100 Women We Love: Class of 2025

Every June, GO Magazine celebrates 100 queer women who inspire us, lead us, and remind us what resilience, brilliance, and unapologetic visibility look like. But this year, the stakes feel different. The political landscape has grown darker, more hostile, and more determined to erase us. In 2025, queer women are not just underrepresented—they’re under attack.

Across the country, state legislatures continue to target LGBTQ+ rights, with women, especially trans women and Women of Color, bearing the brunt of the cruelty. Health care access is under siege. Reproductive freedom remains gutted. The very language we use to describe ourselves, our identities, and our experiences is being policed and politicized. Our existence has once again become a battleground.

And yet—here we are. Creating. Leading. Protesting. Building joy. Telling our stories. Refusing to bend. As we prepare for Pride season and see the sheer number of events and the electric energy pouring in—including a record number of women reaching out to be considered for this feature—it’s clear: our community is activated, energized, and joyfully unshaken.

Since its inception in 2002, GO has featured thousands of women who remind us that queer women do not break—we build. We love harder and love louder. This year’s honorees include entrepreneurs and artists, athletes and politicians, educators, comedians, and everyday heroes. Some are household names; others are building vital change far from the spotlight. But all of them offer something critical in this moment: a reminder of what’s possible. A model of how to thrive, not just survive. We are proud to introduce you to the 100 Women We Love, Class of 2025. We hope their stories serve to inspire.

100 Women We Love Photo Credits
Lilianna Angel Reyes by Lilianna Angel Reyes; Toshi Reagon by Erin Patrice O’Brien; Holly Near by Irene Young; Amanda Epping by Kelsey Kremer; Willa Bennett by Ruben Chamorro; Chef Surbhi Sahni by Team of Go Fresh; Hannah Lowen by Samuel Greenhill; Bernadette Barton by You Me Picture; Racquel Chevremont by Racquel Chevremont; Leilah Babiyre by AX Mina; Raeshanda Lias by Myron Fields; Missy Spears by Ryan Grant; Nkenge Browner by Arrielle Sade Mock; Shantira Jackson by Jill Petrocek; Jamie Issuh by Mitch Dao; Naima Green by Jayme Kaye Gershen; Kendollaz by Migi; Lucy Sante by Jem Cohen; Erica Tremblay by Lilac Milk; Elisa Crespo by Andrew Elder; Melanie Nathan by Hahn Ponder; Remy Drabkin by Zachary Goff; Emily Drabinski by Alisha Jucevic; Cowboy Jen by Cowboy Jen; Dai Burger by Jason Pillay; Diana Greshtchuk by Bernadette Marciniak; Elicia Vollmer by Elicia Vollmer; Chloe Star by Caleb Kumiko; Liz Lambert by Abigail Enright; Meekie Young by Groomed Guys Inc; Emily Meyer by Emily Dulla; Fortune Feimster by Todd Rosenberg; Kirstie and Christine by Kirstie and Christine; Maura Healey by Joshua Qualls; Vanessa Priya Daniel by Anita Nowacka; Liz Carmouche by Lucas Noonan; Jillian Anderson by Matthew Jr Photo; Kristen Ford by Lisa Hause; Sandra Valls byJill-Michele Melean; Bonnie Rabin by Bonnie Rabin; Sabrina Schmidt by Miranda Dean; Tiffany Watts by Itzel Sanchez; Victoria Munro by Paul Moakley; Robin Tyler by Dan Pasternack; Chaya Milchtein by McKenna Patterson Photography; Nickole Brown by Donald Schuster; Jenny Nguyen by Jade Hewitt; Sarah Hogewood by Zachary Maxwell Sterz; Lily Braun-Arnold by Geneve Rege; Fancy by Fancy; Keeana Kee by Anna Frey; Lauren Scruggs by Team USA; Constanza Cabrera by Constanza Cabrera; Katie and Darian McRose by Darian McRose; Polly Laurelchild-Hertig by Nora Baroody; Justine Cross by Lex Ryan; Nancy Lyons by Vince Cabansag; Jerrie Johnson and Dria Brown by Jerrie Johnson and Dria Brown; Dana Nessel by Michigan Dept. of Attorney General; Emma Greco and Michaela Cava by Emma Greco; Lourdes Perez by Anne Lewis; Dr. Caitlin Takahashi by Stephanie Takahashi; Sierra Zamarripa by Veronica Fassbender; Zwann Grays by Sean Davidson; Daniella Earle by Christopher Cook; Mina Manzar by Puja Parakh; Endrina Berisha by Endrina Berisha; Karen Tongson by Pamela Pirovic & Cherine Fahd; Lola Trifunovic by snatch_made_in_heaven; Jessica Kellgren-Fozard by Corinne Cumming; Betty Citzrom by Jackie Green; Moira Morel by Alex Lombardi; Archana Gopal by Cindy Sung; Aliyah Wallace by Heather M. Smith; Shavon Naté by Leah James; Esther Godoy by Kait DeAngelis; Sarah Mathers by Sarah Mathers;  Victoria J by Hostage Media USA; Amber Whittington by MRDN; Nicole Carlotti by Aly Carlotti; Katy O’Brian by Daniel Prakopcyk; Sasheer Zamata by Miles Bitton; Tina Romero by Liz Liguori; Clea Duvall by Art Streiber; Marci Bowers by Nora Rosemeyer; Morgan and Ale by Yasmin Al-Samarrai; Mal Wright by Sonia Broman; Beanie Feldstein by Heather Hazzan; Ivy by Jack Casey PAPArazzi; Molly Grace by Elizabeth Marsh; Susan Feniger by Josh Kaplan; Victoria Monet by Dalvin Adams; Karine Jean-Pierre by Bryan Bedder/Getty for American Ballet Theatre; Natasha Cloud by Brandon Todd/New York Liberty

DJ Kendollaz

Even though DJ Kendollaz grew up with DJs in her family, she didn’t see it as a path for herself until she was in college at Temple University. But ever since she first stepped behind a deck, she quickly became a DJ, producer, and event curator known for her genre-bending sets that fuse hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, and more. Her playing style comes from her hometown New York’s diverse soundscape and Philly’s rich DJ culture. “Being a Black and queer woman in the music industry has shown me that my work is rooted in continuously carving out and taking up space,” Kendollaz shares with GO. “I’ve gotten better at defining what I would actually like things to look/feel like throughout my career. I’ve learned that setbacks are also part of the dance, and it’s an opportunity to come back more equipped. With adversity I’ve honestly just dedicated myself to working on what was fulfilling and that work in return, worked on me and my character.” One interesting thing about DJ Kendollaz: she’s ambidextrous! She writes with her right hand but drives and DJs with her left. –AL

Robin Tyler

Robin Tyler is a true living legend. As the first gay or lesbian comic to come out on national TV, she made it a point to use her platform for hilariously cutting advocacy because, as she says, “closets are vertical coffins.” Tyler shares, “My joke that became most popular was ‘If homosexuality is a disease, let’s all call in sick to work. Hello, sorry, can’t work today, still queer.’” Tyler called for the first LGBT March on Washington, which took place in 1979. She also produced the main stages for three national marches on Washington for LGBTQ+ rights. During her comedy career, Tyler and her comedy partner Pat Harrison rose to fame as a comedy duo, Harrison and Tyler. They were out lesbians, and they were a couple. Tyler says Harrison is her true love. “Although I was an activist in the same-sex marriage movement, there is no such thing as same-sex marriage, because after marriage, sex is never the same. I married my wife, Diane Olson, as we were the first couple to sue in the state of California. But my soulmate and the love of my life remained Pat Harrison,” Tyler tells GO. Tyler has spent her whole life fighting, and she’s not ready to give up yet. In the face of the Trump administration, Tyler believes that there is always strength in numbers. “If there is a mountain full of sh*t, all each of us have to do is pick up one teaspoon. This is called a movement, and all of us together are much more powerful than this one pathetic ‘man.’” You can see Robin in the recent Netflix documentary Outstanding, which is about LGBTQ+ comics. –AL 

Lauren Scruggs

Last summer, Lauren Scruggs made sports history. With her silver medal in the individual event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the left-handed foil fencer became the first African American to win an individual medal in fencing. Scruggs also won gold in the U.S. fencing team event, becoming a part of U.S. Fencing’s first Olympic gold medal in any team event. After her Olympic triumph, Scruggs returned to school and student life, but she’s well aware of the impact she’s made on sports, and those who are rising in the fencing ranks. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is seeing the impact it’s had on other people,” says Scruggs, a Harvard senior graduating with a job in finance, who also volunteers at the Peter Westbrook Foundation, an organization that introduces fencing to underrepresented groups. “Hearing that me being me has allowed others to feel more confident in the fencing space and comfortable being their whole selves is really special to me.” What’s next for Scruggs? Continued excellence and increased inclusivity. “Looking forward, I hope to continue excelling in fencing and to see where I can take the sport,” she tells GO. “In recent years, the popularity of fencing in the U.S. has grown, so I hope to build on that momentum and create a sport where all feel welcome.” –LE

Endrina Berisha

Twenty-five-year-old Endrina Berisha and her family came to the U.S. as refugees during the Kosovo War, when her mother was four months pregnant with her. She says, “To this day, I often think about how hard it must have been for them to endure that experience.” Born in the Bronx, she moved to Brooklyn at the age of 12 and has lived there ever since. Endrina has been passionate about sports her entire life, and she’s currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education at Brooklyn College. Her big accomplishment is creating a recreational flag football league for women. She tells GO, “I’ve played flag football throughout high school, and after graduating, I felt like a big part of my life was taken away. Playing flag football was one of the best experiences of my life. However, I felt like there was nothing out there to help me continue pursuing the sport.” And from there, the L League, a flag football league for women and non-binary players, was born. “The main goal of the league has always been to bring people together and create a fun, inclusive environment rather than it being competitive.” As the league continues, Endrina looks forward to becoming a physical education teacher and being a role model for students. She says she wants to be “someone they can look up to, rather than just an authoritative figure.” –SS

Mina Manzar

Mina Manzar, an illustrator and content creator, started her career as a graphic designer for corporations, but she quickly felt sick of corporate America. After three difficult companies and a company-wide layoff, she realized what was making her sick was actually her decision to choose a stable career over her dreams. From then on, she started her own business and began making queer art for those who are underrepresented. “Growing up in Pakistan, there really was no way to imagine a future and a life for an LGBTQ+ person that did not involve a deep sadness. With my work, I want to create a place for LGBTQ+ Pakistanis, or any South Asians, People of Color, and people from negative religious backgrounds, to indulge in feelings of love, romance, beauty, and peace, something we rarely have had the chance to do,” Manzar shares. She hopes to continue her career in the arts while encouraging others to follow their passions. “I have finally started my first YouTube channel, MinaManzArt, where I aim to share lessons for artists at any point on their journey. I remember how much it meant to me when a mentor made the way clearer with any knowledge they shared. I want to help young artists stay on the path through any setbacks and hardship, and give the guidance I would have given my younger self,” Manzar tells GO. –AL

Missy Spears

Growing up closeted in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, representation and community came to mean everything to Missy Spears. Now, as Executive Director of the GLAAD-nominated media nonprofit Queer Kentucky, the pink-haired firebrand uses the power of storytelling to enrich queer lives. “Being able to uplift the stories that need to be told, highlight the people that deserve to be shared, and create conversations around tough topics in the queer community has made this my dream position,” Spears tells GO. The self-described “Head Butch in Charge” brings expansive nonprofit and grassroots experience, wit, and a passion for queer Kentucky culture to the role, using her Jack-of-all-trades skillset to keep each day fresh and fun. Her board credits include the Kentucky Civic Engagement Table, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Cincinnati’s news channel WCPO. She co-founded COVunity Free Fridge, was named a Kentucky Colonel, and was recognized by The Kentucky House of Representatives, The Holocaust and Humanities Center, Cincinnati Reds, and HRC. Plus, she once told dirty jokes at an awards dinner attended by Governor Andy Beshear (he was not amused). The winning formula: “Being authentic and speaking honestly, even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular. Remembering that my invitations into the rooms I couldn’t access before only last as long as my next success—so I have to continue to under promise and overachieve each and every time. And then doing everything I can to pull other marginalized folks, especially those with more intersectionality than myself, into those rooms with me. Rinse. Repeat.” –MH

Katy O’Brian

Originally from Indianapolis, IN, Katy O’Brian’s passion for acting started with local theatre. She moved to LA in 2016 and landed smaller roles in shows like The Walking Dead and How to Get Away with Murder before being cast as a regular on the zombie apocalypse series Z Nation. In addition to acting, O’Brian is a former police officer and competitive bodybuilder. She has a brown belt in Shorei Goju Ryu Karate and a black belt in Hapkido and still trains in martial arts—a passion she incorporates into her acting roles every chance she can. In fact, she’s played very physically challenging roles in Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. What’s even more remarkable? She is able to play those roles while managing her Crohn’s disease—an autoimmune illness that almost put a halt to her playing the role of Jackie, a bisexual bodybuilder, in Love Lies Bleeding. She credits both her doctor’s holistic approach and the filmmakers for taking care of her on set as part of the reason she was able to play such a physically demanding role while also managing her Crohn’s symptoms. As a result of her experiences, she encourages others to pay attention to their bodies. -SS

Karine Jean-Pierre

Karine Jean-Pierre is used to being “the first.” The first child in her family, born in France to Haitian immigrants before moving to Queens when she was five, she was also the first in her family to graduate from college in the U.S. Her most famous is her role as the first Black and first openly LGBTQ+ White House press secretary. This year, she’s serving as a grand marshal in NYC’s Pride parade. As a proud New Yorker, Jean-Pierre tells GO that NYC made her the person she is today. “Many of the big, important moments of my life have happened in New York, and it will always be home to me, in my heart.” On June 4th, she made headlines when she announced she was leaving the Democratic Party to become an Independent. Jean-Pierre’s decision coincides with the announcement of her book Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, which comes out October 21st. She says the number one question people ask her is, “How do we protect our democracy?” Her book is her answer, and Jean-Pierre says we shouldn’t be so partisan. “If you are willing to stand side-by-side with me, regardless of how you identify politically, as long as you respect the community that I belong to, and vulnerable communities that I respect, I will be there with you. I will move forward with you.” Her focus is clear and Jean-Pierre is rewriting the script, not just for herself, but others, too. “I think there are many different ways that I can be impactful and use the platform that I have to lift people up, to lift communities up, and so that’s what I’m working towards,” she says. –SS

