100 Women We Love: Class of 2022

What has been the most rewarding aspect of Lea DeLaria’s career, other than the attention it earns her from the ladies? “That I have been able to do everything I do everywhere in the world without ever having been in the closet, or compromising my butchness,” the comedy legend tells GO. Since starting in stand-up in 1982, DeLaria has been unapologetic about who she is. And though finding success in an industry that isn’t known for rewarding butch lesbians is no small feat, DeLaria sure makes it look easy. She was the first openly gay comic to perform on television back in 1993. Her television credits include Orange is the New Black, Shameless, Law and Order: SVU, and Broad City, just to name a few. A celebrated jazz singer, she has performed at numerous prestigious venues including the Newport Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, and the Royal Albert Hall, and has released six jazz records. She currently plays ‘Queenie’ on Hulu’s Reprisal; is the voice of Molly Yarnchopper on Netflix’s animated series, Kipo and the Age of the Wonder Beasts; and can be seen on Broadway in the show, POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, currently playing at the Shubert Theater. As an out woman in the entertainment industry she’s encountered no shortage of setbacks, but fortunately DeLaria has the perfect platform: “I talk about all of it on stage,” she says. “I endeavor to never allow a moment’s peace for the assholes who try to keep us down.” –AB

Inspired by global bath culture and the need for queer- and trans-centered wellness spaces, Jackie Aude (l) and Paula Wegman founded hotbox mobile sauna—an inclusive refuge on wheels featuring a wood-burning sauna that offers much-needed respite and relaxation. As the first mobile sauna in NYC (complete with an outdoor shower built by their friend, “handy ma’am” Katie Whitaker), the sweaty sanctuary is an LGBTQ+-friendly space open to all. “We wanted to create a healthy, fun, accessible, and safer space for folks, especially our queer and trans family, to gather and connect,” they tell GO. Partners in business and in life, Aude and Wegman created their traveling sauna to be a safe, welcoming space where people can connect for conversation and self-care. The pair partner with other NYC-based small businesses to host monthly res- idencies throughout the city for folks to make meaningful connections, offer mutual support, or just spend time relaxing and sweating away the stresses of the day. Though COVID put a damper on hotbox mobile sauna for the past couple of years, Aude and Wegman have recently re-opened their pop-up sauna doors to small groups. They’re currently planning sauna events, gatherings, and collaborations with community members for the fall. Despite pandemic-related setbacks, the demand for hotbox mobile sauna is booming. “We’re planning on building another, slightly smaller mobile sauna to help expand capacity and pop-ups all around New York,” the couple says. So pop in for a sweat session or a heart-to-heart chat with a friend or stranger the next time hotbox mobile sauna rolls into your neighborhood. –LC

Donna Loring has been many things in her lifetime: a Vietnam veteran; a Maine state legislator; an Indigenous Persons advocate. “The various paths I have chosen, I chose out of necessity,” she tells GO. Like many of the Penobscot Tribe of Maine, Loring left at age 18 to join the military, where she served in the Women’s Army Corps and in Vietnam — an experience that shaped her philosophy regarding advocacy for Indigenous Persons. “The most important lesson I learned while serving in Vietnam was that it was easier to kill the enemy if you dehumanized them,” she says. “I was not going to let the state government dehumanize us.” Since then, she has worked to make visible Maine’s Native tribes, known collectively as the Wabanaki, meaning People of the Dawnland. She served as Police Chief for the Penobscot Nation, the first woman police academy graduate to serve as a police chief in Maine; as the first and only female Director of Security at Bowdoin College; and as a member of the Maine legislature from 1999 to 2008. In the latter capacity, she authored and sponsored an act to make the teaching of Native American history a requirement in Maine’s public schools and, in 2002, organized the first “State of the Tribes Address,” in which the Tribal Chiefs addressed the Maine State Legislature publicly for the first time in the state’s history. Now, Loring hosts the radio show Wabanaki Windows at WERU Community Radio in East Orland. “The vision,” she explains, “is for the State of Maine to recognize the Tribes and Tribal Sovereign Governments and treat them as such.” Loring has worked for 40 years to see this vision become reality. –AB

Michele Rayner made history in 2020 when she was elected as the first openly queer Black member of the Florida Legislature. As a civil rights and social justice attorney, Rayner is no stranger to advocating for underserved communities. In fact, she has dedicated her life to fighting for justice and has established herself as an exemplary leader in the pursuit of equitable change. Growing up, Rayner’s parents set a laudable example of what it means to be a community leader. Watching her parents work tirelessly for underserved communities inspired Rayner’s career. “My family has a history of serving our community, breaking barriers, and holding public office,” she tells GO. “That type of demonstrative leadership has influenced my advocacy and commitment to transformative change.” With an indomitable drive for equity and a passion for serving others, Rayner is filing for reelection to the state’s legislature. She aspires to take on the system that has been designed to put people of color at a disadvantage, with plans to advance legislation that addresses disparities in income, education, voting rights, and health both in her community and throughout the country. “I have a vision of our country living up to the promises of all of us being created equal,” she says, “and having justice for all.” –LC

“Growing up gay in conservative Kentucky meant grow- ing up with an obscured mirror,” actor Jen Tullock reflects. “I didn’t know what other versions of myself looked like.” Tullock, a versatile character actor most recently seen in Apple TV+’s Severance, got her start by performing in the evangelical church of her youth, before leaving the faith entirely as a teen. Though lack of representation was a definite issue, Tullock says, it also worked to her benefit. “When you see yourself and the feelings that occur to you naturally represented constantly in media and society at large, your imagination doesn’t have to compensate for what your future will look like,” she tells GO. “Because I didn’t have that litmus, it was up to me to craft my own hypothetical future happiness.” Tullock’s career as a writer and performer has taken her many places, from the Chicago and New York stages to the viral short film Red Light, to gigs at Funny or Die and Huffington Post’s “Queer Voices,” and to the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where she co-wrote and starred in the dramedy Before You Know It, alongside Alec Baldwin, Mandy Patinkin and Judith Light. Thanks to “incredible friends, a stocked fridge, and a therapist so expensive I’ve had to remortgage my Subaru,” Tullock shows no signs of slowing down, and she still draws on her evangelical background. “I think that early sense of longing and fantasy-building has helped me dissolve the emotional ramparts around my work,” she says. “It lets me say ‘f*ck it, there is no polite way to tell truth. The important thing is that it’s true at all.’” –LE

“While I could never have presumed to dream that one day this queer little mixed-race girl from rural England would be responsible for the Sundance Film Festival, I have always been drawn to people who are trying to make sense of the world,” says Tabitha Jackson. As the first out and first Black woman to direct the legendary event, she strives to make it a uniting force for all. “My whole career has been focused on working with filmmakers and artists who have some- thing to say, are finding new voices, experiences, and languages and creative forms through which to say it, and are CONNECTING with audiences so that someone gets to hear it,” she tells GO. Jackson has long believed in the power of the arts for public good: she has more than 25 years of experience in the field, serving as head of Arts and Performance at London’s Channel 4 Television before joining the Sundance Institute in 2013 as Director of the Documentary Film Program. Now as Festival Director, Jackson occasionally merges work and home life: in 2020, she married her now-wife Kirsten Johnson at Sundance. When asked how being a woman on the LGBTQ+ spectrum has impacted her work, Jackson answers, “It’s more that my work has impacted me. Understanding how independent film can offer both windows and pathways to greater understanding, which, over time, can lead to cultural change, which leads to legislative change, is immensely powerful.” –LE

