Latin School of Chicago

In his short life, Sadath Garcia '00 served as "It was as if he knew who he was and had no fear in letting the world see it." – David Fript a powerful catalyst – he spurred social activism and formed lasting relationships wherever he went. When he died suddenly in January at the age of 30, Garcia left behind a grieving family, a large and diverse group of friends, and a legacy of extraordinary intellectual energy and a full-throttle enthusiasm for life. Garcia, who was living in Los Angeles at the time of his death, was a student at UCLA's School of Law's David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law & Policy. He had just returned to school after working on Elizabeth Warren's successful campaign for a U.S. Senate seat. Garcia attended Latin as a Daniel Murphy Scholar. His high school experience was characterized by political activism and profound friendships. Ashley Quinto Powell '00, one of Garcia's close friends, remembers him as "having a very strong sense of social justice." That was particularly evident when it came to gay rights. Powell and Garcia were co-leaders of Latin's Gay-Straight Alliance – which was no small thing in the late 1990s, when tensions were considerably higher than they are today. "Latin was a very safe place," said Powell, "so Sadath and I never had any problems. But the leaders of gay-straight alliances at other schools were receiving death threats." Taking the lead on gay rights "felt risky, and felt like we were doing something important," said Powell. Garcia's straightforward manner and openness made a lasting impression on teacher David Fript. "It was as if he knew who he was and had no fear in letting the world see it," he said. Fript remembers a visual project in which Garcia prominently displayed a rainbow flag. "I was shocked by the guts of that statement," he said. During high school, Garcia also participated in the About Face Youth Theater Project, volunteered at the Contact Chicago crisis hotline and co-founded the Latin School's Latin American Student Organization. He maintained his close ties to Latin, returning frequently to talk to students about sexual orientation and diversity. "I was also impressed by Sadath's ability to juggle so many things at once," said Fript. "I have been told that he often did not memorize his lines for plays until the day before the performance, but you could never tell that from the depth of his performance once the curtain went up." Garcia's college years were equally busy. He attended college at the University of Redlands, enrolling in the Johnston College for Integrative Studies, a school known for its fluid and student-centered approach to learning. Garcia designed his own major in Still 10 years from the age of 40, Garcia exemplified passion, purpose, excellence and potential. He will be greatly missed by the Latin community. — LM 56 LAT I N MA G A Z I N E

• Cover