for Cecilia Gentili
Cecilia Gentili was a trans activist. Cecilia Gentili was a mother. Cecilia Gentili was a friend. Celicia Gentili was an icon. Celicia Gentili was here.
Cecilia navigated an often unkind world with a disarming and empowering grace. Her journey from Argentina to the heart of New York City was not merely a search for sanctuary but a quest to make the invisible seen, the silenced heard, and the marginalized celebrated. Her activism was her art, and her art was a form of activism. Cecilia painted vivid pictures of resilience, struggle, and triumph through her storytelling. She brought to life the experiences of the trans community, advocated the decriminalization of sex work, and supporting those living with HIV/AIDS. Cecilia’s voice was a clarion call for justice, echoing in the corridors of power and the streets, demanding change, equity, and love.
Cecilia was a force.
Cecilia’s legacy is not only in the many movements she helped shape or the policies she influenced, but also in the lives she touched. She mentored many, sharing her wisdom, warmth, and wicked sense of humor, oh so generously. To be loved by Cecilia was to be seen in your entirety, embraced for who you were, and inspired to become who you might be. I know this from personal experience. Her capacity for love was boundless, and she gave it freely, fiercely, and without reservation.
Cecilia was a healer.
Like her activism, her art reflected her soul—bold, beautiful, and transcendent. Cecilia used her creativity as a tool for advocacy; her performances and storytelling were not just entertainment but powerful statements on identity, society, and the human condition. Through her art, she challenged systems, questioned injustices, and oriented communities in the discipline of hope.
Cecilia was a teacher.
Cecilia Gentili leaves behind a world forever changed by her presence. She showed us that change is possible, that love is powerful, and that living one’s truth is the ultimate form of resistance. Let us honor her memory by supporting one another with compassion, living our truths, and building the world she knew we all deserved.
Cecilia is now an ancestor.
Rest in power, Cecilia. Your journey here has ended, but the love you left us is everlasting. We love you, miss you, and will never forget you.