Jillian Anderson

“Being a lesbian founder in tech means I constantly feel the need to prove myself, but it’s also what makes HERide authentic,” Jillian Anderson tells GO. The Atlanta-based entrepreneur, self-taught developer, and former athlete launched HERide, a rideshare service designed to provide safer experiences, especially for women and nonbinary riders. “As someone who values safety, independence, and tech, I saw an opportunity to create a platform that prioritized women, especially Black women and LGBTQ+ folks, in a space that historically overlooked us,” says Anderson. “HERide isn’t just a rideshare. It’s a movement for safety, representation, and equity in mobility.” Thanks to Anderson’s leadership overseeing technology, operations, and growth strategy, the company has become the first female-focused rideshare service approved at ATL airport. Innovation and hustle are nothing new for Anderson. “I used to cut hair in college to make extra money. I taught myself how on YouTube,” she says. “I also played three sports—basketball, volleyball, and track—on scholarship while majoring in computer science and started my first hustle selling candy in high school. I’ve always been about figuring it out.” What’s next for HERide? According to Anderson, expansion and paying it forward. “I see HERide operating in every major city, creating thousands of jobs and reshaping what inclusive transportation looks like,” she says. “Personally, I want to build an ecosystem of products and media platforms that empower women, queer founders, and underrepresented entrepreneurs. HERide is the blueprint, but it’s just the beginning.” –LE

Polly Laurelchild-Hertig

Polly Laurelchild-Hertig describes herself as “diverse and creative,” a fitting description for her fascinating work history. “I have held many different types of positions over the years, starting with 10 years as a preschool teacher in my twenties – after being a fish waitress, I can still de-bone a trout for you—and simultaneously running a concert/event production organization,” Laurelchild-Hertig tells GO. In the 1990s, Laurelchild-Hertig worked with AnnD Canavan and Margie Bleichman to draft the Spousal Equivalent Benefits policy at software company Lotus/IBM, “back when same-sex marriage was just a pipedream.” Most recently she served as Executive Director of the LGBT Asylum Support Task Force in Worcester, MA, before becoming a full-time independent marketing and communications consultant for nonprofits, higher education, and performing arts organizations. Based in Boston, she’s also a program director and production manager who has “always been attracted to work that feels meaningful and transformative, whether it’s helping working mothers with quality child care or putting on events for the LGBTQ+ community. Social justice and progressive culture are two themes that run through these disparate lines of work.” At nearly 69 years old, she works year-round on SisterSpace, an all volunteer organization that puts on an annual festival and other community-building initiatives for women and nonbinary sisters. Polly serves as a member of the entertainment, marketing and PR, and outreach committees—three areas where she loves to make a difference.  She’s also working to pass the torch to the next generation. “I want to help younger women to learn the skills they need to be successful working in coalition with others similar to and very different from themselves.” –LE

Sandra Valls

At 59 years old, Sandra Valls is making her Broadway debut in the musical adaptation of Real Women Have Curves, a dream decades in the making. “I lived in New York City in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Back then, I’d walk around Times Square listening to Madonna in my Walkman, dreaming— hoping—that one day I’d be on Broadway,” says the performer, writer, and advocate known for her standout performance on Showtime’s The Original Latin Divas of Comedy. “Flash forward to now: I’m walking to rehearsal through Times Square, Madonna on my iPhone, and suddenly it hits me—I’m on f$#king Broadway.” In the 35 years between those Times Square commutes, Valls has co-written and starred in the Off-Broadway hit The Latina Christmas Special, plus she’s a sought-after emcee and host of events like the Creating Change Conference and TEDx Women, and produced comedy shows that raise awareness for domestic violence, AIDS, and recovery. She was also named to Unidos’ Project VISIBLE Latinos LGBT list and has been honored by her hometown of Laredo, TX, with the International Women’s Day Award for her efforts to elevate queer and female voices. “I’m deeply honored to carry the torch and be a voice, an advocate, and a proud representative of both the Latino/a/x and LGBTQIA+ communities through my work,” says Valls. “Every time I step on that stage, every time I show up as myself, I know I’m a part of something bigger, helping to create social change.” –LE

Nancy Lyons

Nancy Lyons never fit the mold. Being queer made her question systems early, while being a woman gave her grit. Being both taught her how to turn exclusion into action. Today, Lyons is a nationally-recognized speaker, bestselling author, and business strategy and culture advisor. She is the co-founder and CEO of Clockwork, the Minneapolis-based digital consultancy celebrated for blending technology, strategy, and humanity to solve complex business problems; and Tempo, which delivers high-quality websites and services. Nothing is more rewarding to Lyons than watching people come alive and really thrive as part of a high-achieving collaborative team. “When they feel safe, seen, and trusted, they show up with more heart, more humor, and more ideas,” she tells GO. “Helping build workplaces where people don’t have to pretend to be someone else? That’s everything.” Lyons was named Most Admired CEO (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal); Business Owner of the Year (NAWBO); Twin Cities Business’ 100 People to Know; and inducted into the Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame. She’s been a featured panelist at the White House Summit for Working Families, and appeared on NBC Nightly News on “Best Place to Work in America.” Lyons credits her mom for helping her learn more about her own identity. “She was a chubby, tiny powerhouse of a physician who took up space in every room: 4’11” and fearless. She didn’t care what people thought. She just did the work and made sure people were treated right. I learned a lot from her.” –MH

Justine Cross

Justine Cross is well-known in LA as a professional and lifestyle dominatrix, kink consultant, and BDSM educator. She is the owner of Dungeon East, Los Angeles’s premier dungeon studio with the infamous YES MISTRESS sign. Aside from renting out the space, Cross uses Dungeon East to host parties, including her famous play party BDSFemme. “I always joke that the dungeon play parties are my Tinder as I have met so many wonderful people. I actually met my partner, Jordan, at the very first BDSFemme. But also so many lovely friends that have made the crossover into real life,” says Cross. When Cross started as a professional domme, she kept her sexuality private. But after getting more involved in the queer community and hosting events like queer clothing swaps and LGBTQ+-specific play parties, it became a larger part of her identity. She says, “It wasn’t that long ago that many sex workers wouldn’t publicly identify themselves as queer/lesbian, but of course I knew everyone who was! It is a breath of fresh air that it is completely the norm now for people’s professional persona to showcase more of who they are as their real-life self.” Just when you think you know everything about Cross, she reveals she is known amongst her friends as being a great baker. “I host a yearly Spanksgiving at my home for my friends and have cooked the entire meal myself. Every year, I make apple pie and bittersweet chocolate pecan pie. No crumbs are left behind.” –AL

Racquel Chevremont

Model, art curator and collector, and reality TV star Racquel Chevremont grew up a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx, and she says society’s low expectations for her fuel her hustle. She tells GO, “You learn to be street smart, to adapt, and to move through different environments with confidence.” In addition to a long and successful modeling career where she’s modeled for companies and brands like L’Oréal, Elle, and Benetton, Racquel dove into art collecting by purchasing works by underrepresented artists in both the U.S. and Europe. She says throughout her life, she’s had to carve out spaces for herself in places where she wasn’t necessarily invited, and this made her unafraid to take risks. “That mindset has shaped everything I do—it’s why I embrace reinvention and never fear change.” Her art collecting led to curating for the Tribeca Festival and television shows like And Just Like That…, Severance, and First Wives Club. Her newest venture was starring on the fifteenth season of The Real Housewives of New York, which gave her another platform to promote representation. Racquel tells GO, “I’ve made it my mission in every space I enter to ensure that women, especially queer women, are part of the conversation. That includes my own presence—I’m not just a woman, I’m a queer Afro-Latina woman. Being part of RHONY has given me the platform to reach homes all over the world, and if my visibility helps even one person expand their perspective or feel seen, then that’s what it’s all about.” –SS

Sasheer Zamata

Sasheer Zamata loved comedy but was never sure how to break into the scene—until she found improv. “I was always a fan of comedy shows like SNL, Mad TV, and Whose Line is it Anyway, but I had no idea how any of those performers got on those shows,” the comedian, actress, and writer tells GO. “Then I started doing improv in college and continued when I moved to NY, because I thought it was so fun and I was meeting people I vibed with. And I soon realized that a lot of the comedians I looked up to came from improv training, so I stuck with it and it paid off immensely.” Zamata was not only on Saturday Night Live for four seasons, she’s since acted in TV series like Marvel’s Agatha All Along, Netflix’s Exploding Kittens, and ABC’s Home Economics, as well as films like Unfrosted and Spree. Zamata co-hosts the weekly podcast Best Friends with Nicole Byer, and her latest standup special, The First Woman, is available on Hulu. Additionally, Zamata is the celebrity ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and works with the Women’s Rights Project, which strives to ensure equal economic opportunities, educational equity, and an end to gender-based violence. The most rewarding part of her creative work? Connection. “I love hearing that someone can relate to a joke I wrote or a character I played,” says Zamata. “It makes me feel like I’m doing my job as an artist.” –LE

Leilah Babirye

Born in Uganda, artist Leilah Babirye fled for New York in 2015 after being outed in a local newspaper. She was granted asylum three years later, and now resides in Brooklyn, immersed in a multidisciplinary practice that transforms everyday materials into work that speaks to identity, sexuality, and human rights. Using debris collected from NYC streets to weave, whittle, weld, and burnish new forms, her approach reflects the reality of how gay people are perceived in Uganda, where they’re called “Ebisiyaga,” meaning sugarcane husk-–the part to throw away. “I became interested in sculpture when I arrived at my college, Makerere University, in Kampala, Uganda,” Babirye tells GO. “I saw my female professors carving wood to make large sculptures and it made me want to do the same. I’m very lucky that my passion for sculpture turned into a career.” The artist is known for her use of ceramics, metal, hand-carved wood, and lustrous glazes juxtaposed with chiseled woodwork and metal objects suggestive of blacksmithing. Today, her work can be found at The Africa Centre, London; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, UK; Hessel Museum of Art, Bard College; Sammlung Goetz, Munich; Whitney Museum of American Art and more. Her vision is currently fueled by the need for response to Uganda’s penalizing Anti-Homosexuality Act. “There is always a solution. I don’t let anyone tell me that I can’t do something. I got to where I am because I didn’t give up,” the artist says. –MH

Sarah Mathers

“I became a cop because I’ve always wanted to help people, learn more about human behavior, put the bad guys away, and really hold people accountable for their actions,” Sarah Mathers tells GO. A retired First Grade Detective with the New York City Police Department, Mathers devoted more than two decades to case investigations. Growing up, Mathers was passionate about both athletics and books. “My parents put me in sports, where I could channel my energy and restlessness, and focus on something that I was drawn to: sports, competition, and camaraderie,” she says. “I started writing in the second grade…I’ve dabbled in poetry, short stories even during my law enforcement career, but now I have the brain space to write creatively.” Mathers’ first book, Brooklyn’s Jane Doe: The Mishandling of a Sexual Assault Investigation, will be released by Bloomsbury Publishing on September 4 and is now available for preorder. “I wrote a book about a case that I investigated because the survivor’s story needed to be told,” says Mathers, who, in addition to her decades in law enforcement, has a background in communications and a master’s degree in criminal justice, as well as experience as an adjunct professor. “I felt a responsibility to tell her story.” Though she’s now retired from the NYPD, Mathers still believes in their mission. “There are good police officers out there,” says Mathers. “There are hard-working detectives who truly want to make a difference, [who] pour their hearts into their cases and who take pride in what they do.” –LE

Nkenge Browner

Nkenge Browner is a Black urban femme writer and curator who never consciously made the decision to be an activist. “Outed” at 14 to her parents by staff at her school in Detroit, Browner was shocked that people cared so much about her attractions. “Then I learned those opinions had the power to metamorphose themselves in a way that could severely impact my life. I really just wanted the straights to mind their business,” she tells GO. So Browner got involved with the Detroit area LGBTQ youth space Ruth Ellis Center, and her activism took root. “I was always a writer. I wrote stories as a child, I journaled, I wrote out movies,” says the author of three books. Realizing Black femmes needed more spaces to center themselves, in 2023, she co-curated a multidisciplinary art exhibition Ephemeral: The Art of Unloving, at a gallery in Detroit. Paintings, photography, video, and other mediums showcased themes of Black queer divorce and heartbreak. Now a resident of Atlanta, Browner currently works with Mothering Justice, a policy advocacy org, as Deputy Director of Programs. Browner sees her impact when Black queer women reach out to say her work has touched them. “Knowing that I widened the lane for Black urban queer writers…the reward is in the fact that my work has an opportunity to exist and an audience to receive it.” –MH

Sarah Hogewood

Sarah Hogewood refers to her resume as “distinctly lesbian.” The actor, playwright, and casting director originated the role of Ms. Frizzle in The Magic School Bus musical in partnership with Scholastic. She’s portrayed both Joan and Medium Al in Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron’s musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and Halina in Paula Vogel’s play Indecent, among other iconic queer characters. But the NYU Tisch School of the Arts alum doesn’t just enact others’ dialogue—she creates and performs her own. “If you desperately need a story that does not exist yet, you have to be the one to write it,” Hogewood tells GO. “You have to create your own opportunities, especially when you’re being told to go away.” Her play The Leading Lady Club: A Feminist (But Still Likable) Sketch Show won Best Comedy and Audience Choice Awards at the New York Fringe Festival after both a sold-out opening Off-Broadway and success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Hogewood’s latest work, the one-woman show The Things I Did While Waiting for You to Fall Back in Love With Me, won five-star acclaim at Edinburgh Fringe before its stateside production by the New York Theatre Company, of which Hogewood is a founding member. The most rewarding aspect of her work? “Meeting audience members after shows,” says Hogewood. “People can be so open and vulnerable in sharing how they related to and felt seen by the work.” –LE

Natasha Cloud

Tasha Cloud’s having a banner year in her first season with the New York Liberty, but this baller is no rookie. In college, Cloud played for the University of Maryland and then Saint Joseph’s University, where she earned Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, was co-captain of the team, and made the honor roll. In 2015, Cloud was drafted by the Washington Mystics, where she played for nine years and won her first WNBA championship in 2019. In 2024, she was signed to the Phoenix Mercury, and in 2025, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun before landing where she’s currently playing with the Liberty. She says, “I’m excited to start a new chapter in my career with the New York Liberty, there is so much talent on this team, and I know we can achieve big things.” Her impact has been felt from game one this season, as she’s been an integral part of the Liberty’s 7-0 record. In the first four games alone, she averaged 15.3 points, 8.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks. Cloud also played in Unrivaled’s inaugural season. She tells GO you can’t avoid setbacks in life. “When those moments come, I focus on what I can control. If you reframe the situation, every challenge becomes a learning opportunity, a chance to get stronger, gain knowledge and grow.” As she looks forward, Cloud says, “I want to leave a lasting impact that goes beyond basketball—whether that’s through advocating for social justice or mental health awareness. It is important to me to be a role model for young girls and women of color and show that their voices make a difference, and they have the power to create positive change.” –SS

