Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza - Empress I Jose Sarria Award for Uncommon Leadership

Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza created and launched #BlackLivesMatter as a call to action for Black people after the killer of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was not held accountable for his crime. Since then, this brilliant and sharp ideological and political intervention has become an iconic phrase and image in a nationwide protest movement against police and vigilante killings of Black people, young and old, women, men and children. We have chanted, marched and carried signs and banners that uphold the value of Black lives. #BlackLivesMatter has created space for Black LGBTQ people and allies to confront and shut down the war on black bodies. The creators of #BlackLivesMatter, three visionary queer Black women, have made an enduring contribution to the movement by, for, and about freedom and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.