As a student of history, anthropologist Ayana Omilade Flewellen appreciates every artifact she finds on an archaeological excavation. “Every button, piece of ceramic, bead, glass fragment,” they tell GO, “holds someone’s story.” As an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Stanford University (starting July 2022) and co-founder and current president of the Society of Black Archaeologists, her research focuses on Black Feminism, historical archeology, identity formation, and memory. She is also on the board of directors of Diving With a Purpose, which conserves and preserves sub- merged artifacts associated with the African Diaspora. It began with an undergraduate class at the University of Florida, “Archaeology of African American History and Culture.” “When I saw that class was available,” Flewellen explains, “my first thought was that I would have the chance to unearth the objects I used to spend hours in museums looking at. That really intrigued me, that idea of holding history.” Flewellen has been featured in National Geographic, Science Magazine, PBS, and CNN, and often presents her work at institutions like Stanford, Harvard, and the National Museum for Women in the Arts. Flewellen has always loved using her hands, whether holding his- tory or creating something beautiful. As a kid, she would make different crafts with her mother while watching Star Trek. “Today,” they say, “I create adornments mainly for myself, to always keep my creative side flowing.” –AB

Natasha Jahchan, like many in the LGBTQ+ community, knows there are far too few queer and lesbian spaces to gather. “I felt like I had a duty to do something about it,” she tells GO. “We deserve better.” Using her knowledge and skillset as a user experience designer, Jahchan created Velly, a social initiative that makes it easier to find local lesbian and queer happenings. Jahchan is a first-generation Lebanese immi- grant and lesbian who recognizes the diversity that makes up the LGBTQ+ community. “We contain multitudes of identities, races, ethnicities, beliefs, backgrounds, and interests, and we deserve that diversity in our spaces and our social platforms,” she says. As she develops the Velly app, Jahchan is intentional about reflecting the community’s diversity, and is purposeful about creating something that makes every- one feel a sense of belonging. “I want to make it easier to access each other both digitally and physically so we can create the world we want to see ourselves,” she says. “My hope is to launch something that helps people find their people.” While Jahchan and her co-founder build the app, she posts events on Velly’s Instagram to help event organizers, community leaders, and activists reach a wider audience and boost awareness of these happenings, so more people in the LGBTQ+ community can make meaningful connections. “From the start that’s all I wanted,” she says, “for people to feel welcomed and like they belonged.” –LC

“Our world is so richly weird,” says Wednesday Martin. The cultural critic and author of books like Untrue: Why Nearly Everything We Believe About Women, Lust, and Infidelity is Wrong and How the New Science Can Set Us Free has been fascinated by society’s inner workings since reading Margaret Mead’s Coming of Age in Samoa as a child. “Eventually it came out that Mead was queer, and also likely part of a throuple,” Martin tells GO. “Learning about her blew my mind, and set me on a path, both personally and professionally.” Martin’s work in anthropology, which she honed at the University of Michigan before earning a Doctorate in Cultural Studies at Yale, goes far beyond monitoring recent trends: for example, with female non- monogamy, which has been observed in cultures world-wide. “I’m not just saying, ‘You’re normal, this is a thing people [have done] in Brooklyn for the last 15 years,’” Martin clarifies. “I am marshaling data from different disciplines to show people that yes, they are in fact normal, and marshaling the scientific [literature] to help them understand why they want what they want and feel what they feel.” It’s a lot of effort, Martin admits, but she relishes “taking the things I struggle with, whether it’s how to survive all the hatred we feel toward stepmothers, or dealing with female competition, or having a hard time with monogamy, and turning it into a book…and then hearing from other people that my writing helped them.” Since facing judgment as the daughter of atheists in a religious town in the 1970s, Martin understands how her identity informs her work. “I think my gender and my sexuality helped me feel a very deep identification with all people on the wrong side of power.” –LE

“My commitment to public service started when I became a caregiver for my mother, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease for eight years,” Crystal Hudson tells GO. Through her lived experience caring for her mother, Hudson saw firsthand how difficult it is for families to navigate the system to get the services, resources, and support they need. Armed with an impassioned drive to make local government resources more accessible to those who face barriers, Hudson ran for New York City Council in 2021. She made history as one of the first out gay Black women ever elected in NYC, and currently serves as Council Member for District 35 in Brooklyn. “It’s been incredible serving my neighbors and community members, and providing real, tangible change for those who need it most,” she says. Hudson is committed to prioritizing equitable resources, such as affordable housing, food security, community safety, and education, for the most marginalized communities in NYC, including Black and Brown folks, working people, immigrants, people liv- ing with disabilities, youth, older adults, and the LGBTQ+ community. She draws on the strength of her ancestors to push forward in her work and advocate for the most marginalized groups. “I know that my own legacy stands on the shoulders of so many Black women who came before me—and our contemporaries who fight for dignity and justice every day,” Hudson tells GO. “I channel the energy of my ancestors who continue to guide me in my work. I know I am their wildest dreams.” –LC

“As a public artist, I have this amazing opportunity to make a statement that thousands of people will see,” Sam Kirk tells GO. When Kirk was young, her family moved around to a variety of Chicago neighborhoods, which inspired her fascination with the human experience and informed her own identity as a biracial queer woman. Now her award- winning multidisciplinary art, which includes 2D and 3D works, fabricated and experiential spaces, and over 60 murals and installations all over the world, continues to explore how life’s experiences affect personhood. “When I was a teenager, I used [art] as a tool to navigate my identity and explore how to communicate about it,” says Kirk, whose first children’s book, The Meaning of Pride with author Rosiee Thor, was released in April. “The value I found during those moments continues to be a key element in my practice as a visual storyteller.” As a woman on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, Kirk relishes the opportunities to think creatively. “In many ways [my identity has] forced me to create a path that is very non-traditional in an industry that loves prerequisites and standards,” she says. “I’ve avoided playing by the rules and created my own route.” Kirk’s route now includes collaborations with well-known brands, higher education institutions, non-profits and cities, and features in O Magazine, Forbes, and Travel + Leisure. A surprising fact about the Chicago-based artist: “I’m afraid of heights, but l have this crazy desire to paint multi-story murals,” she confesses. “The bigger the better!” –LE

