100 Women We Love: Class of 2023

Belinda Carroll is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actress, and activist who has made a name for herself through her hilarious, bold, and groundbreaking work. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Carroll’s love of comedy began at a young age, and she was inspired by comedians who used their platforms to speak truth to power. “Using laughter to unite people is the most powerful thing,” she says. Her identity as a queer woman has “informed everything I do,” says Carroll, who uses her comedic flair, talent, and drive for activism and equity to create platforms for queer comedians and entertainers. She co-founded the Portland Queer Comedy Festival and is now planning the Rose City Queer Fest—a weekend full of stand-up, improv, burlesque, and more which Carroll is looking to launch in 2024. Her work and activism have received many accolades. In 2011, she received the Pride-in-Action award from Pride Northwest for founding the Q Patrol, a community foot patrol to reduce LGBTQ+ hate crimes in downtown Portland. She also received the 2018 Queer Hero award from the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest and the 2020 Woman of Achievement award from Governor Kate Brown and the Oregon Commission for Women. For handling setbacks and adversity, Carroll emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and counting every win, no matter how small. “The key to remaining focused [through hard times] is having a very clear vision about why this is important to you,” she says. Fun fact: she’s fluent in American Sign Language and has many friends in the deaf community.

Like many Americans, Becca Balint spent the afternoon of January 6, 2021, in “a state of shock.” It was then Balint, then a Vermont state senator, made the decision to run for Congress. “I ran, like so many of my freshman colleagues, to shore up our democracy, to fight for truth, and restore faith in our government,” she says. And she won. Now a United States Representative, Balint is the first woman and out gay person to represent her home state of Vermont—and it’s a responsibility she takes seriously. “I’m the child of a working-class mom and an immigrant dad,” she says. “As a mom, a teacher, and an out gay woman, my communities and other marginalized communities aren’t always represented in spaces of power. It’s an honor to represent my state and the voice of so many who can’t be in the room.” Balint served in the Vermont state senate for eight years and ultimately as President Pro Tempore in 2021. During this time, she led the passage of the first gun safety laws in Vermont history and worked to secure a large investment to rebuild housing stock and expand middle-income housing. Now a U.S. Representative, Balint serves as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus Vice Chair for New Members. And despite the new workplace, home is always top of mind. “I am very intentional in ensuring the work I do in Washington connects back home to the issues important to Vermonters,” Balint says. “And to do that, I’m focused on standing up for people and standing up for justice.”

A clarity moment earlier this year put multi-hyphenate entertainer, Brittani Nichols, on the map. Originally from Chicago, Nichols has appeared onscreen on Emmy-nominated shows Transparent and A Black Lady Sketch Show; she produced, wrote, and starred in the feature film and Outfest darling Suicide Kale; and she’s currently a writer and producer on the critically acclaimed ABC sitcom Abbott Elecmentary. But at this year’s Writer’s Guild Awards, she gained fame not for a win but for who landed in her lap: Cate Blanchett. “We lost but I won. Thank you, Cate Blanchett for this great honor,” she posted on Instagram that night, to the envy of lesbians everywhere. Nichols is also an actor, comedian, producer, and writer. “While I certainly wish I was acting more, my favorite role is writer,” she says. “Doing multiple roles was at first a matter of necessity. But now when I’m occupying additional roles, it’s because I actively want to be doing them. It allows me to have more decision-making power and forces me to think through every aspect of creation while writing.” Actively creating for a weekly TV show adored by millions is a responsibility Nichols takes seriously—and the feedback has been rewarding. “A goal of mine is to encourage people to advocate for themselves, even in what feels like small ways or moments. So, when people tell me that they felt seen, or less alone, or inspired to fight for a better lived experience for themselves, that makes this feel well worth the effort.” Having achieved so much and acknowledging “what I want changes week to week,” Nichols keeps the vision for her future simple. “All I want to accomplish is to create work I’m proud of, in a way that I’m proud of.”

Dorottya Redai joined Labrisz Lesbian Association in 2004, not long after coming out to herself. She was drawn by the Budapest non-profit’s school outreach program, Getting to Know LGBT People, which intersected with her own background in gender studies and education. But as the program was geared toward students in secondary schools, Redai and her colleagues wanted to come up with a way “to address younger children with issues of discrimination, social exclusion, diversity, and inclusion.” They decided, she says, “that a fairytale book would be the best tool for this.” The resulting book, A Fairytale for Everyone (Meseország mindenkié), was published in 2020 in Hungary. Despite criticism from the country’s ultraconservative politicians, including Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the book sold over 34,000 copies and has been translated into 11 languages, including English. Labrisz’ Getting to Know LGBT People has since been banned under a 2021 law that restricts the distribution of LGBTQ-related materials to minors—one of numerous laws Hungary has passed restricting LGBTQ+ rights since the pandemic. But A Fairytale for Everyone, which can still be purchased by parents for their children, continues to reach young readers with its message of tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion. The most rewarding part of the project “is always the feedback from LBT+ women and from young LGBT+ people, which shows that we are doing good work,” Redai says. But that good work is not without its challenges, especially in Hungary’s current political climate. “Leading this project to huge success and popularity, and simultaneously fighting against the recently intensified homo- and transphobia of the Hungarian government has triggered some changes in my personal life, academic work, and the politics I do,” Redai reflects. “At the moment, I am at a crossroads trying to figure out what should be the next steps to take.”

Dorothy Elsie “Dot” Wilkinson died in March 2023, but her century on Earth packed a punch. According to friend and biographer Lynn Ames, Wilkinson is the only member of the National Softball Hall of Fame who is a member of a Hall of Fame in another sport as well. Two decades after her National Softball Hall of Fame acceptance, Wilkinson was inducted to the Women’s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame for winning the WIBC Queens Tournament in 1962 and the WIBC national singles in 1963. From 1933-1965, Wilkinson played for the PBSW Phoenix Ramblers, winning three world softball championships and 19 All-American honors, the most of any player ever. So why wasn’t she in A League of Their Own? Ames says that Phillip Wrigley, the brains and money behind the AllAmerican Girls Professional Baseball League depicted in the 1991 movie and 2022 Amazon series, approached Wilkinson with a contract that offered $85 per week (the maximum amount for an AAGPBL player). However, Ames says, Wilkinson “looked at…the stipulations—she would have to attend charm school and wear a skirt to play ball, among other things—and she turned them down cold.” More significantly, Wilkinson disapproved of Wrigley’s efforts to hide the fact that many AAGPBL players were lesbians. Though Wilkinson never hid her own identity, she formally came out at age 89, listed as her partner Ricki’s longtime companion in Ricki’s obituary. When Ames asked her about this decision, she said, “I’ll be damned if I’m going to bury that girl and not let everyone know what she meant to me.”

“Performing comes naturally to me,” Peppermint says. Growing up in Delaware, the RuPaul’s Drag Race runner-up, actress and recording artist performed in youth theater and was a high school cheerleader. Making a career out of her passion was challenging, but Peppermint found work—and refuge—as a drag performer. “Doing drag at all of the small clubs and bars is what really allowed me to grow into a career of being a professional performer,” she recalls. While other trans contestants came out during or after Drag Race, Peppermint was the first performer to start the competition as an out trans woman (and earned the nickname “Lip Sync Assassin” for her fierce interpretations of Madonna and the Village People). She continued breaking ground in the 2018 musical Head Over Heels—a gender-bending reimagining of Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia set to The Go-Go’s greatest hits—as the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway. Says Peppermint of her career, which has now expanded to TV guest spots, music videos and pop albums, “I get to take real life issues and turn them into entertainment, make jokes [and] life lessons of them, [and] touching stories.” After years of not being able to include her Black trans female identity in her work, Peppermint says, the story has changed: “more and more people are finally engaging in the type of deep conversations that make room for identities like mine…It feels great to now be included and loved.” A surprising fact about Peppermint? “I’m a Trekkie and I’m in a secret society of Dungeons & Dragons players.”

