Colin Powell School, and Robert Kesten, the executive director of the Stonewall National Museum and Archives, each delivered remarks.
During his remarks, Kesten emphasized that the Stonewall Museum has carried the Stonewall name for 51 years and has “collected the history and culture of Stonewall.”
The event also featured a special awards ceremony during which CCNY student Shantal Rodriguez and CCNY alum Blaze Levario won the Urvashi Vaid Award for LGBTQ+ Advocacy
“Home may not be a safe space,” Rich acknowledged, before adding, “It is important that college is!” Rich discussed a fellowship named after David Mixner, who, like Vaid, was an LGBTQ advocate who made a difference in the community.
