San Diego has named a street after Julia Legaspi, a Filipino transgender civil rights activist who uplifted communities throughout San Diego.
According to FOX 5 San Diego, community members and city leaders gathered on Wednesday to unveil “Julia Legaspi Way,” at the 9000 block of Penticton Way in Mira Mesa.
“What Julia was able to do in her life meant that more people got to have the story that she lived,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said, per KPBS.
Legaspi immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines in 1980 and opened Jhigs’ Hair Studio two years later, FOX 5 San Diego reports. The studio became a gathering place for the Filipino American community.
Legaspi transitioned in 1991. She became the first transgender person to be appointed to a public office in San Diego, serving the city’s Equal Opportunity and Human Relations Commission, the county’s Human Relations Commission, and the San Diego AIDS Memorial Task Force.
Councilmember Kent Lee recommended the city name the street after Legaspi.
“For many of us within the Asian-American community, especially for those who are in the Filipino community, I think this is a, a really wonderful tribute to someone who has been a trailblazer for all of them,” he said, per KPBS.
Legaspi’s brother, Noel Legaspi, told KPBS he was overwhelmed by the honor.
“I never heard of any individual who was honored the way they did to my beloved sister, Jhigs. It’s unbelievable,” he said.
Registration is closed for Common Ground: Building Together conference and gala award banquet in San Francisco on January 24. A shoutout to our planning committee: Jane Chin, Frank Mah, Jeannie Young, Akemi Tamanaha, Nathan Soohoo, Mark Young, Dave Liu, and Yiming Fu.
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