Joy Oladokun is cataloging her life through music. Her 2023 album, Proof of Life, is the most recent entry—and one that comes from a darkly reflective place. “I have this room in my studio full of action figures and knick-knacks,” the singer-songwriter says. “One day I was sitting in it and morbidly thinking about what all this stuff would signify after my death. I wanted to write an album that someone could find 100 years from now and get a sense of who I am and how I dealt with life as it happened. Sort of a musical autobiography.” Proof of Life is her fourth studio album and follows her 2021 major label debut, In Defense of My Own Happiness, which was named one of the best albums of the year by Billboard and Rolling Stone and for which Oladukun was nominated for a GLAAD media award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. For Oladokun, a first-generation Nigerian American and queer Black woman, music allows her to explore her own place in the world, to celebrate life and to deal with whatever setbacks come her way. “I find such inspiration and beauty in making playlists and listening to records,” she says. “It’s an emotional medium and something about it reminds me that I’m not alone in all of this.” What does she hope for in the future? “I hope to stay healthy and inspired wherever life takes me.”

Jewel Cadet, aka Jewel The Gem, is a Brooklyn-born and raised survivor, healer, educator, entertainer, and entrepreneur. As an unapologetic abolitionist and freedom fighter for Black queer and trans lives, her activism began at a young age. “I advocated for my younger brother, who faced many social challenges, and organized my first petition in fourth grade to get chocolate milk back on the cafeteria menu,” Cadet says. Her activism continued into her adult life, from helping to get the J Marion Sim Statue taken down in New York City to releasing an album titled Ratchet Revolution, with anthems like “Femme Fire” that express her love and solidarity with Black trans femmes. Her love and care for Black women and femmes centers Black trans women, specifically. “They’ve paved the way for gender liberation and I can’t be free unless they are. Our liberation is directly connected,” says Cadet. Her work as a performer, speaker, and educator is dedicated to empowering marginalized communities. She also owns two businesses: Jewel The Gem Productions, which produces community spaces that center Black joy, restoration, and healing, and Ratchet Rev, an apparel line with liberated messaging for the hood, Black, and spiritual folk . “Being a Black queer woman is my superpower,” says Cadet. Her vision for herself is to continue living out her life’s purpose—to live in her truth and power as an inspiration for others to do the same. She hopes to leave a legacy of community building and conscious raising for future generations of Black girls from the hood who embrace their African spirituality and live life on their terms.

Katie Burrell is an award-winning marketer, entrepreneur, and advocate in the cannabis industry. She’s a cofounder of PufCreativ—a community-focused marketing agency that provides innovative and results-driven strategies to cannabis businesses. In 2022, she was named AdCann’s Marketer of the Year for her work and positive impact. Burrell’s road to success has come with challenges, and she’s been a trailblazer every step of the way. “Growing up with ADHD and identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, I struggled to fit into traditional work environments,” Burrell says. After leaving a job in an industry that did not align with her values or encourage authenticity, she took a marketing internship that sparked the inspiration to combine her love of cannabis with her marketing skill set. Working in a white, male-dominated industry, Burrell is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in the cannabis space. PufCreativ’s joint initiative, the Cannabis Creative Movement, generates awareness and provides education on some of the most pressing issues facing the cannabis community. Through the Cannabis Creative Movement, Burrell—who is nonbinary with an androgynous gender expression—created the Pride Guide. The comprehensive guide to understanding the differences between sex, intersex, and gender was named AdCannabis Marketing Campaign of The Year in 2022. Burrell approaches the obstacles and setbacks she faces with a growth mindset, choosing to see adversity as an opportunity for learning. When the going gets tough, she leans on her community—her PufCreativ partners, friends, and family—to help her navigate challenging times. She encourages other queer folks to join the cannabis space and says her ultimate goal “is to be a leader in the cannabis marketing space and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.”

Around the world, lesbian bars and clubs are nearly non-existent, leaving very few safe spaces for queer women to gather, dance, and make connections. Not so in Athens, Greece, thanks to entrepreneur Mary Psaroudaki. Psaroudaki opened and owns Noiz—the largest and most glamorous lesbian club in Greece. Born and raised in Chania, Crete, Psaroudaki studied at the Athens School of Tourism Professions and enjoyed working in tourism. Eventually, she traveled to London to pursue a career in cinematography and was drawn to the city’s vibrant gay and lesbian scene. In London, Psaroudaki had a realization: “I wanted to offer something to the LGBTQ+ community in Greece,” she says. Since returning to Athens in 1991, Psaroudaki has been dedicated to creating safe and welcoming spaces for the Greek LGBTQ+ community. She started by opening small bars, eventually leading to the establishment of Noiz in 2005. The space was recently renovated, designed entirely by Psaroudaki’s partner and interior designer, Tania Papadaki. “My love, faith, and respect for lesbians made me open the Noiz club,” she says. “I am very proud of it, and I thank all those who have loved and continue to love it.” Familiar with the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community and the lack of investment in lesbian bars and clubs, Psaroudaki hopes she can play a role in creating a more accepting society. “Lesbians should have the respect they deserve,” she says.

“I write stuff. And eat hotpot,” is the subhed of Melissa Li’s website, followed by a photo of Li in a palm tree-printed shirt reclining on a hot pink inflatable sofa surrounded by a keyboard, an open book and wads of crumpled paper. Maybe not what you’d expect from an awardwinning composer, lyricist, performer, and writer, but the image is vibrant, colorful, and very queer—which is exactly how Li is. “I came out when I was 11 and started writing songs when I was 13, so at the time, that was the main outlet I used to express myself and explore all the questions I had about my identity,” Li says. “Ever since then, almost all of my stories have been told through a queer feminist lens. I’d say if it weren’t for my queerness, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today.” And she does a lot: the Montrealbased multi-hy phenate’s musicals have received support from renowned theaters, and she’s received several awards, including the ASCAP Harold Adamson Lyric Award and the Jonathan Larson Award. Her solo and collaborative music is available on Spotify, including The Beginning (released as Melissa Li & The Barely Theirs) and Drive Away Home (as Good Asian Drivers). Currently, Li is also developing film and TV projects. The best part of her many endeavors, Li says, lies in the audience. “I mainly write works—with my writing partner Kit Yan, who is trans—that center the trans/nonbinary community,” says Li. “[S]eeing folks from that community come up to us after a show and say that they feel seen through our work—that’s the most rewarding part of what I do.”