“The mountains have always been my jam,” Erin Parisi tells GO. “They contain all of the elements for an incredible workout, a simple day of meditation, an escape from reality, or a life-changing experience.” Parisi is on a quest to reach all Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. When she completes her mission, she’ll be the first known trans woman to accomplish such a feat. An experienced climber, backcountry skier, and mountain biker, Parisi always felt most at home in the outdoors before she transitioned. She feared she’d lose the same access afforded to her pretransition, but instead of letting fear hold her back, she’s become a trailblazer. Now, she embraces her identity loudly and proudly—from the top of the world. Parisi is also the Founder of TranSending, a non- profit organization dedicated to the advancement of transgender rights and inclusion in outdoor recreation. “Being a queer woman traveling around the world requires entering countries where women’s rights aren’t yet supported, and where being LGBTQ is against the law,” Parisi says. “Knowing that it’s illegal to be queer in Tanzania, or show a rainbow flag in Russia, makes me adamant that such acts of rebel- lion are necessary to keep the conversation and my rights moving forward.” In addition to reaching the top of all Seven Summits, Parisi hopes to continue advocating for trans folks, supporting trans adventurers, and sharing stories of trans joy in the out- doors. She says, “I hope to tell the joyous truth about life after transition.” –LC

“Growing up, I only saw old, white men in [political] office, and I thought that was a requirement,” Gabriela Santiago-Romero tells GO. “If it wasn’t for leaders like [U.S. Representative] Rashida Tlaib, [State Senator] Stephanie Chang, or my former councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez, I would not have had the guts or confidence that I could do this work.” An immigrant from Mexico and a native of Southwest Detroit, Mich., Santiago-Romero is the first out Latina woman elected to the Detroit City Council, serving District 6. Before this groundbreaking victory, she studied international business at the University of Detroit Mercy and received her Master of Social Work degree from University of Michigan, where she studied Social Policy and Evaluation with a focus on Community and Social Systems. Santiago-Romero has a wealth of experience working with Detroit government and non-profit organizations, including Grand Circus coding school, the Detroit Lions and State Senator Stephanie Chang’s Girls Making Change sum- mer program. In spring 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santiago-Romero ran for Wayne County Commissioner in District 4, challenging a 20- year incumbent, and lost by only 1,200 absentee votes. Now in office, Santiago-Romero strives to engage the community and keep constituents updated through monthly district meetings for residents and political education content on social media, including weekly bilingual council updates. “I ran for this seat to change the status quo and create an inviting, trans- parent, inspiring, and engaging city council,” Santiago-Romero says. “I’m proud to say that our office has been successful in doing that.” What fuels her work? “Love and food.” –LE

Professional softball player Haylie McCleney takes pride in inspiring the next group of female athletes. “I take my responsibility as a role model very seriously,” she tells GO, “and I want to leave the sport of softball in a better position than I found it.” McCleney is well on her way to accomplishing this goal, both on and off the field. The former All-American player from the University of Alabama and eight-time member of Team USA won silver in the 2020 Tokyo Games and currently plays in Athletes Unlimited Softball, a women’s professional league. Off-field, she is the founder of Halo Effect Tour and co- founder of LEAD softball, two youth softball organizations that teach young players about leadership and teamwork. The latter, especially, is important to her. “I want my legacy to be that I was an incredible player, but an even better teammate,” she says. “I believe that’s what separates good players from great players, the ability to uplift others around them to achieve bigger and better things.” In a sport “full of failure,” where even the most successful players main- tain batting averages below .500, having confidence in oneself is paramount. “Each at bat, each moment in life is an opportunity to learn and to grow, and that’s how you have to see it,” McCleney says. “Setbacks are often set-ups for something bigger and better.” A worthy lesson to pass on to players of the next generation. –AB

An avid outdoorswoman and environmentalist, Debra Shore has climbed 42 mountains in Colorado that are more than 14,000’ high. As impressive as that is, Shore’s environmental work is even more admirable. In 2021, President Biden appointed Shore as Regional Administrator for Region 5 in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She is tasked with implementing the Biden-Harris environmental agenda in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 35 Tribal nations. As part of her role, Shore leads restoration and protection of the world’s largest freshwater system as the manager of EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office. Before being appointed to the EPA, Shore served as an elected commissioner on the board of Cook County’s Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, helping to manage the area’s precious freshwater resources. Shore draws inspiration from her volunteer work in habitat restoration in the Cook County Forest Preserves. “I’ve found that [habitat] restoration is a reciprocal act—in working to restore nature, it restores us: our bodies and our spirits,” she tells GO. Witnessing the neglect of these landscapes by those charged with their care propelled her to become politically active and advocate for more resources to support the country’s natural areas. As an out gay woman and elected official, Shore is deeply proud of pushing for policies and practices that are fair and just for all. She says the most rewarding aspect of her work is “being able to make pol- icy changes that directly affect people’s lives—for the better.” –LC

“Like other families, my parents have always been worried about me being a trans woman, because they heard and saw other trans people being discriminated against and experiencing difficulty in life,” Hua Boonyapisomparn tells GO. “Working to pro- mote the well-being and human rights of trans people is to make my parents not worry and to prove to them that I can live as a trans woman, be happy, and make society a better place for all of us.” Boonyapisomparn has helped establish three trans-led organizations locally, nationally, and globally, and currently serves as Vice President of the Thai Foundation Board at Asia Pacific Transgender Network. She is also Project Manager for both the Intersex and Trans Movement Building Project at Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, and the Trans Health Access Thailand (T-HAT) Project. “I believe working in social change is a long-term commitment one must make,” she says. Legal protection, including gender recognition, still doesn’t exist for trans individuals in Thailand and many other countries in the Global South region, and Boonyapisomparn knows involving the next generation is key. “Working with other allies, and building capacity and leadership for young trans activists, are the most practical things that [will] sustain the movement and continue this important work,” she says. As a Buddhist, feminist, and activist, Boonyapisomparn also prioritizes finding calm among the chaos. “When experiencing setbacks and adversity, I will gain my inner strength from practicing simple self-care such as breathing, having a massage, and cooking good food,” she says. “Loving oneself is a necessary act.” –LE

“I started LasReinasNYC for our Latina community because I realized that as large as we were in the scene, we didn’t have venues or bars that catered to us,” Lori Torres tells GO. So Torres decided to fill the gap herself. LasReinasNYC began modestly in 2007, after Torres helped organize a lesbian boat party that was a rousing success: “I sold about 60 tickets for it with one group text,” she recalls. From that experience, she realized that queer Latina/Latinx women really did need a space of their own in which to feel safe and enjoy themselves in their culture. For Torres, the most rewarding aspects of event-planning “are the relation- ships I have built [through] all these years.” She’s even been invited to weddings of individuals who met through her events. Torres hopes to continue to grow the organization, producing large and small events for the LGBTQ+, Latina, and Latinx communities. She also hopes to one day create events for LGBTQ+ youth as well. “I feel our youth lack safe spaces throughout the boroughs in New York,” she explains. “I feel when I was growing up, I didn’t have much [space] and still see the lack of it.” Ultimately, Torres loves creating safe, inclusive spaces for everyone to come together and have a great time, with a goal to spread love and unity. Her motto is simple: “Never let anything stand in your way. Passion goes a long way. If you want something, put in the work and go for it!” –AB

