DONNA RED WING, born on this date (d: 2018) was a civil rights activist who campaigned for LGBTQ equality. She had the honor of being called “the most dangerous woman in the world” by the right-wing Christian Coalition.

More importantly, she was Executive Director of One Iowa a Des Moines-based LGBT organization working for LGBTQ rights through grassroots efforts and education.

She was the Executive Director of Grassroots Leadership and Chief of Staff at Interfaith Alliance, an organization founded by Walter Cronkite in Washington, D.C. Red Wing was one of three members of President Obama’s kitchen cabinet on LGBT concerns and was Howard Dean’s outreach liaison to the LGBT communities. Red Wing also held leadership positions at the Gill Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. While directing the Lesbian Community Project in Oregon, Red Wing was featured in a Sundance Award-winning film about the 1992 struggle against the anti-gay Ballot Measure 9. She was the first recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Faith & Freedom.

She died of cancer at home and is survived by her her wife and partner for more than 30 years, Sumitra; a son, Julian; a grandson, Jasper; and her twin brother, David.