100 Women We Love

100 Women We Love 2011

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The 100 Women We Love – out artists, elected officials, business leaders, athletes, community activists – are role models for us all. Many are up-and-coming movers and shakers; some are at the zenith of their careers. Some of their achievements change our world and, just as importantly, others improve the world’s perception of out women. They all strive tirelessly to increase our visibility and continue our incredible progress toward equality and justice.

We proudly present the class of 2011, in random order, so each gets her well-deserved turn in the spotlight.

J. BOB ALOTTA

The new executive director of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, which provides grants and guidance for LGBTI groups working toward social justice, J. Bob Alotta has spent her life advocating for a better world through her filmmaking, fundraising and management skills. Alotta served for four years as the Board Chair of FIERCE to build the leadership and power of LGBTQ youth of color, for which she earned the Stonewall Foundation’s 2009 Alan Morrow Prize for Excellence in Board Leadership. Alotta’s films, which have aired on Democracy Now, GRITtv, PBS and at numerous festivals, focus on revealing LGBTQ experiences. Her viral video project Caster Runs For Me examined the controversy around South African runner Caster Semenya’s gender. “I aim to connect the dots to reveal a brilliant constellation of LGBTI righteousness: we are such amazing, diverse, thoughtful, ever-present and ever-growing people. The phrase, ‘We are everywhere,’ doesn’t just imply geography. We are inside of, affected by and affecting every issue,” Alotta points out. “It is my job to make sure ‘justice’ is a verb.” –KL

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