Creative producer Siobhan Fahey is what you’d call an accidental archivist. As a self-described “radical punk dyke” who lived in London during the 1980s, “I realized that our rich culture wasn’t being record- ed or collected,” she tells GO. “If nobody collected it, this history would be lost.” So Fahey gathered together the bits and pieces of ephemera and images from the rebel dyke scene, an archive that would eventually grow into the Rebel Dykes History Project, now housed at London’s Bishopsgate Institute. From that project, she co-created Rebel Dykes with film directors Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams, a critically-acclaimed documentary that showcases the 1980s dyke culture of London’s underground scene. It has screened at over 100 film festivals world-wide, won the Iris Prize for Best Film, and enjoyed a sold-out run in cinemas across the U.K. Fahey not only wants to preserve the rebel dyke culture and inspire others to do the same; she also hopes to bridge the gap between generations within the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s so important for young dykes and older dykes and queers to know each other, to understand each other, to help each other survive,” she says. A former healthcare worker who began her career in film production later in life—she opened her own studio, Riot Productions, after turning 50—Fahey wants to con- tinue telling “hidden stories, dirty tales of the underside of life, of subcultures.” Through her archival work, she has the perfect vehicle. “I am really interested in the potential of archives,” she says, “making it accessible, and using it to reach across generations.” –AB

For Kimberleigh Joy Smith, Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at New York’s Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, observing the effects of the AIDS crisis was pivotal in shaping her approach to healthcare reform. “I watched people with lived experiences take charge and shape the discourse about their own health care and their bodies,” she tells GO. In particular, Smith says, “I was struck when Black, queer communities stepped in and mobilized on behalf of our own communities, fight- ing systemic racism and sometimes even racism within the movement itself.” It’s not only about HIV, either: Smith has witnessed firsthand the abundant flaws in the larger healthcare system, especially where the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities are concerned. “Sometimes it feels like it doesn’t really work for anyone, let alone folx who’ve been marginalized, stigmatized, or cast aside because of our bodies, sexualities, gender identities, or abilities,” she says. For Smith, working in policy and advocacy is a constant balancing act. “The biggest challenge is… not losing sight of the smaller, really important incremental changes we make over time, but also not exhausting and losing oneself in the minutiae of a larger movement or goal,” she reflects. Even on her toughest days, however, Smith takes pride in her work of “creating and sustaining policies, funding, and systems that make healthcare work for every BODY.” As for those who’ve inspired her, Smith says, “I’ve stayed true to my values, and I hope some of my early mentors would be proud.” –LE

In 2008, Linda Lewis provided entertainment to one local Pride celebration. Eleven years later, she facilitated most of the entertainment for WorldPride NYC. Now, Lewis’s Left of Center Productions works with over 100 LGBTQ+ organizations and Pride events worldwide, and the company’s talent roster includes Big Freedia, Vincint, Betty Who, Pabllo Vittar, Leikeli47, Melanie C, RAYE, Rina Sawayama, Alex Newell, Todrick Hall, Shea Diamond, Martha Wash, Deborah Cox and many of the cast members of the hit show Pose. Lewis began her career at a mainstream talent agency, which she tells GO “was a great introduction to how the entire process worked…it connected me to major agencies and the artists they represented.” However, her own favorites were noticeably underrepresented. “I felt that the LGBTQ+ artists and allies that I gravitated to…were not getting the full recognition they deserved,” she says, “so I decided to try and find a way to get these artists to the forefront.” As Founder and CEO of Left of Center Productions, which she runs with her business/life partner Melissa Donovan, Lewis follows three key tenets: a unique roster that includes emerging as well as established LGBTQ+ artists and allies; a keen ear for client needs and goals, as well as respect for their budget; and most importantly, accessibility for all involved at all times. “Most agents book an act and technically, their job is done,” Lewis says. “I want to make sure that everything runs smoothly and it becomes a great experience for both the buyer and the artist who performs there.” Left of Center continues to thrive, despite challenges the industry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. They got through, Lewis says, by “staying positive and being a little ‘left of center.’” –LEIn 2008, Linda Lewis provided entertainment to one local Pride celebration. Eleven years later, she facilitated most of the entertainment for WorldPride NYC. Now, Lewis’s Left of Center Productions works with over 100 LGBTQ+ organizations and Pride events worldwide, and the company’s talent roster includes Big Freedia, Vincint, Betty Who, Pabllo Vittar, Leikeli47, Melanie C, RAYE, Rina Sawayama, Alex Newell, Todrick Hall, Shea Diamond, Martha Wash, Deborah Cox and many of the cast members of the hit show Pose. Lewis began her career at a mainstream talent agency, which she tells GO “was a great introduction to how the entire process worked…it connected me to major agencies and the artists they represented.” However, her own favorites were noticeably underrepresented. “I felt that the LGBTQ+ artists and allies that I gravitated to…were not getting the full recognition they deserved,” she says, “so I decided to try and find a way to get these artists to the forefront.” As Founder and CEO of Left of Center Productions, which she runs with her business/life partner Melissa Donovan, Lewis follows three key tenets: a unique roster that includes emerging as well as established LGBTQ+ artists and allies; a keen ear for client needs and goals, as well as respect for their budget; and most importantly, accessibility for all involved at all times. “Most agents book an act and technically, their job is done,” Lewis says. “I want to make sure that everything runs smoothly and it becomes a great experience for both the buyer and the artist who performs there.” Left of Center continues to thrive, despite challenges the industry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. They got through, Lewis says, by “staying positive and being a little ‘left of center.’” –LE

Dr. Jessica Esquivel has always been drawn to science. As a young girl, she spent hours watching the Sci-Fi Channel with her aunt. She was then inspired to make a career out of her passion after watching Jodie Foster’s character (an astrophysicist) in the film Contact. “Seeing a woman scientist taking charge, leading research, it was fascinating” she tells GO. “I started walking around saying, ‘I’m gonna be an astrophysicist when I grow up!’” Esquivel’s youthful declaration was pretty close to prophetic. Today she is a particle physicist working as an Associate Scientist at Fermilab. She is one of fewer than 100 Black women in the U.S. who have a PhD in Physics. Working in a field historically dominated by white men, Esquivel—an Afro-Latinx neurodivergent lesbian—has dealt with adversity and setbacks just by being vocal and unapologetically true to herself. Her journey into a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career is demonstrative of how important representation is. “That’s one of the main reasons why I was drawn to challenge the idea of who a scientist is, what we look like, and what our jobs consist of,” says Esquivel. She advocates for creating equitable spaces in physics and focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in her community engagement efforts. “It’s important to me that young Black and Brown girls see the representation of scientists that look like them so that they can envision themselves studying the secrets of the universe.” –LC

Chef Deborah VanTrece is heralded as one of the South’s most renowned culinary personalities. The best-selling author and founder of the Atlanta- based VanTrece Hospitality Group is a successful business owner and passionate advocate for social justice for marginalized and vulnerable groups. Her unique approach to creating modern, global soul food is heavily influenced by the three decades VanTrece spent traveling as a flight attendant. Her award-winning soul food restaurant, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, is the perfect representation of what lies at the heart of her cuisine: the intersection of food and culture. The road to success as a chef, restaurateur, and business owner has been paved with many daunting challenges in a fiercely competitive field. “Being a young Black woman in the culinary industry brings an extra level of challenges that other chefs do not have to deal with,” VanTrece tells GO. “You have to work harder and fight to earn your dues, and even then you might not be on even footing with your white counter- parts.” VanTrece never let these obstacles stop her, and is currently channeling her energy into two new restaurants in Atlanta: Serenidad, featuring modern Latin soul food, and Oreatha’s, a tribute to mothers and comfort food around the world. She’s also working on her second cookbook as a follow- up to her 2021 bestseller, The Twisted Soul Cookbook: Modern Soul Food with Global Flavors. VanTrece is motivated by the influential impact she has as a mentor to other chefs of color and women. “Hopefully,” she says, “my journey will make it a lit- tle easier for other young, Black chefs who have high ambition and talent.” –LC