“Being a woman, Black, and gay isn’t easy,” says Oneita Parker. “Life in general is not easy. But if it were easy, what would be the point?” The Los Angeles-based stylist and designer has always embraced challenges with open arms. At age 8, Parker started designing and sewing her own clothes, a practice she continued as a teenager. After growing up in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Parker moved to New York City and graduated from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and worked in the city as well as in Hong Kong before heading west. For the past 20 years, Parker’s designed and made costumes for film and television, and she’s also the founder and designer of The Proper Bunny, a whimsical line of tees, hoodies, stickers and more. “I started The Proper Bunny because I wanted T-shirts that I like to wear,” Parker says. “Ever since I was a teen, I loved T-shirts and would draw one of a kind designs on them with Sharpies for myself and my friends.” Parker’s own heritage also plays a part in her original characters, like The Proper Bunny and Afropanda. “I love black and white animals, and being biracial has been an inspiration for me to write stories about out of the ordinary beings that don’t fit a usual mold,” she says. Parker, who is married to film and television director Rosser Goodman and has a pit bull named Bunnybear, is currently writing her first graphic novel “that chronicles the life of The Proper Bunny and the various denizens of the local forest and the nearby city.” Stylist, designer, maker, and now graphic artist: Parker embraces it all. “I am a creative human being that has to be creating almost all day, every day,” she says. “Creating is like breathing. I wouldn’t be here if I couldn’t create.”

Erin Reed is a Washington D.C.-based journalist, content creator, and activist making an indelible mark in journalism and on the lives of trans folks with her unwavering dedication to tracking LGBTQ+ legislation across the United States. As the creator of the subscription Substack newsletter Erin In The Morning, she has become a trusted source for individuals and national leaders seeking to stay informed about critical issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Reed’s journalism career began as she faced challenges receiving gender-affirming care. “My clinic required a six hour round trip to obtain my hormone therapy,” she says. “I knew there had to be a better solution.” She mapped out hormone therapy clinics offering medications through informed consent—a vital resource for transgender folks. Reed’s commitment quickly made her a central hub for information, and she is often one of the very few reporters covering legislation that targets LGBTQ+ people. Reed’s unique perspectives and her tireless work reporting on state-level LGBTQ+ legislation have earned her accolades and praise nationwide. Her reporting has been featured in major media outlets; her map of the states that are voting against trans people, in particular, is the country’s most detailed; and she ensures that instances of resistance against harmful laws are widely viewed and accessible to all through her social media platforms. The most rewarding aspect of her work, she says, is “witnessing the profound impact of my reporting on people’s lives and especially queer and trans people’s lives. I regularly receive messages from individuals expressing gratitude for my hormone therapy map, which has empowered them to transition.” Looking ahead, Reed envisions a future where women reporters, especially those on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, receive the recognition and respect they deserve. She also has a personal milestone to celebrate: she recently got engaged to her girlfriend, Montana State Representative Zooey Zephyr, at a queer prom event in Missoula, Montana, (the city that sent Zephyr to the state legislature).

Growing up in Silicon Valley in the 1980s, Andrea Breanna had access to computers and technology before home computers became mainstream. By the time she was 10, she’d learned how to code. As a trans girl with no outlet to live or speak her truth, technology allowed Breanna to express herself without fear of judgment. “In the physical world at that time, if I even stood in a feminine posture, I would become the target of finger-pointing and laughter. I grew up hoping that technology would connect people and help them understand narratives that didn’t exist then, much less in mainstream media,” she says. Breanna’s interest in technology continued, and she’s built a successful career in the tech space, a trajectory that led her to become the original chief technology owner of what was then called Huffington Post. In 2012, Breanna founded RebelMouse, a creative agency and CMS platform that helped build the Dodo and Axios, among others. RebelMouse reaches 160 million people monthly, helping independent media companies and brands tell their stories and narratives. The most rewarding aspect of her work, Breanna says, is working with RebelMouse’s clients and their teams. But beyond that, she’s proud to have built an organization that stands out from the stereotypical tech company run by cis, white men. RebelMouse’s team members—predominantly women, many of whom are part of the LGBTQ+ community—live in 28 countries around the world. She’s also the parent of four children with her wife Milena Berry (the founder and CEO of PowerToFly). Today, Breanna is a proud trans woman who continues to focus on making technology more inclusive for underrepresented groups. “The underrepresented should build the next open web,” she says.

As a child, Angelique Roche fell in love with the many ways one can tell stories. She wrote poetry, performed, acted in movies and TV shows, took photos, drew, sang, and even danced. Her varied interests and talents made it challenging for her to decide what to study in college, so she majored in mass communications and print journalism with minors in military science, history, and theater. When she was 20, Roche went to law school with the goal of pursuing entertainment law to help artists. But life took her on a different path with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work as Associate Director for Volunteer Operations for President Obama’s 2013 inauguration. Throughout her career working in politics and philanthropy, Roche has seen the power of storytelling and how it can impact people’s lives. “The most rewarding part of my job is when someone, whether a reader, writer, or artist, can see themselves in the narrative,” she says. “Our stories are the most powerful thing we have. They are the source of our voice and are so much of who we are and where we come from.” Roche has faced setbacks in her life, but she doesn’t see them in a negative light. She believes that these obstacles have helped shape who she is and where she is today—a successful attorney, journalist, educator, producer, voiceover artist, and co-author of the upcoming non-fiction book My Super Hero is Black. Roche’s journey is a testament to the power of storytelling, and she inspires us to be true to ourselves and to embrace our unique perspectives.

Young adult author Leah Johnson has quite the resume. Her debut novel, the critically acclaimed and bestselling You Should See Me in a Crown, was a Stonewall Honor Book, an inaugural Reese’s Books Club YA pick, and one of TIME’s 100 Best Young Adult Books Of All Time. Her work has appeared in magazines like Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar. And her highly-anticipated middle-grade debut, Ellie Engle Saves Herself—the first in a series—was released this spring with Disney-Hyperion. So what inspired the self-described eternal Midwesterner to become a writer? “Books for and about young people are what made me fall in love with literature in the first place, so when I set out to write books, I knew there was only one direction I was interested in pursuing,” Johnson says. She now hopes to inspire others with her stories. “My goal, always, is to give representations of Black girlhood that are rooted in joy and not trauma,” she says, “which in turn hopefully creates a blueprint for a possible future for my readers that they may not have thought possible.” This need has perhaps never been greater, given attacks on LGBTQ+ rights in state houses across the country, including in Johnson’s home state of Indiana. “This year alone, we have three times the amount of bills than in any year before moving through our House and Senate that would place limitations on everything from the kind of gender-affirming care queer and trans folks can receive to the types of stories young people have access to in their classrooms and libraries,” she says. Her vision for the future, “is to be at the forefront of creating lasting community programming that gives LGBTQIA+ people, specifically those of color, safe spaces to read and write and explore issues of identity—a project that I hope extends well beyond my own books.”

“There are ways to glow, ways to see what darts beyond your field of vision, ways to feel visible,” proclaims the affirmations section of Arlo Parks’ website. It’s the motto the U.Kbased singer-songwriter seems to live by. Parks’ second album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, was released last year to worldwide acclaim. Since then, she’s opened for Billie Eilish and Harry Styles, and was nominated for two awards at the 2022 Grammys, which she attended with her girlfriend, alt-pop singer Ashnikko. Raised in London by Nigerian and French parents, Parks grew up writing short stories and poetry, and names Radiohead, Joni Mitchell, and Sylvia Plath as artistic influences. In 2018, she began uploading demos to BBC Music Introducing, which led to signing with a manager and the 2019 release of her debut EP, Super Sad Generation. Parks’ newest album, My Soft Machine, was released in May—its latest single, “Pegasus,” features Phoebe Bridgers—and her headlining world tour kicks off this fall. She pens poetic lyrics interspersed with spoken word and sings about mental health, body image, and queer desire, but her own bisexual identity was never a source of personal angst. “I was lucky the people around me were also figuring themselves out and living their realities and going into relationships with whoever they pleased,” Parks told The Independent in 2021. “I never felt uncomfortable. I never felt like it was something I had to explain to them.”

