Pride Month, originally a riot in 1970s Manhattan, was officially proclaimed in 1999 by President Bill Clinton. Although that is a borderline recent development, LGBTQIA+ UCLA alums have been making history for much longer than that. In particular, LGBTQIA+ women from UCLA have made big developments in STEM, public policy, human rights, business, government and essentially every professional field. Here are four inspiring women that didn’t let oppression or hatred get in their way:
Patrisse Cullors
Patrisse Cullors graduated from UCLA in 2012 with a degree in religion and philosophy. After graduating, she went on to co-found Black Lives Matter which earned her title as Civil Rights Leader for the 21st Century by the L.A. Times, the Sydney Peace Prize and numerous other awards in activism. “If your community is under attack, whether that’s the queer community, the Black community, the trans community, or women, our response is survival,” Cullors said to Voice News. Identifying as queer, this icon continues to work for Dignity and Power Now, which she also founded, and creates art pieces that provide social commentary.
Martine Rothblatt
Martine Rothblatt graduated with a J.D/M.B.A in communications and law at UCLA in 1981. She has launched multiple communications satellite companies for the government, radio and international space companies. After her work in astronomy, space and communications, Rothblatt moved onto pharmacy and medicine. She is now the CEO of United Therapeutics and the highest paid female CEO in the country. She is transgender and happily married to her wife of 41 years. Not only is she breaking barriers for women and LGBTQIA+ communities, she is slaying as a professional in countless fields.
Jewel Thais-Williams
Jewel Thais-Williams graduated from UCLA in 1973 with a B.A in history. She was the first black woman to own a disco and the first black LGBTQIA+ member to own a disco. Her disco, Catch One, was a safe space for all genders, sexual orientations and races and boasted frequent stars such as Whoopi Goldberg, Madonna and Whitney Houston. She also participated in activism for food insecurity and the fight against HIV/AIDS in women and children. She was appointed the Grand Marshall of the 2016 L.A. Pride Festival; not only did she trailblaze for future LGBTQIA+ women, but she helps those in need right now.
Mia Frances Yamamoto
Mia Frances Yamamoto studied at UCLA School of Law and co-founded the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association. After school, she became one of the very few openly transgender lawyers in the country, practicing as a criminal defense attorney. The Daily Journal named her one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in California” in 2002 and she is leading the way for more transgender representation and support in the court and law systems.
From business to night life to the medical field, LGBTQIA+ alumna are showing that they are both powerful and proud. No matter what people may say to try and stop them, they are opening doors for the LGBTQIA+ community and society as a whole. Throughout the month, take some time to learn about the hundreds of other notable LGBTQIA+ UCLA alums beyond these four amazing women.