“The two aspects of my work I love the most are connecting with young people and creating resources that impact people’s lives,” says Laura Erickson-Schroth. A psychiatrist, author, and researcher committed to improving mental health in the LGBTQ+ community, Erickson-Schroth is now Chief Medical Officer at The Jed Foundation, a non-profit that partners with high schools and colleges to prevent suicide and protect emotional health among young people, and which previously provided mental health support and crisis intervention to thousands of patients in over 10 emergency rooms in New York City. She continues to see clients at Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQIA+ Youth. “I’ve spent time with hundreds of young queer and trans people as they navigate their identities and relationships,” she tells GO, “and I’ve seen them change and grow into the adults they want to be.” Erickson-Schroth, who uses she/they pronouns, has co-authored the books Gender: What Everyone Needs to Know and “You’re in the Wrong Bathroom,” and 20 Other Myths and Misconceptions about Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People. They also edited the resource guide Trans Bodies, Trans Selves, which she describes as “a one-stop shop for anyone looking to learn about trans identities,” and which was republished in April with new essays and art as well as updated information on medical and legal issues. An avid reader, Erickson-Schroth “[owes] the public library, both NYPL and Brooklyn, a lot of money,” they confess. “Even though they’ve done away with fines, sometimes I keep books long enough that they think I’ve lost them. As my mother likes to say, my eyes are bigger than my stomach.” –LE

“Representation is everything,” Judy Gold tells GO. And she would know. The out comedian with a mile-long resume—standup specials on HBO, Comedy Central and LOGO, roles on everything from Better Things to Girls5eva to the upcoming FLOTUS and City on a Hill, two hit off-Broadway shows, and a best- selling book—has been joking about lesbian parenting since hitting the scene in the mid-90s. “Great comedians speak truth to power, and don’t shy away from who they are, which gives people a palatable way to see the world through another person’s eyes,” she says. Representation, Gold is aware, also has an effect on those who aren’t part of marginalized communities. “I remember a military guy coming up to me after a show in Houston, Texas, to tell me he now understood why gay people wanted to have the right to get married,” she recalls. But Gold, who hosts the podcast Kill Me Now and is one of the subjects of FX’s women-in-comedy documentary Hysterical, especially wants to reach those like her, and show them the sky’s the limit. “I want LGBTQ+ kids to know that YES, you can have it all: a relationship, a family, and a career without compromising exactly who you are,” she says. “I want women to see that we can be loud, brash, opinionated, funny, and still be feminine.” When asked how she deals with setbacks and adversity, Gold’s answer is simple: “I push through it. I continue to create. I take inventory of what is really important. And I never give up.” –LE

Kataluna Enriquez scored a big win for trans visibility when she was crowned Miss Nevada in 2021, and became the first out trans woman to compete in the Miss USA pageant. But despite her success on the pageant circuit, Enriquez admits that she sometimes lacks confidence. “I spent most of my life silent because every time that I spoke, or brought attention to myself, people would have negative opinions and bully me,” she tells GO. Getting involved in pageantry taught Enriquez to break out of these patterns. “When I finally found my missing piece of truth and had the courage to chase my own sense of happiness,” she explains, “part of that was going after things I wanted and needed in my childhood. That’s why I took part in pageantry, because I’ve always wanted to see some- one like me in the media, an empowered, iconic woman.” She hopes to empower others, especially children, to be themselves. While she still struggles sometimes, Enriquez, who speaks four languages, meets every challenge head-on. “I hope to venture my career in more media outlets, whether that’s hosting, reality shows, films, documentaries, fashion,” she says. For Enriquez, being a woman is about more than just how you identify: it means fully embracing all of who you are. –AB

“Every year there is more to do—not less—in the fight for equity and human rights,” Dr. Caitlin Ryan tells GO. Ryan is a well-respected pioneer in the field of LGBTQ+ health, mental health research, and social change. Her contributions as a clinical social worker, researcher and educator have shaped and advanced policy and practice relat- ed to LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse youth. As a teenager in the 1960s, Ryan was inspired by the civil rights and women’s rights movements. “I didn’t have role models as a young lesbian and had to learn to advocate for myself to deal with discrimination and stigma,” she says. Despite her shyness and discomfort with public speaking, she stepped up in the face of adversity and began her life’s work, challenging the systems that put LGBTQ+ adults and youth at risk. “I saw how health care was a deep source of discrimination and neglect,” she says. When she became an organizer in the emerging LGBTQ+ health movement in the ‘70s, Ryan began her illustrious career to advocate for and improve the physical and mental health of LGBTQ+ youth; now, after nearly five decades, Ryan’s research has helped build healthy futures for many. Her work has had an enduring positive effect on how families support their LGBTQ+ children, and the way services are provided across systems of care for the queer community. Dr. Ryan has provided education and training for over 250,000 families, providers, and religious leaders across the globe. –LC

Dr. Jaime M. Grant is no stranger to adversity and discrimination. She was kicked out of her family for being a lesbian. She’s “been fired for being too feminist, too queer… and even too activist.” But that hasn’t stopped Grant from being one of the fiercest advocates for the LGBTQ+ community of our time. Grant came of age in Boston dur- ing the feminist and racial justice movements in the 1980s. In graduate school, she discovered the work the Combahee River Collective did in Boston during the ’70s. “I could see that Black queer feminist theory and practice really held the keys to our collective liberation,” she tells GO. She credits her activist trajectory to her sobriety path, during which time she found strength and solace in others in recovery. “You never have to do ‘diversity outreach’ in recovery,” she says. The community, she says, includes folks from all ages, walks of life, races, and genders who come together to share love, acceptance, and faith. Grant has been working tirelessly for queer and racial liberation for decades. She is an activist and coach, and currently serves as research director for the National LGBTQ+ Women’s Community Survey. Her sexual empowerment workshop, Desire Mapping, has been produced around the world for 15 years. Much of her success and joy, she says, is possible thanks to her queer community. “I’ve grown the most incredible family of queer and trans beloveds I could ever have dreamed of,” Grant says. A sober mother of two, she lives and practices in Washington, D.C. –LC

“My vision is to always be kind and empathetic to everyone I interact with because they might be fighting a battle I know nothing about,” Marcia Bernard tells GO. Bernard knows better than most the battles the LGBTQ+ community faces. As Deputy Executive Director of Operations for The Ali Forney Center, the country’s largest agency dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ homeless youth, she sees the struggles that vulnerable youth face every day. Bernard’s introduction to The Ali Forney Center came 15 years ago in conversation with a friend who worked at the center. “We talked about the struggles Black and Brown young adults face because of their identity, the impact, and the lack of resources available to them,” she says. Eager to provide support, she began her career at the center working with and advocating for LGBTQ+ homeless youth as a Youth Counselor. “I was given the opportunity to interact with the LGBTQ population and it helped me better understand the different issues they are faced with and how to better serve them.” Bernard not only helps young people heal from family rejection and homelessness, she also helps prepare them for independent living. Bernard recognizes the gift that comes from working with an organization where her gender expression is welcome. Knowing that others aren’t afforded this privilege “makes me more committed to giving tools to the [center’s] residents as they go on in the workforce,” she explains. “I strive to create an inclusive environment for the staff and I hope, in their interactions with our residents, that they pass on the message that this should be a right, not a luxury.” –LC

