Jose Gutierrez holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University Ana G. Mendez in Washington, DC. Jose is a local and national long time human rights and social justice activist, immigration advocate, Latinx LGBTQ historian, artist, writer and a poet. He is the founder of the Jose Gutierrez Archives, the Latino GLBT History Project, the DC Latino Pride and co-founder of the Rainbow History Project.

In 1996 Jose received a recognition by the National Latina/o LGBT Organization LLEGO for his contributions with the Latinx LGBTQ. As the first International Leatherboy in 2002 he raised awareness and funds for the leather community.

In 2010 Jose served on the Washington, DC Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee. In 2014 he received the Jose Sarria medal of honor by Nicole Murray-Ramirez, The Queen Mother of the Americas from the Imperial Court for his contributions to the LGBTQ and in 2015 contributed to the book Queer Brown Voices, with an interview/essay entitled “We must preserve our Latino LGBTQ history”.

Jose works with the DC Gov DHS, currently he is writing a book about the history of the Washington, DC Latino LGBTQ community.