Maritxa Vidal
I am a Cuban-born transgendered female, 56 years old. I have been fighting against the stigma and ignorance in the Latino and Gay community towards HIV/AIDS since 1990. I am now a certified Health Educator and Illinois Department of Public Health certified tester and counselor of HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis C. For the last ten years, I've been working in a Latino non-profit organization in the heart of the Puerto Rican community, also known as Humboldt Park. Two years ago, I was given the position of Director of Health Education and Community Marketing and Outreach at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's Vida/Sida.
Maritxa Vidal was a Cuban-born transgender woman and a pioneering advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare equity, and social justice, particularly within the Latinx and transgender communities in Chicago and beyond.
Early Life and Identity
Born in Havana, Cuba, Vidal immigrated to the United States with her family in 1966. Raised in Skokie, Illinois, she began working in a factory alongside her father at age 15. During her youth, she grappled with her gender identity, ultimately transitioning in the 1970s. At that time, transgender individuals faced significant legal and social challenges; Vidal was arrested multiple times simply for expressing her gender identity, as laws then criminalized individuals not wearing at least three articles of clothing corresponding to their assigned gender at birth.
Advocacy and Leadership
Vidal dedicated over three decades to combating HIV/AIDS stigma and promoting health education within the Latino and LGBTQ+ communities. She served as Director of Health Education, Community Outreach, and Marketing at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's Vida/SIDA program in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. citeturn0search1 In this role, she was instrumental in providing culturally competent healthcare services and education.
As a board member and Central Co-Chair (Illinois) of the TransLatin@ Coalition, Vidal was a vocal advocate for transgender rights. She participated in national demonstrations, including actions at the U.S. Conference on AIDS and the Creating Change conference, to demand greater inclusion of transgender individuals in HIV/AIDS programming and policy discussions.
Honors and Legacy
Vidal's contributions were recognized with numerous accolades:
In 2015, she became the first transgender person to receive the Harvey Milk Award for her work in LGBTQ+ equality.
In 2016, she was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.
She was named an Honorary Global Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations in 2016, acknowledging her lifelong commitment to the transgender, lesbian, and bisexual communities, as well as her work in HIV testing, prevention, and counseling.
Known affectionately as "the mayor" or "la princesa del paseo" of Division Street, Vidal was celebrated for her warmth, resilience, and unwavering dedication to her community.
Passing and Remembrance
Maritxa Vidal passed away from cancer in June 2022. Her death was mourned deeply by the communities she served, with tributes highlighting her role as a "beautiful warrior sister" and a "chingona Cubana" with a heart of gold. Her legacy continues to inspire activism and advocacy for transgender rights and healthcare equity.
Vidal's life stands as a testament to the impact of courageous advocacy and the enduring fight for justice and inclusion.