For many queer women, making the pilgrimage to Palm Springs for the Dinah Shore Weekend—“The Dinah”—is a yearly tradition. For others, it’s a once-in- a-lifetime experience. Founder Mariah Hanson launched The Dinah 31 years ago “because I felt our community needed a safe space to gather to celebrate our genuine identity and be able to live our lives out loud without judgment or prejudice,” she tells GO. Though we’ve come a long way in gaining acceptance, many in the LGBTQ+ community still live in a world that forces them to hide who they are. For decades, The Dinah has provided a space for queer women to unapologetically be themselves. Hanson says that this is the most rewarding part of her work: bringing queer women together to live unabashedly loud and proud. Her event gives women the opportunity to step into their power without the patriarchal world weighing them down, even if only for five days. The Dinah, she says, “offers us a glimpse of what life would be if every- one was accepting of each other—no matter the size of their body, the color of their skin, or the tax bracket they belong to.” What began as a small one-night party at the Palm Springs Museum with 1,500 attendees is now the largest queer women-focused event in the world, with over 20,000 attending each year. Hanson has turned The Dinah into a cultural and social phenomenon that brings folks from all walks of life together to celebrate. “Every year I am reminded of the importance of connecting our community together,” says Hanson, “and [of] preserving safe, diverse and inclusive places for our LGBTQIA community to come together.” –LC

“My grandmother set me on this road,” poet and interdisciplinary artist Storme Webber tells GO. It was her grandmother’s “insistence upon joy and creativity [that] made my life possible,” she says. “She taught me how to dream.” Now, Webber, a second-generation Two Spirit and lesbian, has built her life on the creative spirit her grandmother encouraged in her, and she sees a clear connection between family, heritage, and identity. “It was normal for me to be myself, and my Sugpiaq grandmother understood my Two Spirit nature,” Webber explains. “This way of being is traditional. I have always been both female and male, and was allowed to grow the way I was created.” Webber’s identity drives her cross-genre work, mixing poetry, performance, and photography to comment on themes related to decolonization, survival, and liminal identities. For her work, Webber has been awarded residencies from Hedgebrook, Ragdale, and the Banff Arts Centre, and recently, with the James W. Ray Award. She also presented her first solo exhibition, “Casino: A Palimpsest,” at Seattle’s Frye Art Museum. With this platform, Webber wants to spark discussion surrounding history that is often ignored, work which she views as restorative. “The knowledge that the work to honor our fierce yet neglect- ed ancestors is healing our lineage and our future,” she says, is one of the most rewarding aspects of what she does. Going forward, Webber hopes to establish a safe, anti-racist creative haven for those in the Black and Indigenous communities. –AB

Originally from Costa Rica, Mayra Hidalgo Salazar is among the first generation of undocumented youth who publicly shared their stories in order to effect positive immigration reform. “Organizing quite literally saved my life at 17 years old, rerouted me, and helped me heal from the heartbreak of having my life plans deferred indefinitely because of my undocumented status,” Hidalgo Salazar tells GO. As a senior in high school navigating the challenges of being an undocumented queer lesbian in Florida, she was invited to participate in the Florida Immigration Coalition convening and served as the Campaign Manager for the Trail of Dreams, which was a driving force in the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These experiences laid the foundation for her commitment to organizing and advocating for queer, immigrant youth of color. Hidalgo Salazar’s courage to publicly share her story came with obstacles, and at times, fears for her safety and that of her family. “But it also meant I was a part of a movement of undocumented people creating our self-determination, sharing our stories on our own terms, and driving the policy change we needed to live our lives with dignity,” she says. She found strength and support from her community and queer elders who recognized her intrinsic power. “The gift of community in the face of adversity is one of the many gifts organizing gave me.” Hidalgo Salazar is a nationally-recognized expert on immigration issues, and has appeared in numerous publications, including Forbes and The Advocate. She currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force. –LC

Throughout her childhood and teenage years, music had been central to Paula Boggs “until it wasn’t,” the singer/songwriter tells GO. Despite her early devotion to music, Boggs, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, put this passion on hold while pursuing a career in law and business. She spent eight years in the Army, working at both the Pentagon and the White House, and another decade as a lawyer with the Starbucks Corporation. Slowly but surely, music came back into her life. Now, she devotes herself full-time to the Paula Boggs Band, whose mix of jazz and Americana is trademarked as “Seattle- Brewed Soulgrass.” The band has recorded four studio albums. But regardless of what path Boggs finds herself on, in corporate America or on the performance stage, “the most rewarding aspects of my work hinge on the people I get to know, who influence or inspire me and who I get to influence or inspire,” she says. Through all of her endeavors, she also aspires to be a good, kind, caring person, proud to inspire and uplift others with her music. “It’s a lifelong aspiration,” she says. “None of us knows how much time we have on Earth, and if you’re doing it right, you’re never done.” –AB

Mercury Stardust’s rise to fame on TikTok is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Known affectionately as the “Trans Handy Ma’am,” she uses her platform to educate her audience of nearly 2 million about home repairs and maintenance with compassion and empathy. Stardust’s resume is unique. She’s a Professional Home Maintenance Technician, burlesque performer, and award-winning activist. But she doesn’t see these skill sets as divergent. Instead, she says they complement each other: all help folks feel safe and secure. “With burlesque, people come to me as an instructor because they feel safe with me, I help them reclaim their bodies and their beauty. Same with DIY and maintenance,” Stardust tells GO. “I’m helping them reclaim them- selves by developing skills to feel secure in their home.” Sharing her areas of expertise online has been life-changing for Stardust. When working with cisgender men in the past, she wasn’t able to fully embrace who she is. Her online platform allows her to live unapologetically, and her millions of followers are drawn to her authenticity. Stardust plans to create a foundation that would offer classes and workshops for fellow trans folks who have an interest in home maintenance and repairs, and who might not feel safe inviting strangers into their home. “I want to empower people so they don’t have to hide anymore. I want them to feel safe and seen by giving them tools and skills, and empowered to assist other queer people in need.” She credits her queerness and unique life experiences for why her creative solutions resonate with so many. “Diversity of the mind leads to new ways to problem-solve. To me, diversity creates a richer, more beautiful way of living.” –LC