Lucy Sante

Lucy Sante is a writer, educator, and culture critic who came out as a trans woman at the age of 67, though she says she’s known since she was at least eleven. Born in Belgium, she moved to the U.S. at seven years old and attended an American school without knowing English. However, she soon found that learning a new language was a big advantage. “I realized I’d been given this amazing multi-keyboard instrument, which I could take on fresh, without interference from family or tradition. English was mine, and I could do with it whatever I wanted,” Sante says. She began her career at the Strand Bookstore and The New York Review of Books before going on to teach writing and photography history at Columbia, The New School, and Bard College. Throughout her career, Sante has published 10 books. Her work has appeared in Vogue, Interview, The New York Times, and many others, earning her a Whiting Award, a Grammy, and fellowships from Guggenheim and the Cullman Center. Despite the accolades, she says the most rewarding aspect of her career has been hearing from readers. “Writing is an intensely lonely job, and you never have any idea how anything will go over with others,” Sante tells GO. “For the first ten years I wrote professionally, I heard back from no one but my friends, who I could always figure were just trying to be nice. So getting emails from strangers, meeting people at readings who have weirdly read everything, people telling me their parents or grandparents gave them my book—it’s balm to the soul.” –AL

Tina Romero

Tina Romero is a DJ and filmmaker who is driven by the vibrance of NYC and inspired by her favorite filmmaker, her father, George A. Romero.  “[My father] showed me that movies can move people, that fictional people can stir real-life empathy, that made-up worlds tell us about the essence of being human,” Romero shares. “I can’t remember a precise moment of realizing I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I knew even as a child that my goal was to move people.” Romero’s first feature film, Queens of the Dead, is premiering this month at the Tribeca Festival in NYC. “The inspiration behind Queens of the Dead is my time spent DJing in the queer NYC nightlife scene, where I’ve met and had the honor of working with the most creative, scrappy, get-it-done, resilient people in the city. It’s a grind to be a gig worker and artist in the city, and it’s hard to chase your dreams and keep your lights on at the same time,” Romero says. “I wanted to tell a story about this world that’s about so much more than great parties; a world that has given me strength, freedom of expression, and chosen family.” She says she wanted to create a party everyone is invited to. “Art in a time like this, which feels bleak and heavy and divided, is everything. My wish is that this movie brings people JOY and levity and a sense of hope,” Romero tells GO. –AL

Willa Bennett

Like many queer media powerhouses, Willa Bennett drew early inspiration from Audre Lorde and But I’m a Cheerleader. However, her origin story also involves sparkling vampires. “Writing Twilight fan fiction and queer love stories on Tumblr was profoundly influential to me,” says the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines, who’s also a Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree. “I first explored different narratives of love, identity, and belonging on Tumblr and in my journal. It gave me a space to experiment with storytelling, to find my voice, and to connect with a community.” Bennett began her career at Seventeen, launching the brand’s queer vertical. She then worked in audience development at Bustle Digital Group and at GQ, leading the social team and strategy. Before joining Hearst Magazines in her current role last September, Bennett served as editor-in-chief of Highsnobiety, garnering four National Magazine Awards, three Webby Awards, and three Muse Awards for the publisher. “The most fulfilling part of my role is working with new writers and, in turn, witnessing the impact our stories have on readers,” the Sarah Lawrence alum and published author tells GO. “Whether it’s providing valuable information, sparking meaningful conversations, or recontextualizing a celebrity, knowing that our work makes a difference is incredibly rewarding.” –LE

Moira Morel

“We were still using dial-up internet when I was in high school, so all of my early lesbian references came from movies,” says cinematographer Moira Morel. “High Art and Bound were the first two lesbian films that I watched with masc women depicted as they were in those stories, and they changed my life.” Raised in a conservative Latino household in the Detroit suburbs, Morel also took inspiration from the art she witnessed on gallery trips with her mother, a painter. “Diego Rivera’s ‘Detroit Industry Murals’ were at our local art museum and I would stand captivated by it on every visit,” says Morel. “When I discovered photography and documentary filmmaking in college, I saw the possibility of being able to design striking images in tandem with telling important stories, from there on out all of my energy went into learning how to become a cinematographer.” An alumna of the American Film Institute’s MFA cinematography program, Morel has lensed films that have screened and won awards at Sundance, SXSW, and the Criterion Channel. She’s been a cinematographer for The L Word: Generation Q as well as shows for FX, Netflix, and HBO/MAX, and most recently, Ryan Murphy’s show All’s Fair for Hulu. Morel also credits Lamya H’s memoir Stone Butch Blues with fueling her creativity: “There is a passage that inspired Vámonos, the short film that I co-wrote and shot. It just really ingrained itself into my DNA not only as a lesbian, but as an artist.” –LE

Jenny Nguyen

In 2018, Jenny Nguyen and her friends had to watch the NCAA Women’s Final Four game on a small TV in the corner of a sports bar and without any sound. That moment planted the seed for The Sports Bra in Nguyen’s mind. A lifelong lover of playing basketball, she competed until a torn ACL ended her career in college. But that adversity led her to another passion: culinary arts. After graduating from culinary school, she quickly rose through the ranks and earned the position of executive chef at Reed College for Bon Appétit Management Company. Then came The Sports Bra. She tells GO she knew, “The only way we’re ever going to watch women’s sports in its full glory in public is if we open our own place.” She created her own space using her savings and a successful Kickstarter campaign. Nguyen says The Sports Bra advocates for equity every day. “Supporting women-owned businesses is a core part of our mission—we prioritize sourcing food and beverages from women-owned suppliers whenever possible. It’s not just a business decision; it’s who we are.” The Sports Bra was born out of a need that still exists today: visibility and space for women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and underserved communities. “We’re here to meet that need —not just in Portland, but wherever there’s a demand for representation and inclusion in sports.” As the bar continues to flourish, Nguyen’s perspective of herself has shifted. She says, “I am learning to see myself differently; that I am capable and that I can dream big, reach higher, go further. And if and when I fall short, it’s not the end of the world.” –SS

RaeShanda Lias

“Being a Black queer woman has impacted everything that I do,” says RaeShanda Lias. “When I walk in the room, I walk in fully as myself. I can’t put any part of me down, so I represent all of me. It has motivated me to use my platform to speak for those that aren’t able to speak out.” Known best for her catchphrase “let’s check the board,” Lias’s TikTok and Instagram videos with commentary about everything from LGBTQ+ policies and rights to pet ownership and fashion have gone viral many times, leading to an audience of over three million viewers, partnerships with Spotify and Lexus, and work with elected officials like Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz. An entrepreneur, public speaker, author, and social media strategist, Lias went from homeless to a six-figure income in less than a year – now she helps other women achieve the same, as well as helping brands and content creators build their social media presence. The 2025 NAACP Image Award nominee and U.S. Army veteran has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign and Kentucky Foundation for Women, and has been featured on MSNBC and in USA Today, Essence, and the Washington Post. Lias has several simple but effective strategies to deal with setbacks and adversity. “I have dealt with all of my setbacks and adversities the same,” she tells GO. “I continue moving forward. I forgive myself. I give myself grace. I assess what went wrong and how I can adjust, but I never stop reaching for my goals.” –LE

Victoria Munro

Victoria Munro is a dynamic queer artist, educator, writer, and curator whose multifaceted practice bridges sculpture, public art, and cultural leadership. Originally from New Zealand, Munro is currently Executive Director of the Alice Austen House Museum—a Staten Island institution deeply rooted in queer history. On the site of this 17th Century home, once shared by photographer Alice Austen and Gertrude Tate, Munro stewards LGBTQ+ visibility, storytelling, and artmaking programs that empower queer youth. “In recent years, this work has expanded beyond the museum walls and into our LGBTQ+ landmarked park grounds with the creation of the Queer Ecologies Garden Project,” explains Munro, who launched the project to cultivate spaces of connection, healing, and affirmation through nature. “The garden features non-binary, intersex, and self-seeding plants, alongside symbolically queer flora—each chosen to reflect the fluidity and diversity of queer existence.” Munro is also Board President of the Museums Council of New York City. “We are living through incredibly dark and challenging times,” she tells GO. But she believes deeply in the power and resilience of the community. “My vision moving forward is to harness my experience in organizing to help build a stronger, united network of cultural and preservation institutions that center LGBTQ+ voices and programming,” she says. “It’s about more than just preservation—it’s about visibility, resistance, and care. By working collectively, we can create spaces that not only affirm queer lives, but actively protect and uplift them in the face of erasure.” –MH

Melanie Nathan

Melanie Nathan is an award-winning global LGBTQ+ human rights advocate, attorney, and director of the African Human Rights Coalition. Originally from South Africa, where she practiced law during Apartheid, Melanie focuses on advocacy and humanitarian support for LGBTQIA+ people from African countries, forcibly displaced by anti-LGBTQ+ laws and violence.  She testifies globally as a country conditions expert witness for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. She says that her journey in advocacy has been driven by her family legacy. “I was raised and educated with white skin privilege in Apartheid South Africa, instilled with the values and lessons by a family that suffered violence and separation caused by anti-Jewish hate. I was infused with a voracious appetite for justice and to make things right,” she shares. Despite the difficulties of this work, Nathan maintains a positive attitude and finds the most rewarding aspect of her work is seeing the impossible turn possible. “I am an optimist and see everything as an opportunity. My life setbacks have opened better doors. One just has to allow oneself two minutes of misery and validation, and then to move one’s mind into logic mode,” Nathan tells GO. “Setback can be traversed by creativity, innovation, and the understanding that adversity delivers the gift of introspection, accountability, and growth, all contributing to the evolution that renders the setback a critical concomitant of growth.” Melanie has two daughters, lives in Philadelphia with her wife, and continues to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction. –AL

Naima Green

Naima Green is a New York-based artist and educator whose work explores the intersections of intimacy and place through photography, sound, and experimental film. Her collaborative practice centers queer, Black, and Latinx communities, emphasizing pleasure, self-recognition, and the fluid nature of identity. When asked why she decided to pursue a career in photography, Green shares, “It’s the language I feel most fluent in, and I love to look.” Often picturing lush and aquatic landscapes, Green uses seawater as both subject and metaphor to evoke beauty, buoyancy and submersion. Her process integrates oral and written histories with archival research, treating her image-making as a continuum of living, breathing histories. Green has an upcoming exhibition at the International Center of Photography in New York. She has had solo shows at Astor Weeks, Baxter Street CCNY, Fotografiska, and the Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU. She has participated in group exhibitions across the country and her work is in major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art Library, the Getty Research Institute, the High Museum of Art, and the Hessel Museum. Her artist residencies include Fountainhead Arts, Penumbra Foundation, and CPW. She continues to shape contemporary visual culture through her powerful and poetic storytelling. When asked what books or films helped her learn more about her own identity, she credited several, including novels You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat, The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, and the film Gia. –AL

Sabrina Schmidt

Sabrina Schmidt has always loved a good graphic tee, so she decided to open a store of her own. She wanted to create clothing that made a statement fashion-wise and that supported the  LGBTQ+ community. After dreaming up the idea, she landed on the name Dainty Dyke Clothing. She tells GO, “I came up with ‘Dainty Dyke’ when I was figuring out my style and gender expression. I always felt like I was too girly to be masc but never girly enough to be femme. The thought of being a dainty dyke just somehow described me perfectly,” shares Schmidt. While running Dainty Dyke Clothing on the side, Sabrina works full-time as a nurse in a rural area outside of Kansas City. She says that even in the face of adversity and ignorance, she remains comfortable with who she is and works to provide the best care for all her patients. She says, “When patients are upset, some of them unfortunately resort to name-calling. I have been called “dyke” and “bull dyke” by two different patients, and honestly it has been affirming. This is also a big part of my Dainty Dyke name. I am taking something that people think is bad or hurtful and using it as something positive. My goal is to hopefully show people it is more than okay to be queer, and if I have to take a few insults or strange looks from people to help pave the way for future acceptance, I am okay doing so.” –AL

Victoria Monét

“I feel like all the setbacks and adversity I’ve dealt with in my career and life have made me stronger and shaped the person I am today,” Victoria Monét tells GO. “I like to look at a lot of it as a redirection versus a setback…If Jaguar II came out before I had [my daughter] Hazel, she would have never been the youngest Grammy nominee alongside one of the biggest moments of my career so far.” Born in Georgia and raised in Sacramento, CA, the singer, songwriter, and producer wrote for Ariana Grande and Fifth Harmony before gaining recognition as a solo artist. In 2023, Monét released her sophomore album Jaguar II, and its single “On My Mama” gained 6.6 million streams within the first three weeks of its release. In 2024, she won three Grammys, including Best New Artist and Best R&B Album, and received the Rising Star award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards. In 2025 she’s continuing to rack up accolades, already garnering two 2025 NAACP Image Awards nominations, a 2025 iHeart Radio Awardnomination and a 2025 BET Award nomination for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist. Monét is also releasing a children’s book titled Everywhere You Are this year on June 24th and is currently in the studio working on her next album. What else could be next for Monét? “My vision for my future self is to continue to be the best version of me and continue doing the things that I love—creating art, dancing, more music, and spending time with my family and daughter,” she says. “And that everything I do continues to connect with my fans and even more people all over the world.” –LE

Clea DuVall

“As a young person, the women who had the biggest impact on me were Nancy McKeon [The Facts of Life] and Jodie Foster,” Clea DuVall tells GO. “I was not a typical little girl, if you can believe it, and I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be like the girls around me. But seeing those women in films and TV helped me realize that there were a lot of ways to be a girl and I didn’t need to change one bit.” The actress, writer, producer, and director has a host of iconic credits, including Jamie Babbit’s 1999 queer classic But I’m a Cheerleader, the 2012 Academy Award-winning film Argo, and the 2020 holiday romcom Happiest Season starring Kristen Stewart, which DuVall co-wrote and directed (and was inspired by her own experiences). DuVall has also had memorable roles in horror films The Faculty and The Grudge, as well as on TV in American Horror Story: Asylum, Heroes and Carnivale. How does this decades-long queer trailblazer deal with setbacks? “By trying to learn as much as I can from them and remind myself to have patience,” she says. “Rather than trying to fight things that are out of my control, I have done my best to squeeze whatever positives I can find out of negative situations. I also try to remember that you can’t have ups without downs, and sometimes it’s just about riding out a difficult time.” –LE