“I had come out to friends and family, but I’d never come out publicly in England because I didn’t want to give them something else to box me in with,” comedian, actor, and writer Gina Yashere told The Guardian in 2021. Raised in London by Nigerian parents, Yashere excelled in school and worked as an elevator engineer, but turned to comedy in her mid-twenties. Within months of her career change, she was appearing on television and won runner-up in the 1996 Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition. Yashere broke out on the American comedy scene in 2007 as a finalist on Last Comic Standing, then permanently relocated stateside. Now living in California with her partner, Nina Rose Fischer, Yashere has four stand-up specials (three of which are available on Netflix) and is an in-demand voice-over artist. She has also published her memoir, Cack-Handed, and plays a supporting role on the CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola, which she co-created with TV giant Chuck Lorre. Yashere attributes her wild U.S. success to finally being out and proud. “The day I came out on stage, my life became like an open book,” she told The Guardian. “I have no fear of being outed. This is who I am, take me or leave me, I don’t give a shit. And my comedy got way better after that.”

T Kira Māhealani Madden is a writer, photographer, and amateur magician who has made a name for herself as a prolific writer and advocate for diverse voices. With a Chinese and Kānaka Maoli background, her work explores themes of identity, family, and community. As the Founding Editor of No Tokens, a magazine of literature and art, she has championed underrepresented voices and created a platform for emerging writers to showcase their work. Madden’s memoir, Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls, has garnered critical acclaim, was recognized as a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection and was a finalist for multiple literary awards. Her highlyanticipated debut novel, Whidbey, is forthcoming with Mariner/HarperCollins. Her writing process, Madden explains, is very much suited to both her thoughtfulness and shy personality. “I’m able to take my time in writing, the one place a shy person cannot be interrupted when taking their time,” she says. Madden has received numerous fellowships and awards, including the 2021 Judith A. Markowitz Award, which recognizes LGBTQ+ writers who have made a significant contribution to the field. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work, according to Madden, is connecting with readers and helping emerging writers tell their stories. “Holding those doors of possibility open, the way so many others held a door for me,” she explains, has been a driving force behind her work. Her dedication to amplifying diverse voices in literature and creating opportunities for emerging writers is a testament to her passion and commitment to the craft.

“Growing up on my [reservation], there hadn’t been many people who were like me who I knew to be out. I just hadn’t seen that representation in my own life, let alone on screen,” actor and filmmaker Devery Jacobs told NBC News last year. “More recently, being out and seeing the need and demand, understanding how thoroughly it could have benefited my life had I seen somebody like myself on-screen, just reinforced how important it was to be open about myself and to fight for queer Natives onscreen.” Since her breakout role in the 2013 film Rhymes for Young Ghouls, which earned her a Canadian Screen Awards nomination for best actress, the queer member of the Mohawk Nation has played recurring roles on iconic TV series Good Omens and Reservation Dogs. Sam Black Crow, Jacobs’ character on Good Omens, was one of the first major television characters to identify as Two-Spirit— something Jacobs not only took seriously, but suggested to the show’s creators. “I mentioned how in many Indigenous communities, Two-Spirit people were actually considered closer to the creator,” Jacobs told NBC News. “On a show about gods, faith, and the proximity of people, I had brought it up…and they all loved it and decided to make that part of the character.” Next up for Jacobs: a role on the Disney+ Marvel series Echo.

Since childhood, Silvia A. Canales has had an innate passion for helping her community. Her parents, both immigrants, believed in the transformative power of education, and while their expectations for Canales were high, the resources available to them were limited. Canales navigated much of the education system alone, “determined, persistent, and resilient to push through regardless of the obstacles faced and the mistakes made along the way,” she says. Her persistence paid off: she became the first in her family to earn a graduate degree. Now with over 30 years of experience as a cultural/ youth worker, Canales has elevated others in her community through education, wellness, and leadership development. She currently serves as the Director of College, Career & Wellness at The Brotherhood Sister Sol, a New York City-based youth organization where “Black and Latinx youth claim the power of their history, identity, and community to build the future they want.” Canales has created various programs that empower youth to challenge and address issues regarding race, culture, and sexism while supporting them in academics, social enrichment, and community involvement. Canales’ experiences and her multiple identities as a bisexual, firstgeneration, Afro-Latina of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage have made her a powerful and necessary leader within the social justice organization. Her commitment to her community and her passion for helping others make her an inspiring figure and a force for positive change. As she puts it, “¡Palante, siempre palante—mi gente!” (“Forward, always forward—my people!”)

Growing up, Ruth McFarlane wanted to make a difference—as her fully realized self. As a closeted teen from a conservative family in the Midwest, “I used to follow the careers of these brilliant lesbian civil rights lawyers: Urvashi Vaid in New York and Kate Kendall in San Francisco.” After graduating from Cornell Law and practicing for several years in the corporate sector, McFarlane went back to school for her master’s in social work. She then served as Director of Development & Community Engagement at the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and as Director of Programs at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. The move to non-profit work allowed her to use her background in law, as well as her people skills “to work on behalf of LGBTQ+ people facing the toughest challenges of their lives,” she says. “I didn’t know this career path was out there, but I found it by following my heart.” McFarlane now oversees fund development and communications as Chief Advancement Officer for the Ms. Foundation, an iconic organization founded in the 1970s by white feminists that pivoted in 2017 to focus on positively impacting the lives of women and girls of color. McFarlane considers this new mission “a watershed moment for the feminist movement” and is proud, and grateful, to be a part of it. “As an out lesbian, a committed ally to transgender and gender expansive people, an immigrant, and a multiracial person who identifies as a Black and South Asian woman, the most rewarding aspect of my work is being all of me, all the time, and making the circle bigger for as many other people as I can,” McFarlane says. “I love what I do. And that is a privilege and an honor—every day.”

“I was an introverted kid who spent a lot of time reading Nancy Drew,” says writer and editor Ashley Bartlett. “Writing was a natural progression.” Bartlett hit enviable milestones early: her first short story was published when she was 19; she signed with her publisher at 24; and she began editing professionally at 27. Now the author of several sapphic novels, including The Dirty Trilogy and the Cash Braddock series, Bartlett has new goals. “Paying rent [with writing and editing] would be cool,” she says. “Ultimately, though, I just want people to read my work…I’m not naive enough to think I can change anything on a global scale. But I absolutely can change how individual people look at or think about or process the world around them and I think that’s pretty damn cool.” As a gender nonconforming person who describes herself as “masc of center,” Bartlett writes the characters she wants to read, which leads to interesting and profound challenges. “My most recent series was masc on masc, which is uncommon,” she says. “Logistically, writing two masc of center main characters means building wardrobes and styles that are distinct. It also means examining social structures that result in masculine performativity and how that might present in two very different women.” When asked how her own identity affects her writing, Bartlett is frank. “It’s impossible to separate my queerness and my gender from my work,” she says. “Everything I do or think or feel is steeped in queerness.”

