Today Felicia Flame, a screaming queen who was a part of the Compton Cafeteria Riots, meet with the youth who are gathering to create their own version of Vanguard in the Tenderloin. She shared about her story, her encounter with the Vanguard youth and her reflections about why preserving the history of the Tenderloin and the transgender activists is so important.
Felicia talked with the youth for two hours on topics ranging from surgeries and hormones to the problems with classism and politics.
Near the end of her visit, one of the youth remarked: "to hear what you've been through makes me feel satisfied because it means we're not invisible."
Felicia challenged the youth to preserve the history of the Tenderloin that, in her view, is in danger of being forgotten because the individuals whom it is important to are too poor to buy plaques or statues to remember it.
Her final words to the youth were: "You are all leaders, I expect much from you!"
This was the third gathering of the Larkin youth, who are working towards creating a contemporary volume of the Vanguard Magazine, creating their own group and hope to create some sort of political action to draw attention to the issues that are important to them.
If you are interested in submitting something to their magazine, click the submission tab above.
Location:Larkin Street Youth Center, Tenderloin, San Francisco
