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Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson — Documentary
Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson is THE icon of the LGBTQ+ movement and one of the mothers of the fight for trans rights. Today, you can buy T-shirts emblazoned with her face or walk through a park named in her honor. This season on Afterlives, we hear from Marsha in her own words.

Afterlives is a documentary podcast series about trans lives we’ve lost and the ways their stories have reshaped our world. Host Raquel Willis brings Marsha’s story to life through rare archival interviews and intimate conversations with queer elders, friends, and historians. Legend says she threw the first brick at the Stonewall riots, setting off the modern movement for queer rights. Immortalized by Warhol and known as “The Saint of Christopher Street,” Marsha was also unhoused, surviving through sex work, navigating violence, and resisting with joy.

More than 30 years after her still-unsolved death in the Hudson River, Marsha’s voice resounds louder than ever. As trans rights face renewed threats, Afterlives celebrates Marsha’s story and reflects on her enduring power as a trans ancestor.

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Latest Episodes:

Episode 3: Who Threw the First Brick at Stonewall? Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

There’s no moment in queer history more celebrated than the Stonewall riots, which set off the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. There’s also no event that’s more hotly debated. To separate the truth from the myth, we first step onto the streets of Greenwich Village, a mecca of queer culture in the 60s. By all accounts The Stonewall Inn at the heart of the Village was a dump, but it was also the only place queer people could dance, making it an instant favorite among neighborhood hangouts. But how did one Saturday night at the bar change the course of history? And what was Marsha’s role in how it all jumped off? But wait, before you fast forward to Pride today and fade to the credits, we take a closer look at the organizing that followed the riots and the ways it excluded the very people who were on the front lines, people like Marsha.

Check out our Instagram @afterlives.pod for additional content.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 2: From Elizabeth to Times Square Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

A trip to Elizabeth, New Jersey, brings us into the heart of Marsha’s upbringing. We sit down with her sister, Jeannie, and her nephew, Al, to get a picture of Marsha’s childhood home and hear stories about the early ways Marsha dared to be different. We also learn about her hometown’s queer underground and the ways Marsha navigated her identity from an early age. By the time she graduated from high school, she had her sights set on New York City. She headed to Times Square in a time before the billboards and mascots, and the M&M store. Instead, she was strutting the streets where sex was bought and sold, finding community, and forming big dreams.

Check out our Instagram @afterlives.pod for additional content. Plus, you can listen to Marsha P. Johnons’s 1979 interview with Steven Watson courtesy of Artifacts at www.artifacts.movie.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 1: The Saint of Christopher Street Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Watching Marsha P. Johnson get ready for a date feels like spying on a long lost auntie. On some level, that’s exactly who Marsha is as a mother in the fight for trans rights. But in her grainy home videos, she’s not a living legend. She’s just a human. Our debut episode cuts through myths and mysteries to uncover the complicated contradictions that made up Marsha’s life. Host Raquel Willis explores her own relationship with LGBTQ+ history and ancestors like Marsha, while friends of Marsha along with historians shed light on her story. We’re lucky that Marsha spoke for herself too and we’ll get to know her in her own words.

Check out the photos we mention on our Instagram @afterlives.pod

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Afterlives Season 2: Marsha P. Johnson Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Marsha P. Johnson is THE icon of the LGBTQ+ movement and a mother of the fight for trans rights. Today, you can buy T-shirts emblazoned with her face or walk through a park named in her honor. This season on Afterlives, we hear from Marsha in her own words.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: An Announcement from Afterlives! May 20, 2025

Show notes

Host Raquel Willis takes a moment to check in on the state of the world and our community. Plus, some exciting news about next season! Make sure you and your friends are subscribed because the stakes could not be higher.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: The History of the Stroll & Stories from a Trans Elder Jan 17, 2024

Show notes

Two incredible trans storytellers, Kristen Lovell and Cecilia Gentili, share how they found their power in interview segments you haven’t heard before. Kristen Lovell, the documentary filmmaker behind The Stroll, talks about how Martin Scorsese inspired her to tell a New York story that she knew intimately. The conversation explores the history of New York’s Meatpacking District and the community space that was lost due to police crackdowns. Then we hear from Cecilia Gentilli, the founder of Trans Equity Consulting and the author of Faltas. Starting with her childhood she talks about her life story, including the harsh realities of her transition, the moment she opened her eyes to all that trans people can be, and the importance of passing the torch to trans youth.

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Bonus: The Legacy of Xtravaganza & Trans Lives on Screen Jan 10, 2024

Show notes

Enjoy unaired excerpts of interviews with two brilliant authors: Sydney Baloue and Tre’vell Anderson. Sydney Baloue, who is currently writing Undeniable: A History of Voguing, Ballroom, and How it Changed my Life and the World, dives deeper into the House of Xtravaganza’s legacy. He also opens up about his own foray into ballroom (which started in Europe) and reflects on his history-making performance at the Latex Ball in New York City. In the second half of the episode we hear from Tre’vell Anderson, the author of We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film. Tre’vell discusses their own relationship with representation, talks about an early trans celebrity (and what her fame meant for future trans stars), and considers whether visibility can lead to true progress.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 7: Trans Futures Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

Layleen’s spirit is very much alive in her sister Melania’s home: photos dot the walls, a recording of Layleen’s voice lives inside her daughter’s teddy bear, and Melania surrounds herself with animals and pets as her sister once did. In the final episode, Melania reflects on how her own life has changed in the past four years and what she wishes for Layleen’s legacy. We’ll hear from activists fighting for the future she dreams of– where trans people can live safely and Rikers Island is closed forever.

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Episode 6: A Rallying Cry Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

Every year, the anniversary of Layleen’s death is a reminder to ask: has anything really changed? Many organizers have been personally touched by Layleen’s story and have spent years advocating for policy changes that would prevent a tragedy like hers from happening again. Major headlines have surrounded Layleen’s death: from steps taken towards decriminalizing consensual sex work, to the claim that New York City ended solitary confinement, to the creation of an unit at Rikers dedicated to LGBTQ+ advocacy. But these initiatives have had mixed results in practice. We’ll look at the strides that have been made in Layleen’s name as well as the effects of compromises, rollbacks, and resistance.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 5: Not Resting In Peace Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

June 2019 was especially deadly for trans women of color. Amidst a celebration of World Pride and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a crowd of 600 people came together to mourn Layleen Polanco. Just days after receiving the news that her sister died, Melania Brown found herself fighting her fear of public speaking to address the crowd and lead the call for justice. As weeks and months passed, organizing efforts continued to gain momentum, as did investigations and lawsuits surrounding Layleen’s death - some culminated in disappointing decisions, while others marked historic wins.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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