“I started writing songs in middle school because I was kind of shy. I think it was a way for me to control my narrative when I felt like I didn’t have much control over the things that were happening to me or around me,” singer-songwriter Abigail Fierce says. She found coming out extremely difficult to talk about—although not as difficult to write about. “Writing about [things] is how I work through [them],” she says. “And by releasing music, I have a growing platform to help other people feel less alone.” Now, with her songs streaming over four million times on Spotify, and starring roles on shows like Love, Victor and This Is Us, Fierce is building quite the platform. Her latest release, “Daphne,” is a pop-rock-inspired sapphic love song—and just the kind of music Fierce wants to see more of. “I try to write music that I wish existed, and ‘Daphne’ is definitely a song I wish I’d had growing up,” she says. But the most rewarding part of her work happens when listeners share how her music has made a difference in their lives—how “Scream It to the Whole World” helps someone come out or “I Just Want to Feel Okay Again” lets them work through their grief. Through her work, Fierce wants to help people feel a little less alone, whether it’s by portraying LGBTQ+ characters on television or creating music that many yearn to hear. “I want to be a positive role model for young people and continue making a difference in people’s lives,” she says.

“I’ve had the honor to wear many different hats while being on set: model, dancer, actress, musician, photographer, director, choreographer, production assistant, and many more,” says Lexie Peters. “I love being a part of the creative process in any way I can to bring a vision to life.” Peters recently moved from New York to Los Angeles to pursue the dream life of a full-time creator. In the meantime, they’re racking up followers on Instagram and TikTok, have a podcast called Peterss Perspective that explores vulnerability and self-discovery, and recently led a self-love workshop as part of Illuminate Events’ “Planted With Purpose” tour. While Peters has always been creative, the idea of working for herself is a more recent development. “Initially I had this crazy passion to…overall just to be creative, and then the thought of doing what I loved as a job was super tempting,” Peters says. “So I led with that, and then the idea of being my own boss motivated me to really go full-time as a creative.” The constant hustle isn’t easy, and Peters has considered a day job more than once—but the vision of success on their own terms keeps them going. “At one point, I was doing it to prove others wrong, and now I’m doing it to prove to myself that I am capable of all I desire,” she says. “We’re in charge of creating our own lives.”

At age 13, Crystal Jang realized she was attracted to other girls. Now almost 77, she has spent six decades as an activist, educator, community organizer, and proud “auntie” in the queer, trans, Asian, and Pacific Islander (QTAPI) community. A third-generation San Franciscan, she has co-founded several organizations including APIQWTC (Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women & Trans Community) and OASIS (Older Sisters in Solidarity); was recognized with the APIQWTC’s Phoenix Award and the GAPA (Gay Asian Pacific Alliance) HIV Visibility and Howard Grayson Senior Award; and served as Community Grand Marshal for the 2013 San Francisco Pride Parade. With age, however, she’s changed her priorities. “I realize I no longer have the physical stamina or emotional fortitude to be an out, loud and proud, in your face type of lesbian activist,” Jang says. “Rather, I have had to shift and reevaluate how best to be an ‘energy efficient,’ more inclusive queer activist instead.” These days, Jang focuses on connections and celebration: fostering intergenerational relationships in the QTAPI community and increasing visibility of API queer elders. With a goal to create “good trouble” every day, Jang seeks inspiration from those who came before her. “Witnessing their courage, strength, and determination to overcome all obstacles, to fight for their right to create a better life for themselves and their families, inspired me to follow in their footsteps to live my own truths,” she says. “I am proud to be a fourth generation Chinese American who has had the opportunity and privilege to carry on the work of my ancestors. They are the true activists.”

Dr. Lee Kimball Outlaw Barmore has looked after the well-being of children since 1991, when she first trained as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children in the courtroom of Judge Judith Sheindlin (better known as Judge Judy). Since that time, she’s been a caseworker in foster care, a foster parent trainer, an adoption specialist, and a social worker with Atlanta’s Department of Family and Children Services, just to name a few of the jobs she’s held. Now a Training Specialist in the Human Resources Department at a child welfare agency in New York City, Barmore, with more than 30 years in child services, knows how difficult life can be for queer and gender nonconforming children. “I have seen children thrown out of their homes of origin and foster homes due to their sexual orientation or their gender identity and/or expression,” Barmore says. This makes when caregivers accept their LGBTQ+ child— when they realize their child “needs and requires love, support, and an ally who will be there for them”—all the more rewarding. “I stress that it’s much more than tolerance,” she says, regarding the support that these children need from their guardians. “It’s affirmation and full acceptance.” Barmore, herself, is no stranger to intolerance and adversity, the latter of which she calls “a familiar foe.” As a person who is Black, female, and lesbian, “navigating places that might accept only one of my identities is a common practice,” she says. How does she deal with these challenges? With “support, inner strength and acceptance, and a belief in a higher power. Setbacks are an opportunity to re-group, adjust, and move forward.”

“I’m honestly surprised by how much has actually changed since I’ve become a content creator full time,” Rose Montoya reflects. Only a few years ago, the Latine, bisexual, and nonbinary transgender model, speaker, and advocate primarily worked as a makeup artist at a cosmetics counter. But when COVID-19 hit and she was laid off, Montoya decided to pivot. Now, they’re primarily known for their Trans 101 video series, “which teaches about transitioning, healthcare, language, history, politics, pop culture, and all things trans,” Montoya says. “I spend every day on TikTok educating my audience and uplifting my community all while entertaining, looking fabulous, and leaving a smile on people’s faces.” Besides educating and entertaining, Montoya’s content has led to systemic change in the TSA, universities and libraries, as well as in individuals. She has been featured in Out magazine’s OUT100 issue in 2021, nominated by Queerty for Favorite TikToker of 2022, and invited to speak on LATV’s The Q Agenda for Women’s History Month earlier this year. Despite all of their successes, life isn’t always easy for Montoya. After some of her videos went viral this past Trans Day of Visibility, the creator was bombarded by haters. To improve her mood, she turned to the runways in the queer Ballroom scene, including at Legendary Father Markus Tisci’s April Fools’ Ball in LA, where she won grand prize for Fem Queen Face. “Being surrounded by [my] community and celebrated for my identity fills me with joy,” Montoya recalls. “After all, our joy is our greatest weapon against adversity. Conservatives can take away our healthcare, our education, our access to bathrooms, our ability to play sports, but they cannot take away our identities, our love, our joy.”

With a talent and passion for bringing people together through music, Remeice is a rising star in the DJing world. Born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Remeice was exposed to diverse music genres throughout her formative years, including reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, R&B, and pop—all of which heavily influence her style of DJing today. Remeice worked as a DJ on the side for years while holding a full-time job. Only recently did she see DJing as a viable career option. Despite the occasional bout of imposter syndrome, Remeice has forged her own path. “I feel great knowing organizers are steadily reaching out, and all these wonderful people are interested in following my journey,” she says. Her versatility as a DJ allows her to work with a diverse range of clients, including the American Ballet Theater, NYC Pride, and Misster. She particularly enjoys playing in club and bar space, where the energy is high and the crowd is open to different types of music. She also hopes to expand her services to help her queer family celebrate broader milestones like weddings, trade shows, fitness classes, art showings, and auctions. Above all, Remeice has found the community’s support to be the most rewarding aspect of her work. “I’ve been lucky enough to explore many avenues when it comes to DJing and hosting events, and I’d love to take what I do to another level of expansion and be a source for more celebratory needs,” she says.

