THEIR IMPACT ENDURES

CARMEN VÁZQUEZ

Puerto Rican-born activist who worked with LGBTQ+ organizations from coast to coast, Carmen Vázquez died January 24 of COVID-19 complications at age 72. She was the founding director of the Women’s Building in San Francisco and helped establish the city’s Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center (LYRIC). On the East Coast, she held positions including director of public policy at New York City’s LGBT Community Center, deputy executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, and coordinator of the New York State Department of Health’s LGBT