Zwann Grays

Zwann Grays is not one to let obstacles, naysayers, or circumstances hold her back. When the pandemic unexpectedly hit, the sommelier and wine buyer was Wine Director of Olmsted restaurant in Brooklyn. It was a dark time, but she found a way for Olmsted’s community and regulars to keep in touch: she launched Zwann’s Wine Club, a monthly wine subscription featuring offerings from across the globe. Since then, the wine educator has enjoyed a growing following of loyal enthusiasts. She has been featured in New York Magazine, PUNCH Drink, The New York Times, Vogue, Travel + Leisure, and more. The most gratifying aspect of this undertaking: “The younger somms and wine professionals who tell me that they are into wine because of seeing me or seeing a reflection in me,” Grays tells GO. “To inspire people’s path/journey in life is surreal. My mom was a teacher her whole life and would constantly get stopped by someone she taught who remembered her. That recognition is always a feel-good moment because you’ve not just done the work but you’ve also upheld something good in your character.” In addition to her mother, Grays takes inspiration from Beth Baye, Marquita Levy, and Lee Campbell, “all Black women who came before me…and brought me up through their own unique perspective in wine.” She also cites chef and author Ruth Reichel and Copake Wine Works’ Christy Frank, who “inspires me to lead with my genuine self, and lets me know she has my back always, which is mighty.” –MH

Amanda Epping

“When I was growing up, I remember watching the movie Gorillas in the Mist repeatedly at my grandma’s house and being absolutely mesmerized that people could actually study and work with apes as a job,” Amanda Epping tells GO. “Bonobos, along with chimpanzees, are our closest living relatives, and the more we care and know about something, the more likely we are to want to save it.” Epping moved to Des Moines, IA, in 2017 to work as a research coordinator at Ape Initiative, the only facility in the world dedicated to studying the critically endangered bonobo. Now the organization’s Director of Operations, she spearheaded Ape Initiative’s first major accreditation, and has formed local, national, and international collaborations, resulting in news coverage on Wisconsin Public Radio and in Smithsonian Magazine and the National Geographic Photo Ark. To build community for herself, Epping joined the Pride Sports League in 2019, and in 2023, she became the organization’s first female president, doubling Pride Sports League’s active participants in her first year, as well as spearheading the first annual “Let Love Serve” tournament, which raises money for the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid fund. “I really hope that both at Ape Initiative and in Pride Sports League I can continue to create the space for people to be the best version of themselves,” says Epping. “We are all at our best when we feel safe and comfortable, and I just want to help create the right environment for us all to thrive.” –LE

Surbhi Sahni

Indian chef and entrepreneur Surbhi Sahni has two decades of professional culinary experience, something she uses to push back against the “manufactured prestige of Eurocentric cuisine.” Chef Sahni’s focus is on bringing home cooking traditions to modern Indian cuisine and confections. She tells GO the most rewarding aspect of her work is, “definitely the ability to create new dishes and explore different flavors—understanding what people eat and why they eat. But also, to see happiness in people when they enjoy the food that I’ve cooked, the menus I’ve curated.” Her restaurant TAGMO has been featured in the Michelin Guide and received accolades from places like Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and The New York Times, among others. Chef Sahni says, “It’s so rewarding to be able to use TAGMO as a way to support families financially or create a safe space for women and queer folk. And as a queer person who came out much later in life, developing a strong sense of queer community that includes South Asian culture is really vital for me.” It hasn’t always been easy. She said being a queer Woman of Color meant “it’s harder to find financial backing, find people to support your goals, jobs that pay what you deserve. When I was first starting out in the business and starting my own company, it was really important to have that open space that  is unapologetically queer and supported people in a way that I wish I had been.” She cites the Hungarian-Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil as one of her inspirations – one of the first oil painters in India, who Sahni later learned also happened to be queer. –SS

Molly Grace

For Molly Grace, a career in music was never a question. “Music and the performing arts are my bread and butter in a very nerdy way!” says the songsmith known for her blend of pop and funk (and signature sequins). “Growing up, I went back and forth on how I would create a career for myself in music—would I do musical theatre? Music education? Music therapy?” Ultimately, she landed on singer-songwriter. “It fulfills me in every way – the spontaneity, the honesty, the showmanship, the dancing, the singing.” Grace’s talents got noticed with her first EP in 2021, Everybody Wants to Know Molly; it included the popular single, “What if I? (The Grocery Store Song),” a playful exploration of post-breakup self-acceptance. Over the next two years, the Nashville-based entertainer released additional tunes, including “Cancel my Plans,” a queer love song with soul and pop influences, and jazzy “Lady Lady.” She took her first headlining tour to eight cities last year, and in January 2025, donned pom-poms and pink, and dropped “F.E.M.M.E.”—an ode to being “fabulous, enticing, magnetic, magical, everything.”  Grace loves creating joyful, empowering spaces, and sees her music as intertwined with her femininity and queerness. “I love queer culture and art. It’s grounded in boundless, free expression of self, theatricality, humor, joy, and vibrance,” she says. “I aim for my art to encompass all of those things. Sometimes it takes a while for me to get taken seriously, but I just keep taking up space anyway.” –MH

Constanza Cabrera

Constanza Cabrera is a Venezuelan-born creative based in Brooklyn. Driven by a deep belief in the power of connection, she had a mission to create a queer social club and cultural space where people come together to create, celebrate, and feel seen. The result? Sapphic House. “The idea came from an innate need to be surrounded by both art and community—to foster meaningful relationships and network within a safe, intellectually stimulating space,” she tells GO. At Sapphic House, members can enjoy a glass of wine, experience art together, and share ideas for events. Collaborations spark. “It feels like a living, breathing ecosystem built on creativity, connection, and care,” she says. The art director and UX/UI Designer has used adversity to hone her positivity. “When you’ve lived in a country like mine, where democracy dissolves under the weight of corruption, and you’re forced to choose exile over time with your family, you learn to focus on what truly matters. If you and your loved ones are safe, healthy, and happy, then there’s very little in life that can’t be faced.” Cabrera is grounded in gratitude—for mistakes made, milestones reached, even “the embarrassing moments at the bar,” she tells GO. “I hope Sapphic House continues to grow into a true third space for many—a place of creativity, connection, and belonging. And above all, I want to lead and inspire others by example: with kindness, confidence, resilience, and a deep love for life itself.” –MH

Bernadette Barton

Dr. Bernadette Barton didn’t plan on being a Gender Studies professor. She didn’t even plan on going to college in the first place. A classically trained dancer, she shifted course after injuries ended her performance career. During her undergraduate years at Oberlin College, she discovered feminism, sparking a lifelong dedication to exploring gender, sexuality, and social justice. Today, she’s a Professor of Sociology and the Director of Gender Studies at Morehead State University, a regional school serving first-generation students in eastern Kentucky. Her work centers on transformation and social justice: what makes people see injustice, shift oppressive beliefs, and connect across identity and geography. Barton is the author of The Pornification of America (2021), Stripped: More Stories from Exotic Dancers (2017), and Pray the Gay Away (2012), among others. Her newest work, Sex Work Today: Erotic Labor in the 21st Century (2024), and Queer Resistance in Appalachia (forthcoming 2026), continues her exploration of gender, desire, labor, and visibility. As a queer woman, her lived experience deeply informs her scholarship and activism. Outside the classroom, Barton serves as Secretary of JustFundKY, the South’s second-largest LGBTQ+ endowment, and works with United Campus Workers to protect campus DEI programs and educate the community on the politics of gender today. –AL

Michela Cava & Emma Greco

“Being a couple doesn’t affect me or us on the ice,” Emma Greco tells GO. “This is our job, so when we show up to the rink we are in work mode so I don’t really even think about it.” Greco and partner Michela Cava are an athletic power couple: both play for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), a North American women’s professional ice hockey league. Greco, who grew up playing hockey in her Canadian hometown of Burlington, Ontario, is currently a defenceman for the Boston Fleet team, while Cava, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, plays centre for the Minnesota Frost. The couple, former teammates on the Premier Hockey Federation’s Toronto Six and PWHL Minnesota—where they were both Walter Cup Champions in 2024—have been together since October 2022. “I think one of the most rewarding aspects of our work is to see the growth in women’s hockey and women’s sports in general,” says Cava, who was named playoff MVP for the Toronto Six in 2022-23. “It’s truly a special feeling inspiring the younger generation of female athletes.” Greco, who finished second best plus/minus among all PWHL defenders in 2024, deals with life’s adversity and setbacks on the ice. “At the end of the day I don’t want to have any regrets and I want to leave it all on the ice,” she tells GO. “I know that if I continue to work hard and be a good teammate then everything will work itself out and that I can continue to prove myself.” –LE

Elisa Crespo

Navigating leadership as a trans woman in a male-dominated field has not always been easy, but it forged a powerful resilience in Elisa Crespo, a barrier-breaker who has been recognized by media outlets that include LGBTQ Nation, OUT Magazine, Marie Claire, and NBC News. Elisa is currently Executive Director of Stonewall Community Foundation, one of the oldest LGBTQ Community Foundations in the U.S. She was also Founding Executive Director of advocacy powerhouse NEW Pride Agenda, where she helped secure New York State’s multi-million-dollar Lorena Borjas Transgender and Nonbinary Wellness & Equity Fund, one of the first of its kind in the country. After studying political science and human rights at John Jay College, Crespo built up her organizing chops in multiple community roles and also served as Education Liaison to the Bronx Borough President. She broke ground in the nonprofit sector, where only 5% of NYC-area nonprofit leaders are Latina women. “As a trans Latina, I stand on the shoulders of those who dared to live their truth before me,” she tells GO. “…trailblazers who fought so I could exist in spaces they were once denied.” The pioneer also made history in 2020 as the first trans woman to run for public office in the Bronx. “I am deeply proud of the legacy that trans Women of Color have built—a legacy of resistance, creativity and unbreakable spirit. It’s a lineage I would never trade for anything in the world.” –MH

Lily Braun-Arnold

When a climate disaster strikes, 17-year-old Liz is stranded in her local bookstore. Then newcomer Maeve appears with secrets that could threaten both their lives. Such is the premise of Lily Braun-Arnold’s debut novel, The Last Bookstore on Earth, which has catapulted the young author to New York Times bestseller status. The Smith College junior started writing this sapphic dystopian tale, and querying agents, during Covid and while still in high school. “I didn’t really expect it to go anywhere but hoped that someone might see what I did in it, and someone did!” she tells GO. “Throughout the entire path to publication, I was pinching myself—and still am pinching myself. It doesn’t quite feel real sometimes, but I’m so grateful that I now get to write books as a career!” No stranger to the YA space, Braun-Arnold’s path has been influenced by books like Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrianne Kisner, Wilder Girls by Rory Power, and The Diviners by Libba Bray. “I also had an obsession with Lisbeth Salander and the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series in high school,” the author says. Fans will be excited to know: in Spring 2027, What Happened in the Woods is slated to be published: an illicit party takes a deadly turn in this survival story set amid a mysterious, sinister outbreak at a historically women’s college. Until then, Braun-Arnold can be found in the off-hours working at her local independent bookstore or daydreaming about living in outer space. –MH

Elicia Vollmer

“I opened a coffee shop because of my love for humanity,” says Elicia Vollmer, owner of Brooklyn’s Aura Cafe and Bar. “I call my counter [the] ‘therapy counter’ for all the conversations it has held.” Vollmer opened Aura in July 2020 “to keep the love going” during the COVID pandemic. She began by serving people out the window until she could safely serve people inside, and that’s when the real community building began. Since then, Aura has received its liquor license, which means later hours for socializing and community-building, and it hosts events like block parties, group bike rides, and skate nights, and has partnered with Dank Dykes, the Rainbow Room, and others. As a business owner, Vollmer’s faced some challenges. “My landlord does not like to talk directly to me because I am a woman,” she tells GO. “Luckily I’m in Brooklyn where being LGBTQ+ is more accepted, but we’ve still had harassment from homophobic neighbors.” Now she’s working on her next endeavor, a lesbian/queer bar to be named Honey B’s. When asked what pop culture shaped her identity, Vollmer responds, “Angelina Jolie’s 1998 [film] Gia, the first half.” –LE

Lilianna Reyes

“The most rewarding aspect of my work is to see young Black and Brown trans folks, in particular, realize the potential that they can do almost anything in this world,” says Lilianna Angel Reyes. “When I started work, there were very few professionals that were Black and Brown trans people…it is beautiful to see that things have changed and my work has helped create spaces for marginalized folks, so that their dreams can become a reality.” A graduate of the University of Michigan’s Master of Public Administration program, Reyes currently serves as Health Equity and Outreach Director at the Ruth Ellis Center, and is the Co-Executive Director of The Trans Sistas of Color Project, a Detroit-based nonprofit that, under Reyes’ leadership, won the 2020 Detroit Spirit Award, as well as the ACLU Game Changer Award in 2023. She is president of Reyes Training and Consulting, which focuses on DEI initiatives at corporate and government agencies, and has worked with organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Detroit Police LGBT Advisory Council, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “My career has been an uphill struggle because I feel like I have to go the extra effort so that folks take me seriously,” says Reyes, who recently spoke at the United Nations on the status of trans women of color in the global call for women’s success. “Luckily I’m in an amazing place and because of those struggles I tried to make sure that other folks getting in this field have more opportunities than I had.” –LE

Governor Maura Healey

Since being elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2022, Maura Healey has not stopped working for the people. In the last three years, she’s made the state more affordable to live in, cut taxes for the first time in 20 years, and has worked tirelessly to address the high cost of housing. She tells GO, “I travel around the entire state and when I meet people who have benefited from something we’ve been able to accomplish, it’s a reminder of why I stepped into public service in the first place.” Additionally, Governor Healey is a national leader in protecting access to reproductive healthcare. She stockpiled abortion medication to ensure it remains available in Massachusetts while facing threats at the federal level, and she’s taken executive action to protect abortion rights under state law. She says, “Here in Massachusetts, we’ve always been leaders—and our history speaks for itself. We will continue to lead in all of the places that move our state forward. And we’ll always be a state that stays true to who we are while delivering for the people who call Massachusetts home.” Governor Healey’s commitment to supporting others is a lesson she learned from her mother, who also demonstrated for her what resilience meant. “She raised us as a single mom. She was a nurse and worked at my local elementary school, and I learned tremendous resilience from her. She taught me from a young age what resilience means, and I’ve tried to embody those lessons throughout my entire career.” –SS

Archana Gopal

Known for crafting ethereal vocals and painting stories with lyrics, Archana Gopal is an LA-based singer/songwriter who brings a bit of saffron to her work. Her 2022 release, “Heat” celebrates queer longing and showcases the fusion of western Pop and  R&B influences with over 20 years of classical training in Indian Carnatic music. Archana’s years in vocal music inform her distinctive melodies, while her Indian heritage and queer identity form the creative thesis of her work. To this Indo-American artist, queerness is a lens on life that she simply can’t live without. “It’s the very fabric of everything I do,” the singer tells GO. “If I ever feel uninspired, all I have to do is look around me at the queer community, our history, and I’m left feeling so full and abundant.” Archana grew up on the East Coast after her family moved to New Jersey when she was six years old. She came to music as a way of processing, a way of understanding her internal world and learning about herself. In turn, her work has had a tremendous impact on others. “It’s such a beautiful outlet for me, so to think that it has the same effect on people who listen is so powerful,” she says. “It’s such an honor to hear that something that came from me resonates and helps others in their own journeys to learn more about themselves. I love hearing that my music helps people feel seen and understood.” –MH