Meet Kaguya, a trailblazing Korean American model, influencer, photographer, musician, and entrepreneur. Kaguya, who identifies as nonbinary as well as female, didn’t always plan on becoming a model or influencer, and initially began her career as a photographer. After leaving a physically and emotionally abusive relationship, she began writing diary entries on WordPress before going to Instagram. A year later, as Kaguya’s healing journey was well underway, she had the confidence to post her images on social media, launching her modeling career. “When I started, I never saw any plus-size Asian models, let alone models who were 5’5,” around my age, and covered in tattoos with colored hair,” she says. In 2021, Kaguya opened Rice Studios, a studio and event space curated for queer BIPOC artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and innovators. “I always wanted to have a space that would give people of color more opportunity, comfort, and accessibility,” she says. In addition to Rice Studios, Kaguya runs OOLBO, a cannabis and psychedelic-focused Kawaii Canna lifestyle brand. She’s also classically trained and self-taught in music and, after a long hiatus from the craft, has released two singles in the past two years. But the most rewarding aspect of Kaguya’s work is “being able to show up for myself and also inspiring younger women or folks around my age to trailblaze the industry as they see fit,” she says. “I was denied and told multiple times by agents and modeling peers how I would never be signed or be taken seriously. Look at me now.”

Living in Seoul, South Korea, with her expat father, and having just lost her mother to cancer, teenage Liz Patrick found comfort in pop culture. “TV, film, and music became my refuge while I was trying not to feel isolated in a foreign country,” she remembers. Though Patrick inherited her dad’s love of photography, she soon picked up another type of camera. “One day I borrowed my neighbor’s camcorder and started to make videos of Korea, so I could share my experience with my friends from home,” she says. “Slowly those films became comedy sketches.” After making many short films at Boston University, Patrick reached out to alumni for career guidance and landed her first job at MTV. She’s now a primetime Emmy nominee and Directors Guild of America award winner who has directed thousands of hours of television, including live multi-camera shows, concerts, awards shows, sketch comedy, and red carpet specials. In 2008, Patrick became director of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a gig that lasted 13 seasons and over 2,000 episodes, and which earned Patrick nine Daytime Emmy awards, including three for direction. Her current gig is at the helm of Saturday Night Live—only the fifth director, and second female director, in the show’s 47 years. “I really enjoy bringing a project to life, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have gotten,” says Patrick. “I’ve worked and continue to work with so many talented people. I love what I do, and I’m currently in a ‘pinch me’ moment here at SNL.”

Brittney Griner (right) is considered one of the best female basketball players in the world. The WNBA All-Star and Olympic Gold medalist began her basketball career at Baylor University, where she led her team to a national championship and won the Naismith Player of the Year Award in 2012. Drafted into the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 2013, Brittney quickly made a name for herself in the basketball world as the WNBA’s leader in blocked shots and points per game. An indomitable force on the court, Brittney’s many achievements have earned her the admiration of countless fans. But her relationship with wife Cherelle Griner is equally inspiring. Brittney and Cherelle met at Baylor University as undergraduates but only began dating after reconnecting years later. The pair married in June 2019 and have been melting hearts ever since, frequently sharing their love on social media. Cherelle, a former teacher turned attorney, has always been Brittney’s biggest fan, showing her support both on and off the court. Cherelle’s devotion to her wife was never more apparent than during Britteny’s nearly year-long detainment in Russia in 2022, after Russian officials discovered a vape cartridge containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Though heartbroken and terrified, Cherelle tirelessly advocated for her wife’s return to the U.S. Her frequent updates for fans on social media earned the attention of millions worldwide. In December 2022, Cherelle’s unwavering support and tireless efforts paid off: the pair were reunited following Brittney’s release in a prisoner exchange. The Griners’ relationship is a beautiful demonstration of love that prevails across borders and obstacles, and their devotion to one another is a shining example of the power of lesbian love.

“Nothing makes me happier than to open doors and blaze a path [that] others can follow,” says Brooklyn Wright. “I have been making room and capacity-building for underrepresented communities all of my life and I have a strong belief that all power should be shared.” A business owner and sales strategist, Wright uses community, storytelling, and event curation to help top organizations engage with diverse audiences. as well as a decades-long advocate for underrepresented populations who Wright currently serves as chief revenue officer for Out in Tech, a global non-profit organization for LGBTQ+ technologists. The organization creates opportunities for its 45,000 members to advance their careers and expand their networks, as well as leverage technology for social change. “Out in Tech, as well as my financial literacy work, allows me to take what I have learned over the past 20 years and pour it into communities I also identify with,” says Wright. Going forward, Wright’s vision for themselves involves more balance, personal enjoyment, and time with those who matter most. “I identify as a recovering workaholic [and] I have spent many years accomplishing,” Wright says. “Now I hope to spend more quality time with my wife and family. I want to spend more time smelling the flowers and finding my internal joy!”

“Being someone who identifies a s Two -Spirit has impacted [me] in so many ways,” says boxer and actor Kali Reis. “I have always known I was ‘different’ in t he way I expressed myself and to whom I expressed it to, but growing up in the household I did made it difficult to comfortably begin to understand myself.” Discovering her true self has helped Reis “create a more diverse range [in] what I do…day to day, fight to fight and job to job.” The former world champion in two weight classes has recently branched out into acting, thanks to her boxing career. “I was approached by director and writer Josef Kubota Wladyka on Instagram about a script he had written [about] the MMIW [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women] epidemic,” Reis says. “He had also seen that I was using my boxing platform to bring awareness to various Indigenous issues.” The 2021 film, Catch the Fair One, starred Reis in her first acting role, for which she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Reis’s new career has taken off: she’ll appear in the upcoming film Black Flies, starring Sean Penn, and will star alongside Jodie Foster in the fourth season of HBO’s True Detective series. “I’ve definitely gotten thrown head first into the deep end of an [entirely] different world and it was sink or swim,” Reis says of her budding film career. “It has been the greatest holy shit occurrence in my life to date and I cannot wait to see where it takes me.”

“I think society is always trying to push lesbians aside or silence us,” says Maria-Elena Grant. “I have found it necessary to spend my entire life being out, loud, and proud, and educating people about why such actions remain very necessary even when it feels as if we have made so much progress.” Born in the U.K. to Jamaican parents who emigrated to New York, Grant has been an activist since the 1980s, when she co-founded Blues, a social networking group for lesbians in The Bronx (the first of its kind in the borough). Since then, Grant has been a “founding mother” of the Audre Lorde Project, a member of the POC Steering Committee—a group of LGBTQ+ organizations of color working to achieve stronger community visibility—and a member of the staff that broke ground on the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. However, Grant finds the most pride and joy in her work with Lavender Light Gospel Choir, the world’s first LGBTQ+ gospel choir. “Lavender Light is 38 years old this year,” says Grant, who’s been singing with the group for 33 years and has served as chairperson for over two decades. “I am very proud of the fact that, thanks to my efforts, the choir is still here.” She’s also the current president of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses, an organization that represents 200 LGBTQ+ choruses with over 12,000 singers. A surprising fact about Grant: “One of my favorite things to do is go to Disney World and ride … ‘It’s a Small World’ and sing the song at the top of my lungs.”

“I’ve always loved music but growing up in a small town, I didn’t think it was a possible career path,” says singer-songwriter Lauren Sanderson. But when she didn’t get accepted into college, Sanderson took it as a sign to try something different: giving Ted Talks. “Doing a Ted Talk was the first time I was on a stage with a microphone in my hand and that was the day I realized I was meant to inspire people,” Sanderson admits. Although she began as a motivational speaker and YouTube personality, “music was, and is, my outlet to express my mind.” Soon beats and raps were slipping into her online videos. She released her first EP, Center of Expressions, in 2016, followed by Spaces (2017), Don’t Panic! (2018), and Hasta La Vista (2019) before dropping her debut album, Midwest Kids Can Make It Big, in 2020. Her songs are regularly featured on Billboard’s Pride playlists and her track “Frustrated,” released on a deluxe version of Midwest Kids Can Make It Big in 2021, earned a spot on Billboard’s “10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week.” Through her music, Sanderson challenges social norms, and harkens back to her motivational roots by reminding us all what we’re capable of. “Every song I put out and every tour I get to go on is a constant reminder that we are the creators of our own paths and we can do the things others may not see as realistic,” she says. Her vision “is to continue going against societal norms” and inspire people “to be whoever they want to be. I want people to listen to my music and not be afraid to express themselves, wear what they want, love who they want, and most importantly, be themselves.”

