Statement on the Passing of Carmen Vázquez

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — January 28, 2021 — Washington, DC

We at the Woodhull Freedom Foundation are heartbroken to announce the death of Carmen Vázquez, long-time sexual freedom fighter, Vicki Sexual Freedom award winner, and co-chair of our Board of Directors. Carmen died on Wednesday, January 27th of COVID. Carmen supported Woodhull from its founding. She brought with her a wealth of knowledge, a command of our issues and a network of advocates dedicated to the advancement of sexual freedom as a fundamental human right. Woodhull would not be where it is today without her energy, effort, and dedication.

Carmen’s work touched more lives than we can count. She started fighting for sexual freedom and social justice as a young adult, and never stopped. She was the founding Director of the Women’s Building in San Francisco, helped found the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center in San Francisco, and the LGBT Health & Human Services Network, a coalition of over 55 organizations and groups in New York advocating for LGBT Health and Human Services. Her work integrated a focus on racial and economic justice with her focus on sexual freedom and she took the human rights framework to heart.

Much will be said about Carmen in the coming months and years because of who she was and the work she did. The legions of people she mentored, our own Ricci Levy among them, will have their own memories and stories. For today, though, our grief is raw and it is impossible to imagine a world that doesn’t include Carmen Vázquez.

Carmen was part of our family and we will miss her every single day.

###