Northeastern Law Community Mourns the Loss of Urvashi Vaid ’83, Legendary LGBTQ Activist
Urvashi Vaid ’83, a legendary leader and visionary in the fight for LGBTQ+ and civil rights, died of cancer on May 14, 2022, at her home in New York City. Vaid was an outspoken advocate for compassionate and progressive HIV/AIDS policy and championed the need for transformative change on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.
Among the positions she held in advocacy, Vaid served as executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (now the National LGBTQ Task Force). After leaving to write a book and organize, she returned as director of the Task Force think tank, the Policy Institute. She launched her career as a staff attorney at the National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where she initiated the group’s work on HIV/AIDS in prisons. Most recently, she headed The Vaid Group, a strategy and organizational development consulting firm working with social innovators to advance equity, justice and inclusion, and joined with fellow graduates Richard Burns ’83 and Katherine Grainger ’02 on the founding board of directors of The American LGBTQ+ Museum in New York City.
Viad was also an award-winning author and researcher, whose published work includes books, reports, articles and columns. She is author of the books Irresistible Revolution: Confronting Race, Class and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics (2012) and Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Lesbian and Gay Liberation (1996). She co-edited an anthology with Dr. John D’Emilio and Dr. William Turner, titled Creating Change: Public Policy, Sexuality and Civil Rights (2000).
Vaid was a true pioneer and embodies Northeastern Law’s commitment to social justice and crafting law and social policy in the pursuit of social justice. She was also a friend and inspiration to many in our community. We extend our condolences to all who called her a friend and colleague and, most of all, to her partner, Kate Clinton, and her other family members. She will be deeply missed.
Selected Tributes
- News@Northeastern: Urvashi Vaid ’83, Northeastern Alum, Remembered as Legendary LGBTQ Activist.
- The New York Times: Urvashi Vaid, Pioneering L.G.B.T.Q. Activist, Is Dead at 63.
- GO Magazine: Legendary LGBTQ+ Activist Urvashi Vaid Dies At 63.
- News India Times: Urvashi Vaid (Oct. 8,1958-May 14, 2022) Leader in the U.S. Gay and Lesbian Rights, Social Justice Movements.
- Bay Area Reporter: Urvashi Vaid, Noted LGBTQ Leader, Dies.
- The Quint: Urvashi Vaid, a Longtime LGBTQ+ Activist, Dies at 63.
Northeastern Law Magazine Profiles
- “Vaid Looks Ahead to Future of GLBT Activism,” Northeastern Law Magazine (Summer 2005).
- “Victory is Ours. Graduates of the Law School Play a Pivotal Role in the Gay Rights Movement,” Northeastern Law Magazine (Winter 2004).
About Northeastern University School of Law
The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,000 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.
For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu.