Trailblazers Park

Artist: Ian Hannula and Joe Haller, N.I.C.E. Collective

AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), emerged in New York City in 1987 as a radical activist group dedicated to bringing an end to the AIDS epidemic. At a time when the disease was shrouded in stigma and fear, ACT UP’s founders, a group of activists and healthcare professionals, believed that a more aggressive, confrontational approach was needed to break through the silence and inaction surrounding the disease. ACT UP’s direct-action tactics and relentless pressure galvanized public attention, forced the government to increase funding for AIDS research and treatment, and played a crucial role in changing public attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS.

Artist: Emily Scott

Richard Burns has dedicated his life and career to LGBTQ+ liberation. As a frontline activist, strategist, leader, administrator, inspiration, visionary, and bridge between communities, he has worked tirelessly, creatively, and across a number of roles: co-founder of the GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD); co-founder of the Massachusetts LGBT Bar Association; Executive Director of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center; a founding board member of the NYC AIDS Memorial Park; and founder and board chair of the American LGBTQ+ Museum.

Artist: William T. Whiting

Kevin Cathcart, the “dean” of LGBTQ+ activism, has directly or indirectly bettered the lives of virtually every LGBTQ+ person in the United States. During his time as its Executive Director, Lambda Legal fought for marriage rights, employment rights, the protection of LGBTQ+ youth, health care fairness, the rights of people living with HIV, the transgender community, seniors, immigrants, and low-income LGBTQ+ people, criminal justice and police reform, racial justice, and fair courts. Under his leadership, Lambda Legal became the preeminent LGBTQ+ legal organization in the country.

Artist: Paco May

West Point graduate and Iraq War veteran Dan Choi emerged as a champion for LGBTQ+ rights after coming out on national TV in 2009. Despite facing discharge under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, his courage sparked a movement. From rallies to handcuffing himself to the White House, Choi’s unwavering activism fueled the fight for repeal. His relentless spirit, alongside countless others, finally brought down DADT in 2010. Choi continues to inspire through speaking, writing, and motivating generations to embrace their identities and fight for equality. He remains a testament to the power of conviction in creating a more just world.

Artist: Pamela Sneed

Stormé DeLarverie was a biracial butch lesbian born in the Deep South during Jim Crow whose name became synonymous with resistance and the fight for equality due to her crucial role in the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising. At Stonewall, she battled with at least four police officers for over 10 minutes, which many believe catalyzed the crowd into action. Stormé was also famous for taking on the groundbreaking role of a drag king, performing alongside 25 drag queens, at the Jewel Box Revue in Miami.

Artist: Leslie Howitt

Andrea Jenkins is an African American politician, writer, performance artist, poet, and transgender activist. In 2017, she became the first Black openly transgender woman elected to public office in the United States (and one of the first transgender peopled elected to any public office) when she was elected to the Minneapolis City Council. In January 2022, the council elected her President, and, in November 2023, she continued to forge a path for LGBTQ+ people by being re-elected to the council in a very tight race.

Artist: Andy Stowers Forrest

Dr. Rachel Levine is an openly transgender pediatrician, researcher, and public health official who has made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and public service. She is also a vocal advocate for transgender rights and has spoken out against anti-transgender legislation and worked to increase access to healthcare for transgender people. In January 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Levine to serve as United States Assistant Secretary for Health. The Senate confirmed her in a 52-48 vote, making her the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.

Artist: Genevieve Leahy

James G. Pepper, a long-time Fire Island Pines resident, has been a pivotal figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement for nearly half a century. He has profoundly impacted the HIV+/AIDS crisis through his leadership in fundraising and policy innovation, and by shaping enduring strategies for LGBTQ+ community support and advocacy. In 1990, he co-founded the Stonewall Community Foundation with other activists as a collection of donor funds to support LGBTQ+ causes with a focus on funding small organizations. He was an active fundraiser for Lambda Legal and served on the board of directors of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC).

Artist: Tom Bianchi

Paul Graham Popham, a Pines resident, was a decorated Viet Nam veteran and a founder and first president of Gay Men’s Health Crisis. GMHC was a ground-breaking institution which, together with the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), altered the landscape of services and rights of HIV+ people in New York City and the rest of the country. Popham also helped found, and was chair of, the AIDS Action Council, a lobbying organization based in Washington. Popham succumbed to AIDS in 1987 at the age of 45.

Artist: Tom Smith

The international soccer star has transcended sports to become a trailblazing force in LGBTQ+ activism. While securing the title of Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2019, her true legacy lies in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. Her 2012 public coming out before the London Olympics marked a pivotal moment for LGBTQ+ athletes. Beyond the pitch, Rapinoe champions equality, pay equity, and social justice – her efforts culminating in a historic equal pay deal for women soccer players in 2019.

Artist: Kyle Meyer

RuPaul Andre Charles is a transformative figure in entertainment and LGBTQ+ advocacy. During his early career, he was part of the vibrant 1980s drag culture In Atlanta and later a leading figure in the downtown New York drag scene. He has since become a recording and television star. Among his numerous awards and accolades, in 2018, he received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star – the first drag queen honoree. In 2024, he won his 12th Emmy, making him the most decorated Black artist in Emmy history.

Artist: Eva Mueller

Bamby Salcedo, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and is based in California, has worked tirelessly advocating for the rights of transgender people and immigrants and on LGBTQ+ issues, HIV cases of inequality within the healthcare system, and more. She is the founder of the Los Angeles-based  TransLatin@ Coalition, an organization that advocates for the needs of transgender Latinas who are immigrants and reside in the U.S.

Artist: Billy Gerard Frank

The Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, and writer has transcended her entertainment acclaim to become a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. Beyond her comedic genius, Sykes fearlessly champions LGBTQ+ rights, leveraging her platform to confront societal norms. Unveiling her authentic self in 2008 during a rally against California’s Proposition 8, she transformed a personal revelation into a political stand against discrimination. She was the first African American LGBTQ+ individual to be the featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Artist: Mark Christensen

Ritchie Torres is a Democratic U.S. congressman representing New York’s 15th Congressional District in the South Bronx. When elected to the House of Representatives in 2020, he became the first openly LGBTQ+ Afro-Latino elected to Congress and one of the first openly LGBTQ+ Black men elected to Congress. Throughout his career, Torres has demonstrated a commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals from their youth through their senior years.

Artist: Jonathan Kent Adams

Urvashi Vaid has been called “the most prolific LGBTQ organizer in history” and “one of the most influential progressive advocates of our time.” As a writer, speaker, and key figure in the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Urvashi did not simply respond to issues of our time; she helped shape our struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. Urvashi Vaid wrote and spoke powerfully about the intersectionality of women’s rights, immigration justice, health care justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and the anti-war movement.

Artist: Paul Mpagi Sepuya

Phill Wilson is an African American HIV/AIDS activist who founded the Black AIDS Institute to promote awareness and prevent the spread of AIDS in Black communities. He served as the President and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute for over 20 years. During his career, Wilson, has founded and/or worked with scores of organizations, including the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, The AIDS Hospice Foundation, the National Minority AIDS Council, the National Task Force on AIDS Prevention, the AIDS Prevention Team, and others.

Artist - TM Davy

Drinking Fountain:
“STAR Fountain” is a mosaic drinking fountain in transcendent celebration of the dawning spirit of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and their Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries.