[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   LIFE AND LEGACY OF CECILIA GENTILI

  (Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the life 
and legacy of beloved Queens community leader, Cecilia Gentili.
  Cecilia was a beacon of hope for so many communities in my district. 
She was only 26 when she fled Argentina to seek asylum in the United 
States. She arrived in New York City in 2003 and lived her truth as a 
trans woman. She was finally granted asylum in 2012, as well, and she 
devoted much of her life to uplifting our trans and undocumented 
community in Queens.
  Most recently, Cecilia shined in her artistic pursuits as an author, 
playwright, and actress. Cecilia was a leader in the fight for HIV/AIDS 
healthcare and founded a free healthcare clinic in New York City.
  At the State level, she championed the Gender Expression Non-
Discrimination Act, GENDA, which was signed into law in 2019. Today, 
Cecilia would have also wanted to continue to uplift her advocacy 
against dangerous proposals like KOSA that would allow States to cut 
off access to lifesaving online resources for isolated trans youth, 
like healthcare information.
  Our community will continue to remember Cecilia as an unwavering 
leader in the fight for equality.

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