What a life. Born in St. Paul in 1934 as David, Barbara Satin was raised Catholic, attended St. Thomas (she earned a B.A. in sociology) and then the U.S. Air Force. Denying the part of him that identified as female from a young age, Satin married, had three children and lived a relatively quiet suburban life in the Twin Cities while working in corporate public relations.

Not until talking with a therapist in her mid-50s did Satin accept her gender identity. She left her marriage (and the Catholic Church), changed her name and began living a life that has been rich with civic and religious activism.

Satin found a new spiritual home at Spirit of the Lakes (UCC) church in south Minneapolis, where she became a leader of the congregation and was active in planning one of the nation’s first LGBT senior housing projects at Lake and 13th, which opened in 2103 and houses Quatrefoil Library.

Satin, 82, serves or has served on several nonprofit boards, and was invited to the White House twice in 2015 — once to talk about LGBT seniors and their housing needs, and again as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. In 2016, Barbara was appointed by Barack Obama to the President’s Faith Based and Neighborhood Advisory Council.

In an interview, Satin said that for the past 16 or so years, “I’ve sort of lived this ministry of presence, trying to be a trans presence in places where people wouldn’t normally see a trans person.”

Meet Satin in an informal setting at Quatrefoli Library, where she will talk about her life and activism, answer questions and be available for casual interaction over refreshments. The free event is part of Quatrefoil’s ongoing programming for the LGBT community in Minnesota.