Bonnie Rabin

Bonnie Rabin is living proof that the LGBTQ+ community is not backing down, especially in the courtroom. Rabin is a founding partner in her firm and a trial and appellate lawyer concentrating in matrimonial and family law. Her practice includes championing the rights of parents and children in non-traditional families and navigating the law of parentage, including reproductive rights and surrogacy.  “Because my work is in family law, that can mean protecting and securing relationships that would otherwise not be recognized or protected. It’s all the better when that change or recognition in law affects not just my client, but also others similarly situated,” shares Rabin. She lectures regularly and was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cardozo Law School. She is a board member and former Co-Chair of the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), the nation’s oldest LGBTQ+ youth organization, based in NYC. “For just a moment, many of us thought we were only moving forward and that there would be no turning back or even sideways on what we considered established rights and principles of law. New challenges and setbacks call for resilience and strategy. But it also calls for caring for those who don’t have the option or ability or power to exercise strength or to defend themselves,” Rabin tells GO. “Commitment to organizations like the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) and Family Equality, which has a more national presence and mission, is, unfortunately, as crucial as ever. Create those bonds, lift up where you can, be a mentor, be a role model. It’s good for everyone.” –AL

Esther Godoy

Esther Godoy is a photographer, artist, curator, and creator most widely recognized as the founder of Butch Is Not a Dirty Word, the world’s only editorial platform dedicated to butch identity, visibility, and voice. As a first-generation Australian now based in the United States, her lived experience spans cultural and social landscapes, shaping a nuanced understanding of how place, lineage, and structure inform queer identity and expression. However, she didn’t set out to be a creative. “In my early adulthood, I chased the familiar measures of success: money, stability, recognition. I built a career in tech, and I did it well,” Godoy tells GO. “But over time, other questions started to surface. Quieter, more tender ones. What parts of myself did I have to set aside to get here? What wants to come forward now? What would it look like to build a life led by intuition, creativity, and truth?” Outside of her creative work, she is the founder of Girls Skate Australia and served as Team Manager for the Australian Olympic Skateboarding Team, sitting on the High Performance Squad board in the lead-up to the 2024 Games. She says her multifaceted career thus far inspires her to look beyond what’s visually possible. “I want to build a life so aligned with my spirit that it couldn’t have been mapped out by logic alone. The mind is practical—it draws from what’s already known. But I’m reaching for something deeper. I want to create a world, a career, a rhythm of living that’s guided by intuition, integrity, and something sacred I can’t always name.” –AL

Emily Meyer

Bespoke badass Emily Meyer says, “By far, the most rewarding aspect of my work has been helping folks to present themselves in an authentic way, and shine in all their glory.” Over a decade ago, Meyer was working at a law firm and convinced a custom tailor to make her a suit. While he struggled to make a suit that fit Meyer’s female body, a passion ignited in her. After law school, she launched her brand, EMILY MEYER, whose singular goal is to make impeccable custom suiting for impeccable people. “Presentation and identity used to be major barriers to women, and to the LGBTQ+ community, that stopped those folks from being able to find affirming clothes that were high quality, and that fit them beautifully. That’s no longer the case, and I’m very proud of the big part we have played in making that so,” Meyer tells GO. The brand has worked with people from Olympic athletes to Emmy winners to astrophysicists, but the goal remains the same: “to make sure you feel respected during the process, and look absolutely stunning in your clothes, no matter your identity or what your body looks like.” Meyer says she’s proud of the business, but her vision keeps expanding. “I want to provide luxury garments to our community more broadly, beyond tailoring…to expand our brand into casual ready-to-wear, consisting of really well-made, go-to garments that fit creatively and comfortably into your life.” When she isn’t meeting with clients one-on-one, you can catch Emily co-hosting EMASCULATED, a queer podcast challenging traditional narratives surrounding the divine feminine. –SS

Vanessa Priya Daniel

Vanessa Priya Daniel has been working in social justice organizations for 25 years, but her inclination to speak up started as a young child. “At the age of five, I spoke out against sexual abuse from a family member. I was quickly abandoned by most of my family. It was heartbreaking, but one person stood with me and protected me. I learned early that if you want to be free, you have to be willing to do the brave thing,” Daniel shares with GO. As a queer Woman of Color, there have been countless instances in her life when she had to stand up for her rights. “I think when you realize the freedom that comes from doing the brave thing, you want others to enjoy their freedom, too. That’s what my life has been about: reminding others they have the power to do the brave thing and get free,” shares Daniel. She has been recognized by publications and awards from around the globe, and her first book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning, was published in March 2025. She also owns her own firm, Vanessa Daniel Consulting, and is the mother of two daughters. Above all, she says, the most rewarding aspect of her work is supporting and witnessing Women of Color, including queer and trans women in social justice. “Seeing their courage, generosity, and strategic clarity restores my faith in humanity and hope for the future each and every day. I love us and I want us to win!” –AL

Sierra Zamarripa

After realizing there was a gap in the market for easily sustainable gifts and clean, intentional body care, Sierra Zamarripa decided to take things into her own hands. She started Lovewild Design, which has opened two retail stores and is stocked in hundreds of independent shops nationwide. Lovewild Design is a home and beauty brand rooted in botanical tradition, eco-conscious practices, and true inclusivity that offers sustainable gifts and a stationery line made with locally and responsibly sourced materials in NYC. “To honor my Mexican heritage, I source key botanicals from Zapotec families in Mexico. We’ve been able to lead fundraisers for nonprofits like Black Mamas Matter and RAICES, as well as for local schools, small businesses, and individuals in need,” shares Zamarripa. After 11 years, what started as a passion project has grown into something much bigger. “The most profound reward has actually been the community we’ve built. Our little shop has become a safe, affirming space where queer youth and folks of all backgrounds feel seen and celebrated,” Zamarripa tells GO. Looking ahead, Zamarripa envisions that Lovewild will continue to grow beyond the storefront and uplift marginalized communities. “My goal is to deepen our roots in the community and expand our product line in partnership with Latinx women makers and other queer-owned brands. I want Lovewild to be a platform that amplifies underrepresented voices…and continues to create economically and environmentally sustainable opportunities for small producers.” –AL

Betty Czitrom

Betty Czitrom is a public health professional and community builder, but she is best known for founding Queer Flips, an affirming, movement-based space for LGBTQ+ adults in NYC. Queer Flips offers adult gymnastics and somatic programming that center joy, embodiment, and connection to bridge gaps between physical activity and emotional support for queer communities often underserved by mainstream wellness spaces. “As a queer person and a former theater kid, I never felt like there was a place for me in traditional sports settings. I’d always seen fitness as intimidating and inaccessible, especially in my young adulthood. At the same time, I was exploring a wave of new queer and lesbian community events popping up around the city, and I felt so energized by the possibilities. I knew that creating a queer gymnastics space could be something truly special: healing, connecting, and thrilling all at once,” Czitrom tells GO. Czitrom also developed queer competency guidelines for coaches to support inclusive and consent-based class facilitation for both in Queer Flips sessions and in their everyday coaching practice. Connecting with the community in this way has made all the work worth it. “One of the most meaningful moments since starting Queer Flips was talking to a participant who had competed at a high level before transitioning. They told me this was the first time they had stepped back into a gym post-transition. That stuck with me. Creating a space where someone can return to a part of themselves they thought they’d lost. That’s why Queer Flips exists,” Czitrom shares. –AL

Shavon Naté

Shavon Naté aims to “destigmatize discussions around BDSM and kink within the Black community, while fostering understanding, acceptance, and growth.” The New York-based social worker, certified sex therapist, and psychotherapist specializes in providing for the LGBTQ+, nonbinary/gender nonconforming, ballroom, and BDSM/kink communities, and strives to help clients “embrace their authentic selves and cultivate healthy relationships with themselves, their partners, and their families,” she says. Shavon’s therapy career began with working as a school social worker, and she observed that most students weren’t receiving a comprehensive sex ed curriculum. “The messages they [received] around sexual health and wellness in school were overwhelmingly negative or [came] from a fear based perspective,” she recalls. “I knew at that point that I wanted to steer my work towards helping my students and overall community to focus on sexual health and wellness. That radical act led me to pursuing my postgraduate certificate in sex therapy and opening my private practice as a sex therapist.” Going forward, Shavon’s vision for herself involves growing her client base and private practice, plus academia and the movie and television industry. “I would like to complete a doctoral program in human sexuality as well as gain my certificate as an intimacy professional where I can work on different movie sets,” she tells GO. “Lastly, I would like to be hired as a sex therapy expert on some reality television shows.” –LE

Cowboy Jen

“As a very publicly out lesbian since 1993, I have used the relative safety of a life that allows me to be out and my natural extroverted personality, coupled with my storytelling skills, to be a representation of a lesbian and butch woman who is happy and healthy,” says Jennifer Rowray, known on TikTok as Cowboy Jen. Though she’d been active on Tumblr and YouTube, it wasn’t until COVID lockdown that Cowboy Jen’s then-14-year-old daughter introduced her to TikTok. “My goal shifted from goofy trends to wanting to build enough of a presence to reach a larger audience with my storytelling and experience as an older lesbian and older woman and butch,” she says. As a young girl who didn’t like boys or “things girls were supposed to like,” Rowray struggled with fitting in and feeling inadequate. With the help of the lesbian and gay community, she eventually embraced her butch lesbian identity, and now she seeks to help others do the same. “Any time a younger lesbian or even a newly out older lesbian reaches out it brings me a lot of happiness,” says Cowboy Jen, who will be speaking at two Pride celebrations this summer and is actively seeking out more in-person events. “Probably my favorite is when a younger butch reaches out, questioning if they are ‘butch enough’ or telling me that she has no older butches in her life and seeing me gave her comfort that she will be all right just as she is.” –LE

Lourdes Pérez

Puerto Rican-born lesbian composer, arranger, lyricist, poet, decimista, oral historian, contralto vocalist, guitarist, and percussionist Lourdes Pérez is a United States Artists Music Fellow who has performed and collaborated internationally for over 30 years. More importantly, she has always been unapologetically herself, even when it was dangerous to do so. “Being able to be an out Puerto Rican lesbian singer and poet at a time (33 years ago) where many did not, would not, or could not be out was both extremely difficult and also rewarding,” says Pérez. “I decided that I wasn’t going to hide parts of myself or compartmentalize in order to be accepted or succeed in music. I feel good about that decision, it strengthened my core.” Often called “one of the finest Latin American vocalists and songwriters,” Pérez has performed internationally from war zones to performing arts centers and has collaborated with diverse artists across language and genre, which “has enabled me to travel, record, and learn about the world, always using my voice and writing to honor and uplift the story of our shared humanity and to paint a future that welcomes us all,” Pérez tells GO. Through her visibility and her music, she occupied spaces that didn’t often overlap or include people like her, which quietly opened many paths along the way. “Alongside my partner of 34 years, Annette D’Armata, I co-founded VoxFem Network in 2018. Our mission: to feature women creators from every country and occupied territory on earth. We produce a yearly online festival and have presented over 100 artists so far,” shares Pérez. –AL

Katie and Darian McRose

At age 14, Katie McRose answered a Craigslist ad looking for a sheep shearer. Though “nothing went right that first day,” she says, the job got done, word-of-mouth spread, and soon she was in demand as a small-flock shearer. During Katie’s first year studying animal science at Texas A&M University, she convinced Darian to join her, and by graduation in 2017, Right Choice Shearing was born. “Many of the animals we handle are not touched by their owners, instead living in large pastures and coming in once a year for a haircut. Some of them are older and experienced, but many are first timers and rightfully nervous,” the couple says of the clients of their multi-state business, which is also the world’s largest agricultural YouTube page with three million followers and more than two billion views. “Being able to connect with animals on both sides of that spectrum is deeply rewarding, and knowing that we have provided them with the kindest approach we could to save them from the heat stress of the summer is something we find a lot of pride in.” The McRoses, who instruct at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Sheep Shearing Course as well, are no strangers to obstacles, but press on with their devotion to the animals and one another. “All of the adversity we have faced has made us resilient, and that’s how we deal with our setbacks,” they tell GO. “We’ve lost our homes and our families at different stages of life, but we’ve learned to keep going through the support of those who’ve continued to stand by our sides.” –LE

Mal Wright

Audiences were spellbound by Mal Wright on Netflix’s reality dating show, The Ultimatum: Queer Love.  A rollercoaster journey, all of the couples except one broke up after the ride, but Wright emerged a fan favorite with her standout charm, personality, and distinctive masc-leaning streetwear style. Since the show’s finale in June 2023, Wright has been growing their social media presence and served as Associate Casting Producer for Season two, which drops June 25th. A former corporate HR leader, Wright grew up in Southern California and took inspiration from skateboard culture. Now based in New York, the breakout star’s passions are multi-faceted: music, fashion, and mental and physical wellness are on the horizon. “My vision of myself is truly to bucket list my life,” she tells GO.  “I intend to be led by curiosity and say ‘yes’ to the things that bring me joy, and expand/deconstruct constructs of ‘what we’re supposed to be doing’ as I age.” To this influencer, that looks like many things. “I hope to inspire people to do the same.”  Wright, 39, celebrates her Jamaican and Cuban heritage and is thoughtful about her influences. “I think holding multiple identities, being a Black woman of immigrant parents of the Diaspora, and viewing the world through the lens of queerness has impacted the way I observe and move through the entire world around me,” Wright tells GO.  “My queerness was just as destined and determined to be here as much as all the identities I carry, and they are ever-expanding.” –MH

Lola Trifunovic

“My work is rooted in preserving the often-overlooked stories of Dyke, Butch-Femme, and Queer communities through photos, flyers, zines, and love letters from the last century, dug up from every corner of the internet,” Lola Trifunovic says of Onyour.knees, her lesbian and queer digital archive that reaches over two million views each month. As the Los Angeles-based civil law attorney, LGBTQ+ archivist, and first-generation immigrant tells GO, her devotion to stories started early. “My father escaped the Yugoslav War in the ‘90s and met my mother in South Africa before we eventually landed in Mississippi, where I spent ten years of my childhood while my family worked toward U.S. citizenship,” she says. “From running barefoot in the backwoods of Mississippi to visiting my father’s home country and seeing the shelled, war-torn apartment building my grandparents still live in, I come from a pretty interesting family background that’s fueled my curiosity about places, faces, and histories that aren’t always the most told stories.” Trifunovic’s influences are as varied as the stories she archives. “The Persistent Desire: A Butch-Femme Reader by Joan Nestle helped me understand the depth and politics of Butch-Femme identity,” she tells GO. “Watching Salmonberries with k.d. lang was another turning point: it’s haunting, tender, and completely outside the mainstream portrayal of queer women…And then, Tracy Chapman’s lyrics have spoken to me dearly. Her music resonates deeply with the Butch-Femme dynamic I live in, full of longing, strength, tenderness, and unspoken understanding.” –LE

Hannah Lowen

“I feel incredibly lucky to get to lead such a broad and talented team at New Riff Distilling,” says Hannah Lowen. A native of Louisville, Lowen worked in political organizing on both coasts for a decade, before returning in 2013 to launch the bourbon distillery in Newport, KY. While New Riff is technically a small business at 85 employees, the company is mighty, featuring a full manufacturing and distribution plant, a tasting room and a retail shop, with a marketing presence and sales nationwide. Lowen has helped shape everything from New Riff’s operating systems to branding to mission, first as a founding member and then as General Manager and Vice President of Operations, before becoming New Riff’s CEO in early 2024. “The balance of digital, physical and philosophical work keeps me on my toes and deeply connected to our team and community,” says Lowen, who finished her master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati last fall. “I’m really grateful for the chance to spend my time doing work that makes a real difference in my little corner of the world. Whether that be directly in a mission driven organization or inside a business like New Riff, where we see great whiskey as a vehicle for good.” –LE

Danielle Earle

For producer Danielle Earle, approaching a career in film was a leap of faith. In college, while studying Animation and Visual Effects at the Academy of Art University, she enrolled in a film history course that completely shifted her perspective. “One day, my professor pulled me aside and encouraged me to consider a serious future in filmmaking,” the Bronx native tells GO. “That was the moment I knew I needed to pivot…to leave behind the path I was on and commit fully to a career in film.” Earle is best known for her award-winning web series Brooklyn Is in Love (2011), lesbi-flick Lover’s Game (2015) and The Haunted Mind of an Insomniac (2023). She serves on multiple boards and actively advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. As a queer educator, watching her students and alum collaborate, create, and lead during productions fills her heart with pride. “Nothing compares to witnessing former students walk boldly into the world, confident in who they are and what they’re capable of fearlessly,” she says. Being queer and Black has added layers of depth to both her teaching and storytelling. But for years, Earle lived closeted, like many queer Women of Color. “I struggled with self-worth and visibility,” she says. The security of tenure was a turning point. “I was able to shed the self-doubt and embrace my truth, and from that moment on, my creative work flourished. Queer storytelling is endless, and there’s so much beauty in it because our community in itself is endless and beautiful.” –MH

Liz Carmouche

Liz Carmouche has taken badassery to a  whole new level. A Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Women’s Flyweight World Champion, the former U.S. Marine was the first openly lesbian fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC); competed in the first-ever women’s MMA match when she battled Ronda Rousey for the Bantamweight Championship; and was the first MMA fighter to win in Madison Square Garden. “During my MMA career, I’ve participated in a lot of firsts,” Carmouche tells GO. “When I started, MMA women weren’t considered capable of keeping up with the guys and were considered kind of a joke. Fast forward to women dominating in MMA, and still rising in popularity. I never would have thought I’d help guide it to the success women are seeing today.” Before sparring gloves, Carmouche served five years and did three tours of duty in the Middle East with the Marine Corps. She came to MMA after fellow Marines suggested that her ethos was similar to athletes in the sport. “I was seeking a challenge and something that would mentally stimulate me,” she says. “When I got out [of the service], I tried it out and fell in love. I’ve never looked back.” Carmouche, now 41, was born in Louisiana and grew up in Japan, where she never saw women’s sports on TV.  She has pioneered an evolution, bringing recognition to a sport that’s inspiring a new generation of girls to get into the cage. –MH

Shantira Jackson

Shantira Jackson didn’t start off in comedy. Her career began in broadcast journalism and though she loved writing and media, she realized that news wasn’t the format that worked best for her voice. “I have always considered myself a storyteller, and I think a bit of humor is one of the best ways to tell any story,” Jackson shares with GO. “In the end, I leaned into social and political satire, and that helped shape the type of comedic writer I eventually became.” Today, Jackson is an Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and comedian based in Los Angeles. She most recently wrote for CBS’s late night show After Midnight and has written for Clean Slate, Big Mouth, and spinoff Human Resources, Peacock’s The Amber Ruffin Show, and the Saved By The Bell reboot. She has contributed to the Writers Guild Awards, The Webby Awards, and The ESPYs. You can catch her as a co-host in episodes of the podcast Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best and as a panelist on NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! On camera you can see her in Comedy Central’s comedy Out Of Office, and HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. As a queer Black woman from the South, now more than ever she feels that people like her don’t always have a voice. “But every once in a while, I’ll write something and it’ll end up on television and millions of people will watch it. I am still in awe of the immense privilege that comes with that. I’ll never get over how lucky I am that this is my job.” –MH

Emily Drabinski

“In my experience, it’s usually dykes who are getting things done,” says Emily Drabinski. “And I’m one of those dykes.” The writer, editor, speaker, and Associate Professor at the Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences is also a librarian of over two decades and immediate past-president of the American Library Association. Her tenure at ALA got off to a challenging start. “I was elected as ALA president as an out and proud LGBTQIA+ librarian,” Drabinski tells GO. “There was huge backlash to that openness and I became a bludgeon for an extremist right bent on eliminating queer stories from public view.” She navigated this harsh welcome, she says, “like queers have always done, with an extended network of friends and chosen family who had my back no matter what.” Drabinski, who during her term as ALA president visited libraries in 31 states and seven countries and met with “hundreds if not thousands” of librarians and library advocates, believes that libraries are “an essential tool for building the world we want.” An iconic queer graphic novel helped shape Drabinski’s identity and mission. “There’s a scene in Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home where she is spread out on her dorm room bed surrounded by library books about queer sexuality,” she tells GO. “So many of us have discovered who we are in the library stacks and between the pages of a book.” –LE

Erica Tremblay

Erica Tremblay, a Native American filmmaker from the Seneca-Cayuga Nation, says she’s “always loved film and television but growing up in the ‘90s I didn’t even know directing was a job that women could do.” She tells GO, “All that changed when I was 20 and saw Lisa Cholodenko’s name roll as the writer and director of High Art. As soon as I knew it was a dream I could have, I started chasing it until it became reality.” Tremblay’s first movie, Fancy Dance, starred Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone and premiered at Sundance in 2023. The film won awards at SXSW, Newfest, and several other film festivals, and was released by Apple Original Films in 2024. Tremblay, a producer and director on the FX series Reservation Dogs, was named a Screenwriter to Watch by Variety, a BAFTA Breakthrough Artist in 2024, and a Sundance Momentum Fellow in 2023. In 2021, she was accepted to the Sundance Directors and Screenwriters Lab. Most recently, she wrote on the third season of AMC’s Dark Winds while also directing an episode and serving as co-executive producer, and with Sterlin Harjo developed a series adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Yellowbird for Paramount+. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is creating authentic representations that honor my Native American community while challenging outdated stereotypes,” Tremblay tells GO. “Through my work, I strive to create characters who are fully formed human beings with complex lives, moving beyond the tokenism that has been so prevalent in Hollywood’s depictions.” –LE

Dai Burger

Dai Burger, born and raised in Queens, NY, is a dynamic force in music, fashion, and femme empowerment. She began as a backup dancer for Lil’ Mama—and also became a well-known figure as a stylist at the renowned Patricia Field boutique. Her tour with Lil’ Mama inspired her to turn her poetic writing into songs, and the rest fell into place. “Once I released these tracks publicly, it was clear people gravitated towards my rap melodies more, so I leaned into that wholeheartedly, and a rapper was born. I just followed my creativity and gave the folks more of what they wanted,” Burger tells GO. Known for her fearless style, sharp lyrics, and vibrant performances, Dai gained viral attention through self-released mixtapes and DIY music videos. She’s since performed internationally, headlined Pride stages, and built a reputation as one of NYC’s top queer acts. She shares, “Growing up [in Queens], there wasn’t room for uniquely, unapologetic, sexually diverse females. However, I stayed true to myself. I leaned into my differences, almost highlighting them, and freely announcing who I was/who I am. So perhaps these weren’t setbacks but more so forces that gave me strength to push back with my greatness.” As CEO of Lip Gravy Cosmetics and co-founder of the “Where My Girls” music initiative, Dai remains committed to uplifting young women and queer youth. “Having knowledge that I’m able to pass down to younger women who want to find their place in this industry… that is my reward. The work has been one thing, but the ability to pass it on to others has been the greatest part of it all for me,” Burger says. –AL

Dana Nessel

Throughout the 2020 election, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel thwarted attempts to undermine the state’s presidential election—a battle that reflects Nessel’s core desire for the Department of the Attorney General to focus on the people it serves rather than a political agenda. Elected as the AG of Michigan in 2019, Nessel served as an Assistant Wayne County prosecutor for more than ten years before working in private practice. She was lead attorney for the plaintiffs in DeBoer v. Snyder, the Michigan case that was a precursor to Obergefell v. Hodges, which codified same-sex marriage and granted adoption rights to same-sex couples nationwide. Since being elected Attorney General, Nessel has worked hard to protect voting, civil, and crime victims’ rights, increase consumer protections, and protect healthcare and the environment. Nessel has successfully sued multiple opioid manufacturers and distributors and garnered over $1.6 billion for Michigan for the prevention and treatment of Opioid Use Disorder. A further testament of her commitment to Michigan and her people: in 2019 AG Nessel launched the first state Attorney General’s Hate Crimes and Domestic Terrorism Unit in the country, where she has successfully held accountable white supremacists and those who threaten Michigan’s public officials. She also formed the Public Integrity Unit to hold government officials accountable when they abuse or neglect their positions. This year, AG Nessel has already joined in 17 lawsuits against unlawful actions taken by the Trump Administration, recouping over $750 million dollars for Michigan residents. AG Nessel lives in southeast Michigan with her wife and their twin sons.  –SS

Morgan Sinclair & Ale Castellanos Sinclair

“We’re loud about our love for a reason. For us. For them. For the next generation. Now more than ever.” In spring 2020, Ale and Morgan were in peak lockdown, swapping baby and survival tips with a friend who had a growing online platform. While social media was Ale’s playground, they weren’t exactly looking to become creators, but they took inspiration from their friend’s success. “What began as a digital scrapbook of our growing family quickly became something bigger,” @TwoMomsInMotion tells GO. “Two queer moms, one IUI birth, one reciprocal IVF, and a swirl of Spanglish filled a gap online. That mix of representation and real-life chaos turned a midnight idea into a vibrant community that still fuels us today.” Based in Toronto, @TwoMomsInMotion are raising two daughters and two rescue pups. “We document a life in constant motion – bilingual banter, queer visibility, and family adventures that prove love is the best travel partner.” The interracial couple finds their greatest reward in sharing ordinary moments that can inspire someone to choose happiness. “While recording a podcast, a guest told us she’d followed from a private “ghost” account for years. Our posts gave her the courage to leave an unhappy marriage, come out, and build a life that finally fits,” they tell GO. “Knowing our content played even the tiniest role in a decision that profound—and helped someone step into their true self—fills us with grateful awe. That feeling keeps us up editing at midnight, eager to hit “post” again.” –MH

Karen Tongson

“I’m not sure one consciously decides to become a cultural critic and a queer scholar,” says Karen Tongson. “I guess you can say I’m obsessed with how we find meaning in the pop culture that shapes us, for better or worse, and I love nothing more than parsing over those details with others who are just as invested as I am.” Tongson immigrated to the United States in 1983 from Manila, Philippines, where she was born to the Katindig clan, one of the nation’s founding families of Latin Jazz. The author of several books, including Normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV that Soothes Us and Why Karen Carpenter Matters, and producer and co-host of podcasts including The Gaymazing Race, she chairs the department of Gender and Sexuality studies at USC, where she also founded and directs the Consortium for Gender, Sexuality, Race, and Public Culture. This past academic year, Tongson has been a Presidential Visiting Fellow at Yale University and the LeBoff Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Media, Culture and Communication at NYU. “Truth be told, I see a lot of cis guys get away with really mediocre shit as long as they sling it with confidence,” says Tongson, who lives in LA and is married to TV critic and media scholar Sarah Rebecca Kessler. “My wish for all of us across the LGBTQ+ spectrum is that we trust ourselves and our talents as much as these dudes—especially those of us who are queer people of color.” –LE

Susan Feniger

She worked for Wolfgang Puck at Ma Maison in LA, and honed her culinary skills in the French Riviera. But it was work in the college kitchen that sparked the idea: Susan Feniger was on the cusp of finishing her Economics major when a professor suggested that she become a chef. “I convinced my economics professor to let me spend my last year at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park as an independent study, and I never looked back!” Now known for her restaurants Border Grill, Socalo, Alice B., and BBQ Mexicana, food trucks, and catering, this entrepreneur spent decades breaking barriers as a female restaurateur in a male-dominated industry. After graduation, she worked at Chicago’s Le Perroquet, where she met the only other woman in the kitchen and eventual business partner of 40 years – Mary Sue Milliken. Together, they opened LA’s acclaimed City Café and CITY Restaurant, spicing up the culinary landscape with eclectic dishes from across the globe. Feniger has co-authored six cookbooks, starred on The Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales and competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. This Julia Child Award recipient is also a founding member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation and is active with several boards, including the Los Angeles LGBT Center with its intergenerational culinary arts training program. “Watching these young people walk into a kitchen for the first time and realize, I can do this—it’s incredibly moving. Kitchens are amazing and magical, so being a part of creating this space has been just so rewarding.” –MH

Diana Greshtchuk, CPA

“When her mother passed away in 2020, Diana Greshtchuk found herself at a major crossroads: single, without children, and questioning her legacy. Buttressed by a financial services career, the California CPA added Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Neuro-Identity Evolution Practitioner™ mindset coaching certification into the mix. Currently Principal of Fund Accounting and Finance with a sustainability-conscious private equity firm, Greshtchuk is passionate about bringing financial education to marginalized communities and the under-served. In 2021, the investor and trauma-informed financial literacy coach founded Fan Your Flame LLC to help people transform their money story, and ultimately their life. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is watching people like me navigate their inner world, unlearn, reprogram, and become people they never thought were possible,” Greshtchuk tells GO. “I believe who you have been is no indicator of who you can be, and I’m living proof as I continue to evolve and demonstrate, leading a life by example for all my clients and colleagues.” Self-described as “too nerdy for the cool,” Greshtchuk also executive produced the documentary, Show Her The Money, spotlighting venture capital funding disparities between men (98%) and women (2%). The Los Angeles resident is a Board Member with Point Foundation, which empowers LGBTQ students; a member of She Angels Foundation; and a 2024 recipient of Business Relationship Alliance’s Woman on the Rise Award. Championing women and the underrepresented is in her DNA. “My gratitude for the opportunities afforded to me cultivated a passion for holding the door open for others and inviting them to the table too.” –MH

