Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson podcast

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.

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.

 

#25

Remembering Miss Major

In light of Miss Major's passing on October 13th, we're honoring the story of a true legen... more

17 Oct 2025

31 MINS

31:15

17 Oct 2025


#24

Live Show: Tourmaline and Special Guests at The Stonewall Inn!

Tune in to a magical night spent at The Stonewall Inn celebrating Marsha's 80th Birthday! ... more

14 Oct 2025

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:07

14 Oct 2025


#23

Vote for Afterlives in the Signal Awards!

[We need YOUR vote to win a Signal Award] (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/... more

26 Sep 2025

01 MINS

01:38

26 Sep 2025


#22

Bonus: Ceyenne & Jay Look Back at the Queer Underground

Before Pride was corporate. Before protections. Before visibility. There was survival&mdas... more

12 Aug 2025

45 MINS

45:51

12 Aug 2025


#21

Bonus: Tourmaline, Marsha’s Biographer

Hear the story of the brilliant activist, artist and writer who has been researching Marsh... more

05 Aug 2025

35 MINS

35:23

05 Aug 2025


#20

Episode 8: The Other Side of the Rainbow

These days, you don’t have to go far to find Marsha. Every June, big box stores roll... more

29 Jul 2025

51 MINS

51:25

29 Jul 2025


#19

Episode 7: I Hope Nobody Cries, Darling

Marsha spent the final days of her life surrounded by people who loved her. When she was s... more

22 Jul 2025

52 MINS

52:33

22 Jul 2025


#18

Episode 6: Profound Acts of Care

The AIDS crisis devastated our community in the 1980s. It’s an era defined by loss. ... more

15 Jul 2025

51 MINS

51:03

15 Jul 2025


#17

Episode 5: “I stole the show!”

Marsha’s status as an icon extends beyond activism and into the arts. She was an ins... more

08 Jul 2025

52 MINS

52:52

08 Jul 2025


#16

Episode 4: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries

“STAR is into two things very heavily. One is radical politics. And the second is pr... more

01 Jul 2025

52 MINS

52:46

01 Jul 2025


#15

Episode 3: Who Threw the First Brick at Stonewall?

There’s no moment in queer history more celebrated than the Stonewall riots, which s... more

24 Jun 2025

54 MINS

54:18

24 Jun 2025


#14

Episode 2: From Elizabeth to Times Square

A trip to Elizabeth, New Jersey, brings us into the heart of Marsha’s upbringing. We... more

17 Jun 2025

49 MINS

49:44

17 Jun 2025


#13

Episode 1: The Saint of Christopher Street

Watching Marsha P. Johnson get ready for a date feels like spying on a long lost auntie. O... more

10 Jun 2025

48 MINS

48:21

10 Jun 2025


#12

Introducing: Afterlives Season 2: Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson is THE icon of the LGBTQ+ movement and a mother of the fight for trans r... more

03 Jun 2025

03 MINS

03:23

03 Jun 2025


#11

Bonus: An Announcement from Afterlives!

Host Raquel Willis takes a moment to check in on the state of the world and our community.... more

20 May 2025

07 MINS

07:36

20 May 2025


#10

Bonus: The History of the Stroll & Stories from a Trans Elder

Two incredible trans storytellers, ​​Kristen Lovell and Cecilia Gentili, share how they fo... more

17 Jan 2024

41 MINS

41:42

17 Jan 2024


#9

Bonus: The Legacy of Xtravaganza & Trans Lives on Screen

Enjoy unaired excerpts of interviews with two brilliant authors: Sydney Baloue and Tre’vel... more

10 Jan 2024

43 MINS

43:12

10 Jan 2024


#8

Episode 7: Trans Futures

Layleen’s spirit is very much alive in her sister Melania’s home: photos dot the walls, a ... more

27 Dec 2023

44 MINS

44:21

27 Dec 2023


#7

Episode 6: A Rallying Cry

Every year, the anniversary of Layleen’s death is a reminder to ask: has anything really c... more

20 Dec 2023

46 MINS

46:44

20 Dec 2023


#6

Episode 5: Not Resting In Peace

June 2019 was especially deadly for trans women of color. Amidst a celebration of World Pr... more

13 Dec 2023

45 MINS

45:15

13 Dec 2023


#5

Episode 4: 41 Minutes

An ominous email thread among correction officers led to Layleen’s placement in the Restri... more

06 Dec 2023

56 MINS

56:19

06 Dec 2023


#4

Episode 3: All That Is On Rikers

Dysfunctional, transphobic, dehumanizing. These are just a few ways people we interviewed ... more

29 Nov 2023

54 MINS

54:32

29 Nov 2023


#3

Episode 2: To Survive

Layleen’s mid-twenties weren’t easy. In the years leading up to her death at age 27, she w... more

22 Nov 2023

42 MINS

42:17

22 Nov 2023


#2

Episode 1: Layleen

Layleen Polanco was full of energy and always up for an adventure. From her love of music,... more

15 Nov 2023

37 MINS

37:04

15 Nov 2023


#1

Introducing: Afterlives: The Layleen Polanco Story

The life and legacy of Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco is at the heart of Afterlives... more

08 Nov 2023

02 MINS

02:31

08 Nov 2023