Being female and gay “has made it a lot harder” to make it in comedy, says Jessica Kirson. “It has taken a lot longer to get to where I am than it would have taken a man. I am grateful for my success but it has been frustrating at times.” Despite the challenges, Kirson continues to stand out and speak out: her videos have over 150 million views on social media, she’s a regular on This Week at the Comedy Cellar, and has appeared on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The View. In 2021, she produced Hysterical, a documentary about women in comedy featuring Margaret Cho, Chelsea Handler, and Fortune Feimster, among others. Her one-hour special, Talking to Myself, aired on Comedy Central. Kirson also acted in and served as a writer, producer, and consultant on the Robert DeNiro film, The Comedian. Going forward, Kirson hopes to pay it forward. “I hope to have enough power, enough status to make a difference,” she says. “I hope to be able to help people as much as I can and give to people in need.”

At the age of 19, Zuriel Hooks is already a powerful woman. As leader of the Youth Ambassador Program at The Knights and Orchids, a non-profit specializing in trans healthcare access, Hooks has devoted herself to advocating for LGBTQ+ healthcare rights. As a trans woman, she knows firsthand the need for genderaffirming healthcare. “I’m the advocate that I am today, for LGBTQ+ rights and more, because I understand the painful process of not having resources, a community, and a space where you can fully show up as yourself,” Hooks says. Having experienced this, she now works to remind young people of their unique positions in the world, and to create a future where all LGBTQ+ youth can fully be themselves. “I still see myself immersed in community, helping and guiding young queer children,” Hooks says when asked about her future goals. But she has other goals as well. In addition to her work as an activist, Hooks is also a content creator, poet, and aspiring model. For her, these aspirations are integral to her work with LGBTQ+ youth and she hopes to create inspiring, never-before-seen “looks that are out of this world” simply by “being myself, unapologetically.” By taking a stand, Hooks wants to ensure that every LGBTQ+ youth knows they, too, can be unapologetically themselves.

Glynn, also known as Highgnx, is here for a good time, and much more. According to her bio, the Brooklyn-based producer and DJ “works to unify and elevate all sounds of Blackness through her mixes to create a sense of joy, love, and community on the dance floor.” Attend one of Glynn’s events and you’re likely to be surrounded by her influences, including 1990s hip-hop, Afrobeats, Baltimore club and acidic jazz. “My best friend Tasha got me into DJing,” Glynn says. “We bonded off of all of the music that we grew up listening to, and after following her to a few gigs, and watching her blend all of my favorite ‘90s hip-hop and R&B, I knew I had to figure out how to do it on my own.” In addition to gigging and producing by herself, Glynn is the co-founder of Sailor Boom, a POC- and LGBTQ-friendly hip-hop and cosplay party series. For Glynn, mixing is all about the crowd. “The most rewarding aspect of DJing for me has been watching people—especially queer people—smile, dance, and react to the way I mix my music,” she says. “I love influencing their mood through a range of different genres and time periods. It’s almost like emotional time travel.”

Zolita grew up writing songs and playing bluegrass, but filmmaking was her ultimate goal—until she had an epiphany. “When I was studying film at NYU, I fell in love with music videos. When I saw how many queer people were connecting to and seeing themselves in the love stories I was telling through my songs and videos, I realized I could make both music and film my career.” Now an altpop singer, songwriter, and filmmaker whose songs and viral narrative music videos have garnered over 300 million streams worldwide (as well as critical acclaim from Billboard, Out, and Nylon), Zolita has just wrapped her first North American headline tour, which completely sold out, and will join Bebe Rexha on tour this summer. She’s also hot off the release of Falling Out/Falling In, her latest EP. But the most rewarding aspect of her career “is having the privilege to create work that’s making a difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ youth,” the singer says. “The messages I receive every day about my videos and music helping people live their truth and be open about their identities is what makes me want to have this career.” Zolita also relishes collaborating with other queer artists and makes it a point to foster that environment. “All of my video sets are made up of an almost fully-queer cast and crew, and getting to combine all of our visions and experiences into a final, unified piece of art is so unbelievably special.”

Dr. Shannon Wong Lerner, Ph.D., is a renowned communications trainer and motivational speaker whose mission is to empower and uplift disenfranchised voices. “In my work, I help clients work through and release tension and trauma, so they can speak as their authentic, best selves,” she says. Dr. Shannon, as she’s known in the community, and who uses she/they pronouns, boasts an impressive resume, having worked with some of the most progressive LGBTQ forward organizations worldwide and with Fortune 500 companies. She helped spearhead the Gender Inclusion Program at Levi Strauss and worked with Blue Shield of California and San Francisco Ballet on decolonizing health and wellness for marginalized communities. As a personal communications consultant, she’s worked with many prominent figures and has since opened her communications training program for other queer women of color, gender nonconforming people, and other underrepresented groups. She believes in the power of storytelling and encourages people to be their authentic selves while having fun with their speaking practices. One thing that sets Dr. Shannon apart is her unique perspective from her youth as a shy adolescent who overcame her fears to become a successful public speaker. “The secret to impactful public speaking is to know ethics comes before existence, meaning we live to help others,” she says. “What has kept me going through my personal struggles or when others resist my advocacy work is not self-importance—I’m here as a resource to maintain others’ safety, well-being, and healing.” In addition to her impressive communications career, Dr. Shannon is a talented jazz singer and composer. She’s currently working on her first album of jazz standards and multi-genre originals.

Growing up, Lizelle Jackson was surrounded by nature-loving family members who instilled a love for the outdoors in her from a young age. After spending years as an active travel guide, leading hiking and cycling trips around the world, Jackson realized that the outdoor industry lacked diversity and inclusion. As a biracial Black woman, she felt the need to make a change. When the opportunity arose to co-found Color the Water, an organization dedicated to diversifying surf lineups by offering free surf lessons to the BIPOC community in Los Angeles, Jackson found her purpose. “I’d always longed to see more people that look like me in the outdoors and especially in the ocean,” she says. Jackson believes that providing opportunities for underrepresented communities to experience surfing can help break down systemic barriers that prevent people of color from accessing the ocean. The most rewarding aspect of her work is seeing the joy on people’s faces when they realize they’ll soon be surfing—something they’d always dreamed of, but hadn’t dared tried before. “To be a part of someone’s journey to discovering their potential is priceless.” When not surfing, biking, or hiking, Jackson indulges in her other passion: eating desserts. “I love to live life to the fullest and that includes indulging in sweets every chance I get!” Jackson’s dedication to making the outdoors more inclusive and diverse is inspiring. Through Color the Water, she’s helping to create a more equitable future for adventure sports, and we can’t wait to see where her passion and hard work take her next.

