Natasha Dillon: Co-founder, Queer Rising A leader in the next wave of LGBT activists, Natasha Dillon is the Co-founder of the NYC-based group Queer Rising, a grassroots organization demanding full equality for all LGBTQ people through nonviolent direct action. She’ll let nothing stand in her way—especially police barricades. Dillon has been arrested numerous times on behalf of marriage equality, employment non-discrimination and DADT repeal in New York City, at the White House and on the Las Vegas Strip. Currently, Dillon is the Vice President of Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, an LGBT/progressive political organization; she was also recently elected to Community Board 3 in the East Village, and remains the Executive Director of Guiding Proud, NYC’s first LGBTQ mentoring program. The Stonewall Women’s Awards and Manhattan Young Democrats have both honored her for her leadership. “I’m thrilled with the overwhelming responses I get from people that I have met, never met, or will never meet, thanking us for standing up—and from those who look to us and say, ‘if they can do it, so can I,’” Dillon says. “I have seen such an immense amount of change already, and while we have so much further to go, I’m inspired by the growing number of activists by our side. I look forward to one day saying, ‘we’re equal.’”
