Dear Queer|Art Family,
We are sending endless love to all today as we grieve the passing of Cecilia Gentili, our beloved Board member, organizer, advocate, storyteller, artist, Aquarius, mother, friend, mentor, and light in our community. In a word, she was everything. Though she officially joined our Board in 2021, her influence was deeply felt in Queer|Art long before then, and will continue to flourish for years to come.
We join our community and collaborators in sharing tributes; here is a link to her Instagram and to QA’s memorial post. Like everyone who was blessed to have Cecilia in their life, we are feeling an unfathomable heartbreak and loss in this moment. In the same breath, we are also overcome with love and gratitude for her many accomplishments and gifts to the world. She was a titan, a legend, an icon, and to crown her any lesser title would be an understatement. To know her was to be in awe of her.
As an inimitable performer, her vulnerable storytelling made us cry with laughter and smile through tears. Whether it was in scene-stealing appearances in “POSE” or “The Stroll,” or her critically acclaimed one-woman shows, “The Knife Cuts Both Ways” and “Red Ink,” Cecilia was celebrated for her searing blend of humor and honesty, and could just as easily command space as she could make space for others.
As a fierce activist, she spent her entire life and career advocating for the rights of immigrants, sex workers, queer and trans communities, and all vulnerable groups near and abroad. Cecilia was the founder of Trans Equity Consulting, the former Director of Policy at GMHC, and a founding member of Decrim NY—just three of many roles that exemplify her capacity to enact change on the systemic level.
But Cecilia may be most lovingly remembered as a nurturing, devoted, and vibrant mother to many. Even outside the spotlight she so easily attracted, Cecilia exuded a once-in-a-lifetime level of selflessness, grace, and generosity, making her a beacon of warmth for anyone seeking a renewed sense of home. If you were lucky enough to be pulled into her orbit, you felt immediately just how radiant and radical her love was.
As a cherished Board member, Cecilia was a force of nature. She wrote of joining the Board, “as an artist myself, whose identity intersects with being trans, a woman, an immigrant, undocumented, sex worker and with a history of incarcerations, I understand the need to have representation in spaces like Queer|Art in the highest levels of decision-making. My priority is to center all those identities to the work QA does, and help them translate to the community in different art forms." Cecilia pushed Queer|Art to clarify our purpose and mission, align our programs with our values, celebrate trans leadership, and more. She was instrumental in garnering the Board’s support of our recent BDS endorsement, urging us to fulfill our action and accountability commitments at every turn.
As these accomplishments demonstrate, Cecilia was a singular champion willing to put 100% of her body, mind, and spirit on the line for people she loved and causes she supported. She regularly redirected honoraria from speaking engagements to Queer|Art, and would often go out of her way to connect us with potential sponsors. She even performed a sultry burlesque fundraising routine at the 2022 Annual Party, and flawlessly hosted our first-ever Drag Brunch in 2023. She was a powerhouse any organization would be honored to count among their allies, and one whose absence will be painfully felt.
We will share any updates about services as information becomes available. We echo Cecilia’s family and team in their reminders to be gentle with each other and love one another with ferocity. Right now, we need to take care of each other as mother would expect us to!
With love,
Queer|Art’s Staff and Board - past, present, and future