Trans Day of Remembrance: How activist Cecilia Gentilli taught me the art of living

In February of this year, New York City lost an icon with the passing of Cecilia Gentilli, a legendary trans activist and performer who touched countless lives with her kindness, advocacy and art. 

Like many LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, I first met Cecilia in her role as a community health advocate at Apicha Community Health Center. At 16 years old, her impact on me was profound. She was the first person to teach me about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis or medicine that can reduce the likelihood of contracting HIV) and was the first adult to sit me down and have a talk about sex and sexuality from a queer perspective. I’ll never forget the cold rush of embarrassment and excitement I felt inside when she said “someone

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