[1] A tireless advocate, Gloria also worked on issues such as anti-poverty efforts, women's rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, homelessness, and youth outreach.

[15][16][17] At just 27 years old, Casarez became the executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative (GALAEI) in Philadelphia, a position she held from 1999 to 2008.

These included Philadelphia's first mobile HIV testing centers and the Trans-health Information Project, the city’s first health initiative focused on transgender individuals.

Casarez’s work at GALAEI significantly expanded services for men of color and transgender communities, solidifying her reputation as a transformative advocate for health equity.

[14][21] She served as a longtime board member and leader of the Bread and Roses Community Fund,[22] a public foundation that supports grassroots organizations working for racial and economic justice.

In April 2013, Casarez engaged in Latino community organizing efforts to save La Milagrosa,[27] Philadelphia's first Spanish-speaking church.

This appointment marked the first time a salaried position within the Mayor’s Office was dedicated to serving the LGBT community directly from Philadelphia City Hall.

"[39][40][41] Under Casarez's leadership, Philadelphia enacted the most comprehensive LGBT rights protections in the nation when Mayor Nutter signed Bill No.

[44][1] Casarez was honored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) with the Annual Community Service Award in recognition of her social and political justice activism.

Casarez received the Hero Award from the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, joining past honorees such as gay rights pioneer Barbara Gittings and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

In 2013, the Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative (GALAEI) honored her with the David Acosta Revolutionary Leader Award.

Speaking to The Philadelphia Gay News, Casarez reflected on the significance of their decision to marry: "When we purchased our home together, we thought this is a new level, we're committing to this 30-year mortgage together.

During her treatment, she chronicled her experiences in The Word: A Breast-Cancer Blog, published by the Philadelphia Gay News, sharing her journey as a woman living and working with cancer.

In 2010, Casarez had started the tradition of raising the LGBT rainbow flag at a municipal building in Philadelphia, marking a historic moment for the city's LGBTQ+ community.

[64][65][66] Memorial On October 20, 2014, in honor of Gloria Casarez's passing, Philadelphia lowered the LGBT rainbow flag at City Hall to half-mast.

[71] Philadelphia FIGHT, an organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS advocacy, had honored Casarez with the Kiyoshi Kuromiya Award in 2011 for her years of activism on behalf of disenfranchised Latinx LGBTQ youth.

Civil rights activist and community organizer AJ Hikes also reflected on Casarez’s legacy, stating: "Her light was so bright, it lit the way for all of us.

Alongside Casarez, other notable Philadelphia women included actress and princess Grace Kelly, opera singer Marian Anderson, civil rights activist Sadie T.M.

Support letters came from notable figures, including public historian Susan Ferentinos, author of Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites; Rafael Álvarez Febo, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs; and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.In her letter of support, Ferentinos wrote, "Casarez stands as a role model for younger activists, particularly those who are LGBTQ and/or Latinx.

Assistant Principal Julio Nunez explained the renaming process: “We were looking to find a name that represented our school and the goal of inclusion.” Gloria Casarez, a civil rights leader and LGBTQ+ advocate who had attended Sheridan Elementary, received 46% of the vote, securing the majority over three other candidates.

[87][88] Philadelphia has honored Gloria Casarez’s legacy through numerous murals and community art projects, celebrating her contributions to LGBTQ+ rights and civil advocacy.

Created by renowned visual artist and educator Michelle Angela Ortiz, alongside Briana Dawkins, the mural quickly became a significant landmark in the LGBTQ+ community of Philadelphia.

However, in June 2020, Ortiz was informed that Midwood intended to demolish the building, which would destroy the mural that had been created with the involvement of Gloria’s family, close friends, and the communities she championed.

In protest, Ortiz projected an image of the original mural back onto the whitewashed wall with the message, "YOU CAN'T ERASE OUR HISTORY."

She also stood in solidarity with Gloria’s family and advocates, continuing to fight for a legacy of resistance, visibility, and community power in the face of gentrification.

[99] In March 2020, as part of the #SisterlyLove Project, artist Hope Hummingbird created a porcelain portrait of Casarez for a street art exhibition celebrating Women's History Month.

[100] Subsequent tributes to Casarez include a mural unveiled on October 8, 2021, at Giovanni's Room Bookstore, titled Finding Our Happy.

This piece, created by Philly-based LGBTQ+ artists Nilé Livingston, Nicole Nikolich, Marisa Velázquez-Rivas, and curator Conrad Benner, celebrated her impact.

[101][102] In January 2021, queer street artist Tish Urquhart wheat-pasted a large image of Casarez at the Franklin Club, near the site of Ortiz’s original mural.

[103] Other notable works include a live portrait of Casarez by artist Alloyius Mcilwaine, painted during the Haddon Township LGBT Pride Festival in June 2021.