Hosted by Journalist and Activist Raquel Willis, the series will honor Marsha P. Johnson’s legacy and celebrate the enduring impact of her contributions to the fight for LGBTQ liberation

Listeners will hear from Marsha P. Johnson in her own words through tapes never before released to the public 

Listen to the trailer HERE

NEW YORK – June 3, 2025 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today launched “Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson,” a documentary podcast series from The Outspoken Podcast Network about trans lives lost and the ways their stories have reshaped the world. The new season, hosted by journalist and activist Raquel Willis, will bring Marsha P. Johnson’s story vibrantly to life through rare archival interviews and intimate conversations with queer elders, friends, and historians. The first episode will be available Tuesday, June 10. Fans can listen to the trailer now, here.

Building on the success of its debut season focused on the life of Layleen Polanco, an Afro-Latina transgender woman who died in a New York jail, “Afterlives” season two will center on powerful stories and crucible moments from the life of cultural icon Marsha P. Johnson. While Johnson is the primary focus of the series, listeners will also hear the microphone turn inward, with host Raquel Willis examining her own evolving relationship with LGBTQ history. Through rich storytelling, unreleased audio and in - depth interviews, the documentary - style podcast will share Johnson’s story in a new, innovative way, while highlighting the past, present and future of the fight for equality and liberation.  

“In a time of increasing political attacks on the transgender community, it is important for us to set the record straight on our historical titans like Marsha P. Johnson,” Willis said. “This new season of Afterlives will give us a chance to learn more about the complex human life behind the legend of her contributions.”

Marsha P. Johnson remains an enduring cultural icon, with her imagery showcased on t-shirts and parks named in her honor. Legend has it that Marsha threw the first brick at the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969, igniting the modern struggle for queer rights. Immortalized by Andy Warhol and beloved as “The Saint of Christopher Street,” Marsha’s journey was marked by resilience as she navigated homelessness, sex work and the violence of her time, all while embracing joy and defiance. More than three decades after her unsolved death in the Hudson River, Marsha’s voice still resonates louder than ever. As Trans rights face renewed threats in our current political climate, “Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson” will celebrate Marsha’s story and reflect on her enduring legacy as a trans leader and model for courage and resistance. 

The new season will feature an impressive lineup of guests including prominent LGBTQ advocates Miss Major and Randy Wicker, Marsha’s former roommate who organized America’s first gay rights demonstration. The show will also feature commentary from contemporary leaders such as artist and author Tourmaline, Marsha’s biographer; and Ceyenne Doroshow, Founder of Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society, or G.L.I.T.S, a nonprofit organization based in New York. Each episode will feature audio from a collection of archive tapes featuring Marsha, her friends and family that have never been made available to the public. The first episode “The Saint of Christopher Street,” Host Raquel Willis will explore her own relationship with LGBTQ history and figures like Marsha, while friends of Marsha along with historians shed light on her story. 

The first episode of “Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson” will be available on the iHeartRadio app and all major podcast platforms beginning Tuesday, June 10, 2025. 

“Afterlives: Marsha P. Johnson” is a part of iHeartMedia’s Outspoken Podcast Network and distributed by iHeartPodcasts. The network aims to amplify, elevate and reflect the diversity, richness and humanity of the voices throughout the LGBTQ community. See the current Outspoken Podcast Network lineup of shows here. 

Editor's Note: 

Podcast cover art is available for download HERE. Please use the below embed code to include the podcast audio player in your article. 

ABOUT RAQUEL WILLIS

Raquel Willis is an award-winning activist, author and media strategist dedicated to Black transgender liberation. She has held groundbreaking posts, including director of communications for Ms. Foundation for Women, executive editor of Out magazine, and national organizer for Transgender Law Center. Her debut memoir “The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation” achieved a number of accolades including the 2024 American Book Award for best LGBTQ nonfiction. Raquel is a thought leader on gender, race, and intersectionality. 

ABOUT SCHOOL OF HUMANS

School of Humans is a multi-platform production company producing series for television (Dirty Jobs, Six Degrees with Mike Rowe, Stuff You Should Know). The company launched its audio division with the hit true crime podcast HELL AND GONE. The perennial top ten podcast is now a weekly show, with over 16 million downloads to date. School of Humans Audio boasts a slate of successful titles distributed under a multi-year deal with iHeartMedia. Among them, Peabody-nominated UNREFORMED: The Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children (winner of an Ambie, IWPA, and two SIGNAL People’s Choice Awards & #1 History podcast on Apple and Spotify); TOM SLICK: MYSTERY HUNTER (Ambie-nominated and #1 Fiction podcast on Apple); ASTRAY (debuted at #15 on national podcast charts); SANCTUM UNMASKED (IWPA winner), RACKET (A Vulture “Best New True Crime Podcasts” pick) and SISTERS OF THE UNDERGROUND, starring Dania Ramirez (X-Men, Sweet Tooth) and Judy Reyes (Succession, Scrubs), which was produced in conjunction with My Cultura and Eva Longoria.