“I was always good at math, statistics and working with data, but I also wanted to do something that made the world a better place,” Naomi Goldberg tells GO. As the deputy director and LGBTQ program director for the non-profit think tank Movement Advancement Project (MAP), Goldberg has found a way to use her analytical skills as a researcher, communicator, and advocate to improve the lives of people in the LGBTQ+ community. Through her work with MAP, Goldberg utilizes research and data to create compelling stories and visualizations to highlight how issues of equality, nondiscrimination, and religious exemptions impact LGBTQ+ people and their families. She partners with progressive organizations throughout the U.S. to advance equality and enact changes that benefit the LGBTQ+ community. Though progress can be slow, Goldberg celebrates every small shift in thinking, every new connection, and every moment her work is used to make an impact and effect changes within existing systems. “These are microscopic ways to bend the arc of justice,” she says. “I see the opportunities ahead of us to continue the deep public education work that changes hearts and minds.” A self-proclaimed chai latte aficionado, Goldberg lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her wife and son. In addition to her work with MAP, Goldberg serves as the LGBTQ liaison to the Ann Arbor mayor’s office, is the vice president for social action at her local temple, and volunteers with the progressive Jewish action group Bend the Arc. –LC

Award-winning journalist and author Linda Villarosa experienced a major setback early in her career. “One of my bosses at the first magazine I worked at out of college told others on staff that I was an affirmative action hire, had no writing tal- ent, and [that they were] not to encourage me,” Villarosa tells GO. “I now get satisfaction when I have a New York Times Magazine story and think of it landing on her doorstep with my name on the cover.” A former executive editor for Essence, Villarosa’s pieces for The New York Times Magazine cover race, inequality and public health. Her 2017 cover story, “America’s Hidden HIV Epidemic,” was given an Excellence in Journalism Award from NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, who inducted Villarosa into their Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2018, Villarosa’s cover story on Black infant and maternal mortality was a finalist for the National Magazine Award, and her 2019 essay on physiological myths based on race was part of The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project. Since then Villarosa has covered race and health disparities in New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Chicago, taught journalism at CUNY and The City College of New York, and penned a book: Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation, which will be released by Doubleday this month. How does she unwind? “My father taught me how to fish when I was a little girl, and I am really into it,” Villarosa says. “I once caught a 175-pound marlin and 42-inch striped bass.” –LE

Growing up in a family full of nurses, Nina Maresca had no plans to become one herself. As a fresh- man in college, she became ill and spent time in the hospital, where “I was able to see firsthand what nurses do. It was the nurses who took care of me, answered all of my questions, checked on me, and made me feel cared for,” she tells GO. Once she was well enough, Maresca returned to college as a nursing major. After graduating in 2006, she began her career as a bedside nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). After earning her Masters of Science in Nursing, she worked as a nurse practitioner in MSK’s intensive care unit before transitioning to the postanesthesia care unit, which has been her passion ever since. “Providing excellent patient care has always been the most rewarding aspect of what I do,” she says. Maresca graduated with her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2016 and five years later, was promoted to Advanced Practice Provider Manager, a leadership role that involves overseeing the nurse practitioners and physician assistants for three of MSK’s post-anesthesia care units. Though her roles have evolved over the years, she continues to advocate for her patients to ensure they get the best care possible. Her new role in management, she says, “allows me to impact the journey of hundreds more patients.” She also serves on the LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Network at MSK, which builds connections among and amplifies the voices of LGBTQ+ colleagues. Outside of work, Maresca is a wife and mother to a 3-year-old daughter and 20-month-old son. –LC

“Food has a way of connecting people and creating memorable experiences. I love embracing that superpower,” chef Melissa King tells GO. This superpower has helped King soar to incredible heights of culinary success. She’s best known for her victory on Bravo TV’s Top Chef All Stars and holds more challenge wins than any other competitor in the show’s history. Although King knew she wanted to be a chef by the age of five, she came from a family of doctors and engineers: pursuing a career in the creative arts didn’t seem like a realistic option. However, King found her true calling while studying cognitive sciences as an undergraduate. “I was moonlighting in kitchens, and knew it was the one place where I felt confident and complete,” she says. After graduating, King immediately enrolled in culinary school and hasn’t looked back since. “I am continually surprised at the experiences food continues to take me on and the people I get to meet along the way—from culinary judging on cooking competitions to making dumplings with Cookie Monster on Sesame Street, to curating the menu at the Met Gala,” she says. As a queer, Asian-American woman, King not only stands out for her culinary genius, but also for her philanthropic efforts and advocacy in supporting marginalized communities. She donated 100% of her Top Chef “Fan Favorite” prize to several non-profit organizations. For the future, King hopes to “continue to show people that any- thing is possible if you continue to believe in yourself. I’ve never liked to be put into a box: I’m not just an Asian queer woman, and I’m not just a chef. I hope to continue to lean into the unexpected.” –LC

Working with NASA has its perks, says Dana Bolles, a 27-year veteran with the venerated organization. As a child, she was fascinated with space and now, “I get to work with some of the best and brightest people in the industry,” she tells GO. But more importantly, Bolles “love[s] serving the American people.” During her tenure with NASA, she has served in numerous positions, including in engineering, regulatory compliance, and public outreach, and is now the external information technology lead within NASA’s Science Engagement and Partnership Division. Throughout her extensive career, Bolles has used her platform to make space accessible to all, specifically for persons with disabilities; she was recently selected to be a Mission: AstroAccess Ambassador, which gives her an opportunity to advocate for including astronauts with disabilities. “Before I leave this lifetime,” she says, “I am making it a priority to do all I can to help this country truly understand the benefits of including people with disabilities in astronaut selections.” She was also included in STEM at the Smithsonian, an exhibit of 120 statues of women in science and technology, and has worked as an ambassador with If/Then, inspiring girls around the country to pursue careers in STEM fields. Though Bolles has spent over 27 years working with NASA, she believes life starts now. “At this time in my life, I didn’t think I would have ambition to do much of anything,” she admits. However, her achievements have led her to reconsider this assumption. “Perhaps my life is just now taking off!” –AB

Stephanie Battaglino was corporate vice president of New York Life when she became the first transgender person to come out and transition in the company’s 165+ year his- tory. In her high-profile role, Battaglino’s transition was more than just a personal journey: she had to work closely with Human Resources to manage the logistics of her transition in her professional life. “I realized [through that experience] that speaking to and educating companies about the transgender and non-binary community was not just my passion, but my calling,” she tells GO. What started out as a side hustle quickly grew. Battaglino went on to found Follow Your Heart, LLC, an organization that promotes workplace inclusion and diversity, and she is now an internationally recognized speaker, workshop presenter, trainer, author, and workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant. “My identity as a transwoman sits squarely at the center—at the heart—of everything I do,” says Battaglino. She openly shares her experiences with the aim of changing hearts and minds about transgender and gender-diverse individuals and, ultimately, hopes to be a catalyst for cultural change in the workplace. Battaglino’s first book, Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling: Finding My True Self in Corporate America, explores her experiences of transitioning, losing male privilege, and being treated differently in the workplace as a woman. “If by telling my story of living into myself in the workplace, and the associated backstory of growing up feeling very, very different from those around me, speaks to those that read it in a way that’s personally meaningful to them,” she says, “then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.” –LC