Corey Westover has built a professional career advocating for sexual and reproductive health and justice, particularly for marginalized and oppressed communities. “My professional career has been dedicated to eliminating health disparities, working at the intersections of racial, economic, reproductive, and gender justice,” she says. Her commitment to health equity is evident in all aspects of her work. Westover began her career in research but, wanting to be more connected to the community, pivoted to working in direct services, providing counseling and education around sexual health. In her current role as Senior Director of Equity and Learning at The LGBT Community Center (The Center) in New York City, she is developing and implementing a multi-year strategy to embed race and gender equity in The Center’s policies, practices, programs, and culture. As a queer woman and parent, Westover’s identities have deeply shaped how she views the world and her role in it, and how she shows up in her work. As a white cisgender woman, she acknowledges the impact of her privileged identities, and feels “a deep responsibility for dismantling white supremacy and improving conditions for BIPOC and TGNC members of our community.” Beyond her work, Westover is a skilled crafter and enjoys making things with her hands. From pottery to stained glass, metalsmithing to baking, she finds joy in learning new skills and creating new things. But it’s her commitment to sexual and reproductive health equity and her dedication to serving marginalized communities that make her an inspiring leader in her field.

“I got into producing purely to get [my partner] Shamim’s screenplays made,” Hanan Kattan says. “I love many aspects of being a movie producer but it’s a difficult and thankless task that needs endless creativity and tenacity.” Despite many obstacles, such as dealing with white male gatekeepers who’d often ask Kattan and now-wife Shamim Sarif “to ‘de-gay’ a character or make one of them white,” Kattan is now a multiaward-winning producer whose fifth feature film, Polarized, was released in the U.K. and Canada after premiering in Berlin. Kattan’s last feature, Despite the Falling Snow, won 13 awards, following the pattern of previous films I Can’t Think Straight (which debuted at the Palm Springs Festival and won 11 awards) and The World Unseen (Toronto International Film Festival debut, winner of 23 awards internationally). “At a time when women’s rights and LGBTQIA+ rights are being used as a political tool in the U.S. and around the world, I’m glad we found a way to get Polarized made,” says Kattan, whose U.K. and Canadian production companies strive to create inclusive and authentic content for and about underserved voices. Goals for the future? “I’d love to see representation of queer stories become more mainstream. I think Polarized and so many other movies have plenty to say about our shared human experiences of coming together, learning to challenge expectations, and finding our way.”

A Two-Spirit Native American and African American writer, actor, and director, Jennifer Lanier has always felt at home on the stage. But as a queer person of color, she learned quickly that her onstage options were limited, leading her to explore backstage options as well. Now the co-artistic director of the Original Practice Shakespeare Festival (OPS Fest)—an Oregan-based non-profit engaging with Elizabethan England theater styles—finds that she’s in a position to make theater just a little queerer. “Theater represents [the] privileged, straight, white man more than any art form in the U.S. And everything that I do, and am, in the theater crashes against that privilege and kicks it off the ledge,” Lanier says. OPS Fest uses original practice techniques of Shakespeare, such as engaging directly with the audience and playing with concepts of gender, to bring the full theatrical experience to life. “We ask our cast to imagine who they think the character is, letting them play the character as their own gender or the gender as written,” Lanier says. The lack of gender barriers allows her and her fellow actors to lean into their queerness, and has led to creative performance choices—including Lanier’s starring turn as a Black, lesbian Othello. “Shakespeare was queer already,” Lanier says. “Drag comes from men who dressed like women—of course they couldn’t hire women—for roles in his shows. So we just keep going, encouraging our audience to take the ride with us.”

When Rachel Shatto chose to pursue a career in queer media, she looked to her passions: “queerness, pop culture, social justice, sex, and their intersections,” she says. “I wanted to think about it, talk about it, and most of all write about it.” Now Editor-in-Chief of Pride.com, the San Francisco Bay Area-based writer, podcaster, and sewist spends each day sharing the stories of LGBTQ+ luminaries like Janelle Monáe, Jamie Clayton, and Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira). “The truth is, our stories are the best, the most nuanced, the richest—and the coolest,” she says. Intersectionality in storytelling and reporting has been top of mind for Shatto since her tenure as managing editor for Curve magazine. Her experience, as well as her own identities as a LGBTQ+ woman “helped me have a greater understanding for the need for intersectionality in my writing and the worldview that informs it,” Shatto says. “My intersecting identities have made me passionate about doing my best to always keep that at the forefront when setting an editorial agenda.” A surprising fact about Shatto? “I am absolutely crazy about the horror genre,” she confesses. “Any chance that I get to explore queerness through a horror lens, I am in heaven.” According to Shatto, who regularly podcasts on the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network, the genre is a perfect complement to queer identity. “These are the stories of outsiders and weirdos facing down monsters and, often, surviving,” she says. “What’s not to love?”

Dr. Mimi Hoang (known as “Dr. Mimi”) is a psychologist and activist who has spent her career advocating for the LGBTQ+ and Asian Pacific Islander communities. With her experiences as a refugee, first generation college student, and bisexual woman of color, Dr. Mimi brings a unique perspective to her work. These layered identities “helped me develop an intersectional lens in understanding gender, sexuality, race, and culture in a multifaceted way which always informs my DEI values and my LGBTQ-affirmative approach to psychotherapy,” she says. As a co-founder of three organizations for the bi+ community in Los Angeles, Dr. Mimi has been a driving force in advocating for bi+ visibility and mental health. Her work has earned her numerous awards, recognition in photography books, and a spot in historical exhibits. Through her work as the clinical supervisor of the LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Therapy Center at Airport Marina Counseling Service and as the creator of the Bi on Life self-empowerment series, Dr. Mimi continues to impact the world positively. “I hope to empower people to be their best advocate, to live life boldly and authentically, and to make a positive difference in the world,” she says. But the most rewarding aspect of her work happens on a much smaller scale: helping people overcome life challenges. “It’s like helping to change the world one person at a time.”

A lifelong dancer, Dawn Robinson-Patrick (right) was first drawn to arts administration “by my intrinsic desire to understand how to strengthen my craft while providing organizational support to my artist friends and collaborators.” Robinson-Patrick’s history as a contemporary modern dancer, teacher, and choreographer has influenced her 20-plus-year career in arts programming, arts education, creative consultation, and event management. Currently the Senior Manager of Programs for Grand Park at The Music Center in Los Angeles, she’s also held leadership roles with prestigious companies, including Lincoln Center, the Geffen Playhouse, and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet. Robinson-Patrick’s wife, Skye Patrick, serves as Library Director for Los Angeles County, a position she began in 2016 after holding leadership roles at the Broward County Public Library, San Francisco Public Library, and Queens Public Library. With a commitment to breaking down barriers, Patrick led staff to establish new services during the COVID-19 pandemic, including outdoor wifi service, laptop and hotspot loans, and virtual programs encompassing all ages and interests. She was honored with Innovate@UCLA’s Community Impact Award in 2020, and is now a recipient of the Durfee Foundation’s Stanton Fellowship, which provides two years of seed money for individuals to think deeply about big questions and find ways to improve life for the people of Los Angeles. For Patrick, that means researching how 21st century libraries can be transformed to address the needs of LA county residents. “It’s funny how you can look up and realize you’ve been doing something for over 20 years,” Patrick says. “I came to libraries by way of an interest in music and documentary filmmaking—all about research. I’ve stayed with it because I can see almost daily the impact I can make on the lives of others.” Her wife also prioritizes impact and advocacy, and focuses on supporting a diverse roster of artists. “Being a lesbian woman of color impacts every aspect of my work,” Robinson-Patrick says. “It fuels my desire to support people, organizations, and opportunities that align with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. It also drives my passion to fight for sustainable change when they do not align.”