Raquel Willis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raquel Willis
Willis in 2017
Born	1990/1991 (age 33–34) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Education	University of Georgia (BA)
Organization	Ms. Foundation for Women

Raquel Willis (born 1990 or 1991) is an amazing African American writer, editor, and transgender rights activist. She works hard to make sure everyone is treated fairly. She used to be a national organizer for the Transgender Law Center. She was also the executive editor of Out magazine. In 2020, Raquel won a special award called the GLAAD Media Award for an article she wrote. Her book, The Risk It Takes To Bloom, came out in November 2023.

Growing Up and School

Raquel Willis grew up in Augusta, Georgia. Her family was Catholic and taught her to help others. They believed in giving back to their community. Her parents were Sunday school teachers, and she went to church every weekend.

When she was young, Raquel faced bullying at school and in her neighborhood. As a teenager, she began to understand her identity. She eventually found acceptance from her friends and family.

Raquel went to the University of Georgia for college. There, she still faced challenges because of her gender identity. She realized she was a trans woman. She decided to live as her true self. She worked with other students to fight against unfair treatment based on gender identity. Raquel finished college in 2013. She earned a degree in journalism.

Making a Difference: Activism and Career

After college, Raquel moved to Atlanta. She started working with other transgender people and people of color to make a difference. Later, she moved to Oakland. She worked for the Transgender Law Center. She started as a communications associate and then became a national organizer.

Raquel was a speaker at the 2017 Women's March in Washington, D.C. She later said that while she was happy to be there, she felt that trans women were not fully included in the early plans. She was even stopped when she tried to talk about this at the event.

Raquel often speaks up for trans women. For example, she has disagreed with comments that separate trans women from other women. She also called for people to stop listening to The Breakfast Club radio show. This happened after a comedian made jokes about harming trans women.

Raquel designed the Black Trans Flag. This flag is a special version of the Transgender Pride Flag. It has a black stripe instead of a white one in the middle.

Raquel's writings have been in many places. These include The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, and Autostraddle. She also hosted her own podcast called The BGD Podcast with Raquel Willis.

In December 2018, Raquel became the executive editor of Out magazine. She was the first trans woman to lead this publication.

Raquel supported Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 election. In June 2020, Raquel became the Director of Communications for the Ms. Foundation for Women. She worked in this role until January 2021.

Raquel helped start a group called the Gender Liberation Movement (GLM) in early 2023. Her book, The Risk It Takes To Bloom, was published in November 2023. In 2024, Raquel was a grand marshal for the NYC Pride March. Raquel and other GLM activists stood outside the Supreme Court. They were there during a case about healthcare for young people. Later that week, she was one of 15 activists arrested. This happened during a protest at the U.S. Capitol against laws about public spaces.

Awards and Special Recognition

• 2017 – Essence Woke 100 Women
• 2017 – The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans
• 2018 – San Francisco Transgender Day of Visibility Emerging Leader Award
• 2018 – Frederick Douglass 200 awardee
• 2020 – GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Article
• 2021 – Fast Company Queer 50