42 Facts About Alicia Garza

Alicia Garza is an American civil rights activist and writer known for co-founding the Black Lives Matter movement.

Alicia Garza is a recognized advocate for social and racial justice, with a particular focus on issues affecting marginalized communities, including Black women, LGBTQ+ people, and immigrants.

Alicia Garza has written extensively on issues related to race, gender, and social justice, and her work has appeared in numerous publications.

Alicia Garza's editorial writing has been published by Time, Mic, Marie Claire, Elle, Essence, The Guardian, The Nation, The Feminist Wire, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, and Truthout.

Alicia Garza has engaged in community organizing efforts and initiatives aimed at creating systemic change and challenging inequality.

Alicia Garza was born to a single mother in Oakland, California.

Alicia Garza's family lived first in San Rafael and then Tiburon, and ran an antiques business, assisted later by her brother Joey, eight years her junior.

Alicia Garza graduated in 2002 with a degree in anthropology and sociology.

In 2003 Alicia Garza returned to the Bay Area, where she began a training program in political education with the School of Unity and Liberation that taught young people of color how to organize, by placing them with local community based organizations in West Oakland.

Alicia Garza was struck by the similarities of Trayvon Martin to her younger brother, Joey, feeling that Joey could have been killed instead.

In particular, the movement was born and Alicia Garza's post became popularized after protests emerged in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown.

Alicia Garza led the 2015 Freedom Ride to Ferguson, organized by Cullors and Darnell Moore, that launched the building of BlackLivesMatter chapters across the United States and the world.

The movement and Alicia Garza are credited for popularizing the use of social media for mass mobilization in the United States, a practice called "mediated mobilization".

Alicia Garza was one of the protesters holding back the BART train in Oakland, California, in 2014.

Alicia Garza is the 27th most influential African American on the Root 100, an annual list of black influencers.

Alicia Garza has given speeches to audiences across the country, from union halls to the United Nations Office of the High Commission on Human Rights.

Alicia Garza's editorial writing has been published by The Guardian, The Nation, The Feminist Wire, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, and Truthout.

Alicia Garza currently directs Special Projects at the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

Previously, Alicia Garza had served as the director of People Organized to Win Employment Rights in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alicia Garza is an active participant in several Bay Area social movement groups.

Alicia Garza is on the board of directors of Forward Together's Oakland California branch and is involved with Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity.

Alicia Garza is on the board of directors for Oakland's School of Unity and Liberation.

In 2015, Alicia Garza was selected as the Member's Choice for Community Grand Marshal at 2015 Pride celebration, as she was considered a local hero in Oakland for her contributions to the LGBTQ community and society at large.

Alicia Garza presented at the 2016 Bay Area Rising event, speaking about the propagation of Black Lives Matter and human rights.

Alicia Garza emphasized their crucial role in historical events, from the Underground Railroad to contemporary protest songs.

Alicia Garza recognized the significant impact of Black women voters and celebrated their magic, resilience, and diverse contributions.

In 2021, Alicia Garza was the keynote speaker at UC San Diego's 2021 Commencement ceremonies.

Alicia Garza participated in an attempt to stop a Bay Area Rapid Transit train for four and a half hours, a time chosen to reflect the time that Michael Brown's body was left in the street after he was killed.

In 2018 Alicia Garza launched Black Futures Lab, whose goal is to engage with advocate organizations to advance policies that make black communities stronger.

Alicia Garza divided the Black Census Project into creating separate studies focusing on the black LGBTQ community as well as the black community's political engagement in the United States.

Alicia Garza gave a speech to a crowd of 200 students on the 2020 elections in celebration of Black History Month.

Alicia Garza spoke about how the Black Lives Matter Movement is misinterpreted as anti-white, anti-law enforcement, or a terrorist organization.

Alicia Garza was recognized on the Root 100 list of African American Achievers between the ages of 25 and 45.

Alicia Garza was recognized on the Politico50 2015 guide to Thinkers, Doers, and Visionaries, along with Cullors and Tometi.

Alicia Garza has received the Local Hero award from the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Alicia Garza has been twice awarded by the Harvey Milk Democratic Club the Bayard Rustin Community Activist Award for her work fighting racism and gentrification in San Francisco.

Alicia Garza has been awarded the Jeanne Gauna Communicate Justice Award from the Centre for Media Justice.

In 2018, Alicia Garza was named in the inaugural cohort of the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity.

In 2020, Alicia Garza was named to Fortune magazine's '40 Under 40' list under the "Government and Politics" category.

In 2020, Alicia Garza was included in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020 and on the list of the BBC's 100 Women announced on 23 November 2020.

In 2020, Alicia Garza was number 32 on Fast Company's Queer 50 list.

Alicia Garza was married to Malachi Garza, a community activist, for 13 years.