100 Women We Love 2012

Drum roll, please! We’re excited to present this year’s 100 Women We Love—our most diverse group of out entertainers, artists, athletes, activists, business principals and elected officials yet. Each of these women is a superstar in her own right. Their achievements and contributions shape our lives —and elevate us in the eyes of the world . They’re working to raise LGBT awareness, increase our visibility and quicken our progress toward a just society.

We are extremely proud to present the class of 2012. There are no rankings or numbers. They are all leaders.

Shaynee Rainbolt
Sophisticated, smooth, sumptuous: Shaynee Rainbolt’s jazz styling and cabaret performance deserves every bit of the praise bestowed by her peers. A critically acclaimed professional vocalist and talented storyteller, Rainbolt—equally adept at swinging, scatting or crooning music from every era—won a 2012 Backstage Bistro award for her live tribute to composer Russell Garcia. She’s also landed multiple MAC Awards for original composition and for her album Charmed Life, a collection of her interpretations of Garcia’s songs. But her passion for music isn’t limited to performing and albums. She is a longtime advocate for arts education in schools and teaches vocal technique at the Harlem School of Urban Music and Recording Arts; she also manages artists for Park Avenue Talent. “Whether I am performing, managing or teaching, I feel that I am making a difference by supporting and contributing to the arts and culture of our society. I believe that music and art matter—and it gives me great joy and satisfaction to be able to do the work that I do,” Rainbolt says.


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