Holly Near

For more than half a century, singer-songwriter Holly Near has been a leading voice for change, using her music to advocate for peace, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights. In 1971, she toured the Pacific with Jane Fonda and others in the anti-war show Free The Army (FTA), where she first embraced a feminist perspective. Then, after falling in love with a woman, Near became the first lesbian to come out in People Magazine in 1976. “People still felt their careers would be damaged by coming out. I had already written a song about genocide, which wasn’t particularly a mainstream approach for a career so I had nothing to lose,” she shares with GO. Near is best known for her political songwriting, with powerful anthems like “Singing For Our Lives” (after Harvey Milk’s assassination), “It Could Have Been Me” (Kent State massacre), and “Hay Una Mujer Desaparecida”(Chile’s disappeared women). To preserve the feminist lesbian music scene she helped shape in Oakland, CA, she founded Because of a Song, an online archive. Her impact has earned recognition from the ACLU, NOW, Ms. Magazine’s Women of the Year, Grammy^® nominations, and the Legends of Women’s Music Award. Through it all, Near says feminism is at the core of her personal freedom. “I loved how the world opened up when I was no longer imitating the patriarchy. Now another window shows up. I’m seeing the world through the lens of an elder… Over the last 10 years, I have survived two cancers, a stroke, fractures in my pelvis, a dislocated shoulder and a broken arm. But I’m still here,” she says. –AL

Tiffany Watts

“Representation is powerful, but it’s not just about being visible. It’s about being seen fully, on our own terms.” As a queer Black woman, Tiffany Watts didn’t always see people who looked like her represented in media, travel, or food spaces—and especially not joyfully or authentically. Today, Watts is Senior Reporter of Black Economic Justice, Food, & Culture at The Kansas City Defender and writes about the local food scene for The Pitch Kansas City. In these roles, she spotlights the city’s vibrant culinary and cultural scene and reminds us that joy can be as powerful as justice. “I became a content creator out of necessity and passion,” Watts tells GO. “What began as a creative outlet has evolved into a platform rooted in purpose: amplifying underrepresented voices, spotlighting local businesses, and building bridges between culture and community.” Watts says her perspective is informed by both the joy and the complexity of navigating the world at the intersection of queerness, Blackness, and womanhood. “It gives me a deep sense of responsibility to create space, not just for myself, but for others who’ve been historically excluded or misrepresented.” Watts also co-founded Where To Find Us, a live matchmaking event where friends pitch their single queer besties to a room of hopeful matches. “Being part of building these moments of belonging is what fuels my work and passion,” says the journalist. “My hope moving forward is to continue using storytelling as a form of activism and affirmation.” –MH

Victoria J

Since Victoria J opened Victoria J’s Hair Salon in Brooklyn two decades ago, she’s solidified herself as a cornerstone in the community where she’s raised her own kids. “The kids in the neighborhood know Victoria J’s as a safe space. All of their parents know me. The neighborhood supports the Brooklyn Youth Pride events that my wife and I produce every year for Brooklyn Pride. As an entrepreneur, I’m extremely proud to have just celebrated the 20th anniversary of Victoria J’s Hair Salon and thrilled to have clients from day one of this journey,” she tells GO. Victoria attended cosmetology school to obtain her license, but she is also a self-taught business owner. As a proud woman and member of the LGBTQ+ community, she has always wanted her work to define her identity. “Being a woman, we always have to work that much harder, and identifying as LGBTQ+ tends to add another layer. We have to show that none of that matters. I’m good at what I do. I’m a professional. I want to see you succeed as well as myself, so before you know that I’m LGBTQ+, you will know that I’m good at what I do,” she shares. In the future, Victoria J hopes to become an educator and acquire a larger space so she can share her knowledge with fellow locticians. “I never understood why other hair technicians would gatekeep. I love showing and explaining to clients about their hair regimen and teaching them things that they never knew about their own hair,” says Victoria. –AL

Remy Drabkin

By the time she was eight years old, Remy Drabkin had discovered her calling. Her parents’ friends were winemakers, and she couldn’t resist getting dirty in their cellars and riding on tractors. By 14, Drabkin was working harvests in Willamette Valley. “As I became an adult, that passion expanded to the process of growing the fruit, the harvest decisions, the challenge, and the reward,” Drabkin tells GO. “Also, I make really good wine!” The Oregonian traveled the globe honing her craft, before returning to hometown McMinnville where she opened Remy Wines in 2006. Today, she grows northern Italian varieties on a 29-acre property and also cultivates safe and celebratory LGBTQ+ havens. Flexing the business toward positive impacts, she co-founded Wine Country Pride and hosted the world’s first Queer Wine Fest. Drabkin made Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 list of industry visionaries. She was named one of Wine’s Most Inspiring People by Wine Industry Advisor last year, and made the Groundbreaking Women list in Worth Magazine. Did we mention she was also the first woman and queer-identified person elected mayor of McMinnville? “Begrudgingly, I’ll say that working in agriculture, the way I present myself in the world hasn’t been a cake walk,” Drabkin says. “But my specialty is transforming situations, whether that’s grapes into wine or creating community centers where none existed, and I think I’ve helped transform the wine industry not only by teaching and leading, but by steadfastly living my values and by refusing to show up as anyone other than myself.” –MH

Fortune Feimster

In Fortune Feimster’s latest Netflix comedy special Fortune Feimster: Crushing It, she shares stories about her “romantic” honeymoon and no longer being her mom’s surrogate husband. She says this special is different from the others because “people are seeing a more mature version of me and a more seasoned performer. So much of my comedy is personal. I’m sharing my life and who I am so the audience gets to see that growth.” She is currently in the middle of her national Takin’ Care of Biscuits tour and will be seen this June in season two of the Netflix action-comedy series FUBAR, where she stars alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. And if all that isn’t keeping her busy, she also hosts the popular podcast Handsome with fellow comedians and friends Tig Notaro and Mae Martin; and What A Joke with Papa and Fortune alongside Tom Papa on SiriusXM. Since Handsome launched in August 2023, the podcast has already amassed over 20 million downloads. Fortune says the most rewarding part of her job is being able to be a positive presence. She tells GO, “The fact that the goal of my entire job is to make people laugh is pretty incredible. There is no greater feeling in the world than making someone smile. There’s so much going on in the world right now that we need levity more than ever.” The North Carolina native currently resides in Los Angeles. –SS

Amber Whittington

Amber Whittington is an activist, influencer, and host. Known as AmbersCloset, this content creator extraordinaire started her channel to help others struggling with their identity and to break stereotypes. With videos that speak to LGBTQ+ topics, food, fashion, health/exercise, growth, dating/relationships, and politics, Whittington wants to empower everyone through positivity, self love, and self confidence. Her impact has not gone unnoticed. She is the Chair of the LGBTQ+ Commission for the City of West Hollywood, a Stonewall Ambassador, a LAMBDA Legal Board Member, and a United Nations Spotlight Champion. She’s also the recipient of the LGBTQ Creator of the Year Award, LA LGBTQ+ Center Bayard Rustin Award, and recently received the Community Activist Award from Reach LA and the Barbara Jordan Civic Leadership Award from the Better Brothers Council LA. But what matters most to Whittington is seeing the effects her content has had on followers.  “There’s nothing like meeting someone who says, ‘I found your videos when I was young and lost, and you helped me find myself,’ or, ‘You helped me come out,’” she tells GO. Going forward, Whittington hopes to continue being a voice for the communities she represents, but on a larger scale. “Whether that’s hosting a show where I can provide visible, authentic representation or even running for higher office—I’m open to whatever path allows me to make a meaningful impact,” says the former marketing executive and business consultant. “At the end of the day, my goal is to continue uplifting the communities I represent and contribute positivity to humanity as a whole.” –MH

Beanie Feldstein

Beanie Feldstein is a warm and effervescent actress who delivers sharp comedy, dramedy, and emotional depth, and her star rises higher by the day. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is meeting some of my most treasured people in my life while creating something we are deeply proud of,” the star tells GO. She is widely recognized for playing the best friend Julie in the Oscar-nominated film Lady Bird (2017) and Molly in Booksmart (2019), which scored her a Golden Globe nomination. She also starred in the film adaptation of How to Build a Girl, which scored her a lot more than an award. “I met my dream of a wife filming How to Build a Girl and it changed my entire world and heart.” On TV, she is known for playing Monica Lewinsky in Impeachment: American Crime Story, for which she was also a producer. Other TV credits include guest starring on What We Do in the Shadows and Grey’s Anatomy. She’s graced the Broadway stage as Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! and as Fanny Brice in the first revival of Funny Girl. And there’s more to come. Feldstein is slated for a recurring role on the upcoming Hulu season of Only Murders in the Building. Surprise fun fact shared with GO: “I love to tap dance and watch at least one episode of Gilmore Girls every single day.” -MH

Chaya Milchtein

Chaya Milchtein got a job at Sears Auto Center at 18 just to get a paycheck but little did she know, it would turn into a passion. “After working in the automotive industry for a few years, I couldn’t ignore how consistently women and queer folks were being left in the dark. Mechanics often didn’t explain things in accessible ways, and a lot of car owners, especially those from marginalized communities, struggled to trust them because of past negative experiences,” Milchtein shares with GO. After being in the business, a career coach suggested that Milchtein start a new blog, and from there, Mechanic Shop Femme was born. She began teaching classes, eventually gained popularity on TikTok and Instagram, wrote pieces for AAA’s Via Magazine, Parents, and more, and published her first book, Mechanic Shop Femme’s Guide to Car Ownership, last year. Milchtein says the most rewarding aspect of her job is “seeing the shift from confusion to confidence and hearing from people who feel empowered to buy a car or find a trustworthy mechanic.” Looking forward to the future, she hopes to find new ways to support those in her community to find their own space in the world of cars. “Ultimately, my goal is to help people feel more confident and self-reliant in every part of car ownership: from buying and maintaining a car to saying no when unnecessary repairs are pushed,” she says. –AL

Ivy Les Vixens

When Ivy first came out, she found solace at drag shows, but she realized there weren’t many events made for women. That’s why she founded Les Vixens, the largest, longest-running all queer burlesque troupe in the country. “I started creating shows that were for queer women, by queer women, and I haven’t stopped creating spaces, shows, and community for sapphic women since. Representation is so powerful, so needed, and I’ve dedicated my entire life to making it a reality for queer women,” Ivy shares. The most rewarding aspect of her work is seeing queer women feel “seen, understood, prioritized, and watching the community flourish.” It’s what keeps Ivy going. “It’s so beautiful it makes me cry, and motivates the hell out of me to keep the glitter grind going strong,” she says. Ivy’s work-life balance is crucial to her, but she wants to incorporate more of her life into her work. “As a person, I shake ass on a Saturday night and then Sunday I’m in my yard, journaling and drinking tea. I want to bridge that same dichotomy within the events and spaces I’m creating. While we’re doubling down on our nighttime shows and club nights, I’m also working on more non-alcohol-centric, less nightclub-dependent events for the community,” Ivy tells GO.  “I do everything I do, getting on stages in front of hundreds of people, being on the mic, dancing until the sun comes up, completely sober,” she adds. “And I want to show people you can be living a sparkly, exciting, sexy, fun life without substances.” –AL

Toshi Reagon

Toshi Reagon grew up surrounded by the music of her mom—singer, composer, scholar, activist Bernice Johnson Reagon, and a community of aunts and uncles who were Civil Rights Activists. She loved music, but at the age of seven she was determined to be the first woman football player in the NFL. When she was 12, she had a sports-related injury that took away her ability to run. After hearing the news, she told her mom that she would be a musician. Her mom told her to learn how to produce herself so she wouldn’t have to wait for someone else to decide she was worthy of being seen and heard. Reagon is an award-winning singer, composer, and producer whose work is centered in congregation. Since she was 17, she has been a producing partner in almost everything she has done—everything from concerts to festivals, movie scores, recordings, musicals, and the opera Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower. Her next musical, entitled You’re Having Too Much Fun So We’re Gonna Have to Kill You, is being workshopped in venues throughout NYC and beyond. If you like to sing, look out for her Songs of the Living Community Choir Pop Ups. –SS

Jessica Kellgren-Fozard

When Jessica Kellgren-Fozard was growing up, most portrayals of queerness or disability were more depressing than empowering. “I wanted to show that you can be gay, and you can be disabled, and still live a life full of joy,” says the popular British YouTuber, known on social platforms as @Jessicaoutofthecloset. Jessica is acclaimed for unique, engaging content on fashion history, vintage style, and LGBTQ+ life and for the warmth, humor, and positivity she brings to conversations around representation and accessibility. “You can fall in love, get married, travel, have a career, and love fashion,” she tells GO. “You can have a full, well-rounded life—not just endure it.” Jessica lives with her wife Claudia, son Rupert, and two adorable dogs. She is deaf and lives with chronic illnesses, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). “The most rewarding part of this journey has been hearing from others who say I’ve made a difference in their lives. Knowing that something I’ve shared can positively impact someone else’s journey is humbling.” In times of adversity, Jessica remembers the words of her grandparents who lived through WWI: “There will be good years and bad years,” rather than good days and bad days. “That perspective really helped me,” she says. “I remind myself that a tough patch doesn’t last forever…there’s always a chance for things to turn around as long as we keep pushing forward. It’s all about persistence and believing that better days are ahead.” –MH

Jamie Issuh

“As an artist, I hope to push the boundaries of what concerts and live experiences can be,” says Jamie Issuh, who’s produced, directed, and designed everything from touring concerts to community events, to music videos and art installations. “I want to create immersive spaces that don’t just entertain but invite people into something deeper: experiences infused with wonder and joy, spaces that encourage reflection and healing.” But navigating the white male-dominated live entertainment industry hasn’t been easy. “Early in my career, earning respect felt like an uphill battle,” Issuh tells GO. “I often felt the pressure to prove myself in every room, to mold myself into the image of what authority was supposed to look like. In doing so, I made myself smaller, softening the edges of my femininity, my Koreanness, my queerness, to fit a version of leadership that was never designed for me.” As her career progressed, Issuh, whose clients and collaborators include Walt Disney Imagineering, Tyler Childers, Aerosmith, and Asian Mental Health Project, began to see her differences as “my greatest strengths,” she says. “And the more I embrace myself, the more I find myself in spaces that are actually pushing the status quo—reshaping the industry in ways that feel exciting, necessary, and long overdue.” Issuh’s vision for herself going forward? “I want my work to spark genuine connection, to remind people that they belong, that they are seen, and that there is magic in simply being here.” –LE

