The Gay Activists Alliance was founded in New York City in December 1969 after the Stonewall riots, by dissident members of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) including Brenda Howard, Altan Zimbabwe and Christopher Charles who wanted to form a non-violent "single issue, politically neutral, militant organization" whose goal was to "secure basic human rights, dignity and freedom for all gay people." GAA members performed zaps -- public peaceful confrontations with officials to draw media attention. Their first president was Jim Owles.