Rick Garcia (activist)

Who they were

Biography Garcia was born on September 15, 1956, [ 1 ] to parents of Spanish descent [ 2 ] and grew up in the "Spanish Colony" neighborhood of St. Louis . [ 3 ] [ 2 ] He attended Saint Louis University . [ 1 ] While there, he was first thrust into the media spotlight after he was filmed confronting a Catholic priest and theology professor who had just given a speech on the "sins of homosexuality". [ 1 ] Garcia, who had told no one he was gay,

Rick Garcia was an American LGBTQ activist known primarily for his work in Chicago and for LGBTQ acceptance within the Roman Catholic Church. As a co-founder of Equality Illinois, he advocated for equal treatment and social justice for the LGBTQ community.

Why this date

Rick Garcia (activist) appears on our January 12 calendar for 2026 as a death entry.