Chloe Star

Persian and Indigenous singer, songwriter, visual artist, and tribal advocate Chloe Star proved her power as soon as she debuted in 2023. Over the past year, Chloe has graced the stages of renowned festivals and events, including Dinah Shore, Girls in Wonderland, the Out & Abt Queer Festival, San Diego Pride, and Corning, NY, Pride Festival, as well as three sold-out shows in London, UK. Her music is heavily influenced by her childhood, which was split between Los Angeles and her family’s reservation in San Bernardino. Star developed an interest in writing at a young age, which eventually grew into a passion for songwriting. “As a child, I found journaling to be an essential outlet for my emotions, especially because I struggled to express myself verbally. Writing down my thoughts allowed me to make sense of my feelings and connect with my inner world,” Star shares with GO. “As I grew older, I began turning my journals and poetry into songs, which became an even more powerful form of self-expression.” Star says making a connection with her fans through her music feels like magic. When she’s on stage and the crowd is singing along with her songs, those are the moments that make her career feel so rewarding. “Growing up, I often felt misunderstood, and music was the one thing that made me feel seen and heard…My hope is that my music can offer others the same sense of connection and empowerment that music has always given me,” Star says. –AL

Aliyah Wallace

When Aliyah Wallace created AW Exclusives, she wasn’t only starting a brand. She formed a creative rebellion against fast fashion and a celebration of individuality. Since launching in June 2020, AW Exclusives has been dedicated to making fashion that’s bold, queer, and community-driven, and Wallace has been feeling the love. “The most rewarding aspect of my work has been seeing how much people connect with what I create, whether it’s a custom piece that makes someone feel truly seen, or an event that brings queer folks together in a space where they can just exist and express themselves freely. Knowing that my art helps others feel confident, affirmed, and part of a community is what keeps me going,” Wallace tells GO. Based in Denver, she also runs Artists In Sync, a creative collective that hosts monthly art events for LGBTQ+ folks and allies. This venture has inspired her to continue to create spaces that are rooted in creativity, connection, and showing up as your full self. She says, “One of my biggest dreams is to open a community space in Denver that brings together everything I’m passionate about: art, fashion, mutual support, and joyful queer connection. I want to create a home base for events, pop-ups, workshops, and healing that feels safe, expressive, and collaborative. I hope to continue making work that helps people feel seen and celebrated, while uplifting others along the way.” –AL

Nickole Brown

Nickole Brown is an award-winning poet and author and an MFA graduate, who also studied at Oxford University and once worked as an editorial assistant for the infamous Hunter S. Thompson. Today, she volunteers at local animal sanctuaries and writes as both an act of protection for those creatures and a challenge to the pastoral literary tradition that shut her out in working-class Kentucky. Most recently, the Asheville, NC-based Brown has donned a new title: President of the Hellbender Gathering of Poets, an annual festival that will kick off in 2026, and, Brown tells GO, “an organization that aims to nurture a community hellbent on finding the words to protect and repair our climate-changed world.” Hellbender was born when Brown stepped into a leadership role of South Florida’s Palm Beach Poetry Festival. “I envisioned the next iteration as a celebration, not only of poetry’s artistry but also its ability to move people to empathy and action…a joyful rising,” says Brown, a Fellow of the Black Earth Institute who also teaches each summer at the low-residency MFA program at Sewanee School of Letters in Tennessee. “To me, cultivating joy, even while moving through the unbearable sorrow and grief of this time, is very much about resistance, resilience, and ultimately survival.” A surprising fact about Brown? “I’m more than a bit obsessed with cicadas and could nerd out with you for hours about their life cycle,” she says. “Those loudly singing, absolutely harmless insects have been abiding symbols for me since I was a kid and sound to me just like home.”  –LE

Liz Lambert

“I feel incredibly lucky to spend a lot of time dreaming and creating and thinking about how to bring beauty to life in different ways,” says Liz Lambert. Two decades ago, the Austin-based former attorney kicked off her hospitality career by transforming a rundown inn into the boutique Hotel San Jose while simultaneously opening Jo’s Coffee with her brother. She then founded Bunkhouse Group, where she led a team in creating, repurposing, and managing hotels, and in 2021 became a partner at MML Hospitality, focusing on hotel projects, company culture, and creative design. “Hotels are like musical instruments—you can make a really beautiful one, but it doesn’t fulfill its purpose until humans interact with it,” says Lambert, who also co-leads concept and interior design at Lambert McGuire Design and is the founder of wholesale and retail company Far West. “Everyone from the person who makes your drink to the musician playing on stage to the humans who have come from near and far to occupy the space for a while—they are all part of a specific magic, a moment that can never quite be recreated.” Lambert has experienced setbacks and adversity, but she presses on with the wisdom of her predecessors. “I think the two quotes that have always kind of resonated for me are ‘don’t let the bastards get you down’—the late, great Kris Kristofferson—and ‘don’t break your tenderness’ [from] Jack Kerouac,” she says. “It’s a revolutionary act to stay soft in a hard world.” –LE

Kristen Ford

“Embracing myself—queer, biracial, a woman who sometimes gets ‘bathroom policed’ or misgendered—it’s everything to me,” says Kristen Ford. “In my early years of songwriting I would [try to] squeeze into some box. I now find it incredibly freeing to be myself.” The singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has released a remix of her rallying-cry single “White Man’s Dream,” inspired by her own experiences as a working musician living in Nashville and touring worldwide. Ford, who’s now based in Los Angeles, has opened for Melissa Ferrick, Kris Delmhorst, and Ani DiFranco—the latter co-produced Ford’s forthcoming album, Pinto, on her Righteous Babe Records label, and co-wrote songs with Ford. “I saw [her] play live when I was 15 and had an epiphany that’s what I wanted to be,” says Ford. “Ani has always been a trailblazer.” DiFranco made an impact on young Ford’s identity, along with an iconic queer film. “I watched that makeout scene in But I’m a Cheerleader so many times as a teenager,” Ford confesses. As a rising star herself, she’s grateful to predecessors like Brandi Carlile and Chappell Roan “for making it so big and mainstream while waving the rainbow banner,” as well as her own community for ongoing opportunities.“I love my LGBTQ community and 90% of my big breaks have come from women and the queer community,” Ford tells GO. “I have a lot of great guys in my life, but it’s undoubtedly our own community who have nurtured and lifted me up.” –LE

Nicole Carlotti

When Nicole Carlotti’s mother died, she was seventeen years old. “At the time, I could only find one book with a character I could relate to,” Carlotti tells GO. “This fueled my passion for writing pieces to help teens through critical times in their lives.” She crushed it with her debut YA novel, My Not So Perfect Crush—a joyful coming-of-age (and coming out) story that takes off when high schooler, Dani, feels sparks fly after brushing up against fellow cheerleader, Jaz. It’s a celebration of friendship, first love, and honoring your truth. “The opportunity to positively affect even just one person’s life makes writing worth it to me,” the author says, reflecting on the time a reader shared that she came out to her friends after reading Carlotti’s book. “I want each of my pieces to be a helpful resource for teens.” The writer also volunteers with Point Foundation, which provides scholarships to LGBTQ+ and ally students. When not reading or writing, this millennial mom takes dance classes through Dance Again with a former backup dancer of Britney Spears (a close second to her childhood dream of being a backup dancer for Britney). Carlotti resides in Brooklyn with her wife, daughter, and their cat Junie, who has also been featured in GO. She is excited to continue writing young adult stories inspired by her lived experiences, with a focus on queer characters. –MH

Dr. Marci Bowers

Dr. Marci Bowers chose to become an OB/GYN because it combined primary patient care and artistic skills as a specialty, but as her career progressed, becoming a specialist in gender-affirming surgeries chose her. She is a true pioneer in her field. In over three decades, she became the first U.S. surgeon to learn the technique of functional clitoral restoration after Female Genital Mutilation/cutting (FGM/c) and the first woman to perform gender-affirming bottom surgery in the world. To date, she has delivered over 2,000 babies and performed more than 2,540 primary MTF Vaginoplasties and 3,900 gender-affirming surgeries overall. She has shared her expertise and empathy all over the world with her groundbreaking 2006 television series, Sex Change Hospital, and her work teaching Clitoral Restoration to surgeons in Nairobi, Kenya through her Marci Foundation. As a prominent figure in trans healthcare, Dr. Bowers believes that education is the best path to acceptance. Dr. Bowers says, “I hope that we can get past 3rd grade biology indoctrination as a society and have nuanced, intellectual conversations about gender identity, intersex, trans girls in sports, puberty blockers, and how we embrace the gender diverse community, not kill it or shut it down. There is nothing to fear.” A fun fact: she’s a committed vegetarian who enjoys chopping vegetables to relax after surgery. When asked who has inspired her most, Dr. Bowers tells GO she has so much respect for women who persevere despite facing obstacles. “So rather than narrow my choice to just a few women, I’d say all women. In return, I would hope that all women are proud of the work I’ve tried to do.” –AL

Christine & Kirstie (On Airplane Mode)

Six years ago, while backpacking through Southeast Asia as a queer couple, Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz quickly saw how few resources existed for people like them—travelers who wanted to navigate the world safely and authentically. “We created On Airplane Mode to be more than just a travel guide,” the duo tells GO, “It’s a community and safe space where LGBTQ+ people can ask questions, share experiences, and feel empowered to explore the world without fear.” @onairplanemode creates unique storytelling content that spotlights the intersections of travel across verticals in fashion, entertainment, lifestyle and beauty, and the industry has taken notice. They were the first queer couple featured on National Geographic Travel, were invited to the Democratic National Convention, earned a Creator of the Year nomination at the Bessie Awards, and were named Creator Couple of the Year by GayCities. More than accolades, the LGBTQ+ travel and lifestyle creators have a simple goal: to show that love, adventure, and joy belong to everyone. It hasn’t been easy in a male-dominated industry, but resilience is at the heart of everything they do. “We’ve had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously [but] every setback has fueled our determination to prove people wrong. We remind ourselves why we started, lean on our community for support, and use every challenge as an opportunity to push forward.” –MH

Fancy

“Very early on I realized my ability to influence, lead, and connect,” says Fancy. “I truly enjoy people and using my natural gifts to help people follow their dreams.” The New York-based business consultant, brand strategist, renowned event curator, and sought-after speaker—who’s been recognized by Forbes for her skills in helping businesses survive and thrive—began her career working for others, but realized stepping out on her own could have a greater, more positive impact. “I have worked for many big brands in leadership roles and, although I appreciate the knowledge those companies have afforded me, I realized what I was doing for those companies, the astronomical success and results, I could do for myself and truly help others.” Fancy builds businesses, brands, and bespoke events, emphasizing Black culture, connection, and community. Perhaps most significantly, she builds relationships. “The most rewarding aspect of my work has been the incredible networking opportunities,” she says. “I have met so many amazing women along the way. These encounters have created friends, mentors, and long-lasting support that has been instrumental in my success.” How does Fancy handle adversity? “It honestly propels me forward,” she tells GO. “I’m female, Black, and lesbian, so I’ve heard it all. I’ve learned to not let things discourage me. I celebrate the small wins and short term goals I crush, that will eventually lead to my long term goals.” –LE

Keeana Kee

Her track “GODDESS” has become a fierce, unapologetic Pride anthem and her debut single “Coconut Rum and Coke” earned over a million streams. New York-based singer-songwriter Keeana Kee has taken the scene by storm with music that marries vulnerability to strength, and pop, Latin, and Afropop influences into a unique brand of “Exotic Pop.” “Music has always been the most natural way for me to express what I feel, especially the emotions that are hard to say out loud,” the Latvian-born artist tells GO. “I didn’t choose music as much as it chose me. Creating songs allows me to speak truth, heal and connect with others on a deep level.” For Kee, being able to create something in vulnerability that has the power to become a source of comfort for someone else is everything. “Music isn’t just entertainment. It’s a bridge between people who may never meet but deeply understand each other,” she says. Kee is joyful about her lesbian identity: “It has shaped everything—from the stories I tell to the way I tell them. There’s a depth and complexity to navigating the world as a queer woman and I pour that into my work.” With persistence and heart, Kee has learned to turn rejection into redirection and to trust that setbacks are part of the path. “My resilience often comes from the same place my music does—from emotions I refuse to let silence me. I remind myself why I started and keep going, even when it’s hard.” –MH

Meekie “Meek” Young

“Being a woman and identifying in the LGBTQ+ community has been my superpower,” says Meekie “Meek” Young. “It is really liberating when your job is to be yourself. I’m making veteran queer Black mompreneurs and barbers look good in the city of dreams.” A SoHo-based queer veteran, visual artist, educator, and designer, Young is the founder of Groomed Guys, a grooming service and experience that redefines access to high-touch self-care. Groomed Guys serves tech innovators, finance professionals, and creative professionals, and strives to meet each client where they are, both physically and culturally. “We’re not just grooming hair; we’re shaping how people show up in the world,” says Young, who was recently featured on The Tamron Hall Show. Meek was on-set for the GAP x HFR collaboration, collaborated with Genius Raps for 50 years of hip-hop, and has an ongoing wellness partnership with Wieden+Kennedy New York. “Knowing that Groomed Guys can be the reason someone feels ready to walk into an interview, a date, or just their day with pride—that’s everything to me.” Going forward, Young envisions Groomed Guys as a national brand “that sets a new standard for inclusive, mobile self-care—one rooted in community, culture and wellness,” she tells GO. She also hopes to mentor other queer entrepreneurs who may not see themselves in the current landscape. “My vision is one where visibility isn’t performative, but powerful—and where wellness doesn’t have to wait for a special occasion.” –LE

Dr. Caitlin Takahashi

From a young age, Caitlin Takahashi felt a calling to help others. After volunteering in high school, she realized she wanted to literally heal with her own hands. Today, Dr. Takahashi is a Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellow at Keck Hospital of USC and a Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy. She’s pursuing advanced specialty training in one of the most demanding fields in medicine,  where women make up less than 10% of practicing surgeons and visible LGBTQ+ people, even fewer. “There’s no sugarcoating it,” Dr. Takahashi tells GO. “Being a woman and mother in surgery, and especially in Cardiothoracic surgery, is a battle in itself. Add being LGBTQ+ to the mix, and you’re often walking a road with no visible footsteps ahead of you.” But that challenge only fuels her drive. “I refuse to let the absence of representation deter me; instead, I aim to be the representation.” For this surgeon, wife, and mom, “authenticity is not a liability, it’s a superpower.” Being out and proud has propelled her forward with greater empathy, courage, and a community that lifts her high. Dr. Takahashi is committed to being an unwavering advocate for those she serves. “There’s no greater reward than seeing a patient who once fought for their life walk out of the hospital doors and knowing I played a part in that victory,” Dr. Takahashi says. “Being able to honor that trust, to help restore life, hope, and a future for someone, is a privilege I’m grateful for every single day.” –MH