Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

Today, Roosevelt House celebrates , a federally recognized holiday that commemorates when Black people, who were enslaved in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom on June 19th, 1965.

Hunter College

This Pride Month, Roosevelt House spotlights Cecilia Gentili (1972-2024), a legendary trans-rights organizer, author, advocate, performer, and community icon. Born in Argentina, Cecilia later immigrated to the United States as an adult.

Early in her community work, Cecilia built transgender health services at Apicha Community Health Center. Her leadership increased the program from 27 to more than 500 patients. Later, she served as a Managing Director of Policy at GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), where she worked to pass GENDA (Gender Non-Discrimination Act) and co-founded Decrim NY, fighting to decriminalize and destigmatize the s*x trade.

In 2018, Cecilia launched Trans Equity Consulting, partnering with organizations like the CDC, AIDS Institute, and the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Through this work, she founded C.O.I.N. with Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, a free clinic for s*x workers, and created TRANSMISSION, the first all-trans music festival at Marsha P. Johnson State Park.

Beyond advocacy, Cecilia was a celebrated artist. She starred in Netflix’s “Pose”, released the award-winning memoir “Faltas”, and performed her solo show “Red Ink” off-Broadway. Whether it was on the stage, screen, or written page, Cecilia passionately and consistently advocated for the various communities that shaped her practice. Celilia passed in 2024 in New York City at the age of 52.

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Last Friday, May 8th, was all about celebrating the next generation of policy leaders 🏛️✨

The Grove Fellowship students gathered at Roosevelt House for lunch and presentations, sharing the incredible work they’ve developed through this mentorship program for Hunter undergrads.

On Monday, May 4th, Roosevelt House was joined by who lead a participatory workshop titled Abolition, Reconstruction, and Public Policy. Hunter students discussed the power of young people, the role of ideas, and the need for new frameworks .

May Day, the international workers holiday, is officially celebrated in 66 countries but largely ignored in the nation where it was born. It actually started right here in the U.S. in the fight for the 8-hour workday. On May 1, 1886, over 300,000 workers in 13,000 businesses across the United States walked off the job to protest for fair hours without losing pay, summed up in the popular demand, “Eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, and eight hours for what we will!” This first May Day protest turned tragic at Chicago’s Haymarket Square when a bomb was thrown and police opened fire. Eight anarchist labor organizers were later convicted, even though most of them were not present at the time. Four of the eight protesters were sentenced to death, sparking America’s first “Red Scare,” which framed anarchism and socialism as dangerous, un-American ideas. Today we remember the struggle of the working-class Americans who fought for our labor rights today.

Join the Human Rights Program at Roosevelt House on Wednesday, April 29th at 6 PM for a screening of “The Uncondemned” followed by a discussion with Consolee Nishimwe, a genocide survivor and women’s rights advocate, and Jessica Neuwirth, Director of the Human Rights Program, moderated by Raza Ahmad.

RSVP: bit.ly/UncomdemnedRh

Join Roosevelt House on Wednesday, April 29 at 6 PM for a screening of “The Uncondemned” followed by a discussion with Consolee Nishimwe, a genocide survivor and women’s rights advocate, and Jessica Neuwirth, Director of the Human Rights Program, moderated by Raza Ahmad.

RSVP: bit.ly/Uncondemned

Mark your calendars - Roosevelt House & the Women and Gender Studies Department at Hunter College ( ) are collaborating on an upcoming book talk you do not want to miss!

We’re honored to welcome Kimberlé Crenshaw ( ), trailblazing scholar of Civil Rights & Black Feminist Legal Theory, as she dives into her new memoir, “Backtalker: An American Memoir”.

Crenshaw will be in conversation with Tony & Obie Award-winning playwright V ( )

Join us on Monday, May 11th at Roosevelt House for powerful conversation and RSVP at bit.ly/CrenshawRH or at the link in bio now!

🚨ATTN students 🚨

As we approach registration for Fall 2026, make sure to add one of the following Public Policy courses to your class list!

As comes to a close, Roosevelt House spotlights Hunter Alumni, Antonia Pantoja!

Antonia Pantoja (1922-2002) was a Black, Puerto Rican, q***r educator and social worker who, in 1961, founded ASPIRA, a landmark organization that promoted education, leadership, and bilingual resources for Puerto Rican youth. A foundational figure in Puerto Rican and Latinx communities across New York, Puerto Rico, and California, she graduated from Hunter College in 1952 and continued her social work education at Columbia University.

Arriving in New York in 1944, Pantoja built vital institutions including the National Puerto Rican Forum and Boricua College, both rooted in community self-determination and access to education. Her work helped pave the way for key movements, including the push for bilingual education and the rise of Nuyorican cultural and political organizing. In 1996, President Bill Clinton recognized her efforts and dedication by awarding her the Presidential Medal of Freedom; she was the first Latinx woman to receive that honor. Pantoja died in 2002 in New York City at the age of 80.

Source: The Whole World Goes to Hunter: Creating a Culture of Excellence and Activism 1870 - 1964 by Laura S. Schor