A Letter From Our Editors: Pride 2026
Hellos and goodbyes (for now) from the editorial team.
Featured Image (L to R) Becca Williams and Rachel Shatto, both photos courtesy of subject
Happy Pride! We are proud to present GO Magazine’s 2026 Pride Issue. This magazine marks my sixth and final print issue as a member of GO’s full-time team. I have been honored to serve as the managing editor of this essential publication and to tell the stories of our LGBTQIA2S+ community. I could not have successfully taken on this role without the mentorship of my patient predecessor Dayna Troisi, my talented co-conspirator Daniel Tracer, and our passionate Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Amy Lesser. I’m forever grateful to my amazing Senior Associate Editor Abbie Thompson, who encourages my wildest ideas and always makes me laugh. And, a huge thanks to my partner in life, Laramie, who has put up with many late nights in the name of GO.
I am elated to be passing the baton and welcoming GO’s new Executive Editor, Rachel Shatto, who will be leading this publication into a new era—with all the positivity and brightness I know she has.
Take it away, Rachel!
Has there ever been a tougher act to follow?
Becca is a one-of-a-kind talent, and I am honored to continue the vision and joy she brought to these pages. But it’s not goodbye forever, nor the last time we’ll see her byline here—and she certainly set me up for success with a team that I am so proud to be a part of.
My hope for this next era of GO is to continue, under Amy’s dedicated stewardship, to highlight the joys and passions of lesbians and queer women in NYC and beyond.
That starts with this issue’s cover story featuring the incredible Jade LeMac, a singer whose star is on the rise and whose bold, unapologetic queerness is both an inspiration and a source of hope. But she is just one voice in a symphony of incredible queer women in our annual “100 Women We Love” feature.
At a time when Pride feels particularly radical and essential, telling our stories and celebrating our lives is a responsibility that is both humbling and thrilling in my role as executive editor. I hope you’re just as excited to come along on this journey with me.
With pride and love,
Becca Williams & Rachel Shatto
