100 Women We Love Class of 2010
A Houston, Texas native, Annise Parker has remained close to her roots. She was sworn in as the 61st mayor of Houston in January, becoming only the second woman and first openly gay person to hold that office. She graduated from Rice University and worked for two decades in the oil and gas industry, with 18 of those years spent at the Houston-based Mosbacher Energy Company. For ten years, she co-owned Inklings, a Houston-based independent gay bookstore. Parker was involved in Houston politics for several years prior to becoming mayor, serving six years as a member of the City Council and one six-year term as Houston City Controller. -CB
As the first decade of the new millennium comes to an end, we take a moment to celebrate 100 out lesbians who have made the past year one of inspiring change and amazing progress.
Kate Peterson and Sarah Cleaver
Kate Peterson and Sarah Cleaver form the two-woman band Nervous but Excited. This “pleasantly aggressive folk duo” has shared the stage with Ani DiFranco, Iron and Wine, Cheryl Wheeler and other luminaries. Playing instruments from guitars to glockenspiels, Nervous but Excited has released four albums, including their 2006 studio debut Once More…With Feeling and 2009’s carbon-neutral CD Anchors. Their latest, Just the Two of Us (Our Duo Doing Duos), features covers of six other pairs including songs from Tegan and Sara, Indigo Girls and the Righteous Brothers. Peterson and Cleaver also shot and edited six videos, explaining in short narratives why they chose each of the songs. Of their music, Peterson says, “We hope that we can inspire people to feel their hearts inside their chests…just a little bit more than they did before.” -CB