Kazi Thomas tried to avoid a career in education. She’d volunteer at summer programs, and as a soccer coach, but when it came to her professional life, she’d gravitated toward office jobs. However, it was only a matter of time before she realized her true calling. Now, an Instructional Coach at the Greater Oaks Charter School in her hometown of Bridgeport, Conn., she finds that being an educator “has even more rewards as I get to work with students … volunteers, and teachers to create a strong community that focuses on not just academics, but students’ emotional growth,” she tells GO. “Being able to see kids grow into their own being, grow more confident in who they are as people and leaders, and seeing them get involved and empowering others is the best part of my work.” Thomas began her educational career in Brooklyn, where she taught 5th and 6th graders before returning to Bridgeport during the pandemic. She then received her Interim Administration Certification and served as the Dean of School Culture and Science at Greater Oaks before moving into her current position. As an educator who serves mostly Black and Brown students, her own identity as a queer Black woman is integral to her success, and also leads to some of the most rewarding aspects of her job. “Seeing my Black students and students of color make life decisions like where to work, what trades they want to pursue, and what college they want to attend, and being able to support them as they go off into the world is incredible,” she says. “It’s incredibly rewarding when students share their accomplishments and journeys, and to be excited with them.” –RK

The summer of 2020 called many to rethink their lives, including Keturah Herron. “After Breonna Taylor was murdered, I would often speak in different spaces about [how] we need our own people to run for office,” says Herron, who at the time was a policy strategist at the ACLU of Kentucky. “Those same people said ‘We need you to run.’” Herron first created Breonna’s Law, which restricts no-knock search warrants like the one that ended Taylor’s life. It passed in Louisville 17 days later. She then took the advice she was given and ran for public office. Now as Representative for Kentucky House District 42 and the first out individual elected to the Kentucky State Legislature, Herron is focusing on connecting with the community she serves—now different thanks to redistricting since her election. “I am ready to meet youth, community leaders, business owners, and anyone who has an interest,” Herron tells GO. “My goal is every year to have more people…who are voters [and] who understand the legislative process on the local and state level.” For Herron, who holds a Masters in Corrections and Juvenile Justice Studies from Eastern Kentucky University, embracing her identity is a major part of enacting change. “When I come into a space, I have so many parts of who I am. Being queer and a woman is a piece,” she says. She is also “a Black woman, someone who has been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, someone growing up in rural Kentucky. I have a lot of things to say.” Herron finds that confidence begets connection: “I have learned the more comfortable I am with myself, the easier it is for others to show up around me the same way.” –LE

“Getting to feed people is a privilege and JOY,” Vivian Joiner (r) enthuses. In 2003, Joiner and partner Stephanie Tyson (l) opened their restaurant Sweet Potatoes (well shut my mouth!!) in Tyson’s native Winston-Salem, N.C. Nineteen years later, Sweet Potatoes (well shut my mouth!!) has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Southern Living, and its sister restaurant, Miss Ora’s Kitchen (a tribute to Tyson’s grandmother), boasts cast-iron fried chicken among its offerings. Growing up, Tyson learned the power of food firsthand, but wasn’t always eager to make her own. “I actually never had any desire to cook,” the former actor confesses. “When Vivian and I met, everything I cooked I burned.” These days, Tyson, now a chef, restaurateur, and two-time cookbook author, strives to reach all five senses through her dishes. She and partner Joiner, who has over three decades of customer relations experience in the food and retail industries, also give back to the community. Sweet Potatoes (well shut my mouth!!) supports organizations like Make a Wish Foundation, Hope de Jour, and Second Harvest Food Bank, and Joiner has served as Chairman of the Citizens Police Review Board and as a member of the Mayor’s Board to Eliminate Homelessness. However, the duo doesn’t underestimate personal kindness. “More than a few folk have come to our ‘home’ grieving, sad, or lost but found a place and a plate of comfort,” Joiner tells GO. “I say that not to brag but because we are grateful to be shelter from some small part of life’s storm.” –LE

After serving for nearly a decade as a public defender, Tiffany Cabán ran for Queens District Attorney in 2019. “Initially, I ran because three of my homegirls urged me to, and I had to listen to the thing I always tell others: Don’t say no to your homegirls,” she tells GO. Although she narrowly lost that race, her homegirls knew what they were talking about: using the coalition she’d built from her bid for District Attorney, Cabán ran for a seat on the New York City Council in 2021. This time she won, and she now represents City Council District 22. As a city leader, Cabán focuses on safety and opportunity for all, recognizing policies do not match reality, and wants to fight for everyone to have access to affordable housing, quality edu- cation and healthcare, and good nutrition. She also knows that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community means bringing her whole self, inter- sections and all, into politics. “The idea is that we bring our whole selves to our endeavors,” she says, “that I do not just face the conditions that our society imposes on women, nor just those that it imposes on queer people, or Latinas, or work- ing-class Queens kids raised by parents who grew up in public housing.” When facing adversity, Cabán reminds herself “that I don’t carry it alone, that people before me, people with me and people yet to come are all part of a massive historical effort together.” There’s much work to do, but Cabán is up for the challenge. –AB

DJ Mariko values safe, joyous space. “I remember when I was younger how important it was to have a space that I could go to as gay person,” she tells GO. “I feel welcomed and at home when I’m at a gay [or] queer bar. When I spin I do my very best to keep the crowd happy and the vibe poppin’.” DJ Mariko began her career as a singer/songwriter who played at Vans Warped Tour and Summerfest and opened for well-known artists, and whose music appeared on NBC, ABC, and Fox, until damaged vocal cords led to a career pivot. Now she produces music and spins at New York gay hotspots Boxers, Hush, and Henrietta Hudson, doing her part to support safe and welcoming venues. “It’s my mission to keep these spaces open and thriving so others after me can continue to have these establishments to go to,” DJ Mariko says. “It’s been tremendously rewarding to know…I’m contributing to these lesbian, gay, and queer bars staying open.” As a DJ, she strives to increase representation in the male-dominated industry. “I’m truly saddened that it’s not often we see female DJs spinning on a regular basis or even praised,” she says. “I’m striving to be part of the movement where female DJs are kicking ass and spinning in various spaces on top of queer bars. I want to normalize female DJs representing the LGBTQ+ community.” A fun fact from DJ Mariko’s origin story? “I was on Sesame Street as a kid!” –LE

“It changed my life in every single, material way,” Mary Lambert says of the call to write and sing on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ hit “Same Love.” From that moment 10 years ago, Lambert went from juggling jobs in food service to receiving Grammy nominations and signing a deal with Capitol Records. But it wasn’t just about the glitz, Lambert tells GO. “Once I saw and experienced how writing my truth was not something that was rebuked or just tolerated, but rather encouraged and appreciated, I was hooked.” After “Same Love,” Lambert’s meteoric rise was swift. Her single, “Secrets,” hit number one on the Billboard dance charts and was certified RIAA Gold, and her EP Welcome to the Age of My Body and full-length album Heart on My Sleeve led to hits and acclaim from The New York Times, which called Heart “refreshing and severely personal.” But in 2015, Lambert decided to part ways with her label and management. Now dividing her time between Seattle and western Massachusetts, she focuses on writing, composing, and music production—and her fanbase is along for the ride. “I’ve been so fortunate to have fans that have really stuck by me through all my iterations of art—my work as a poet, my work as a voice actor, my work as a fat activist,” Lambert says. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was to help people and I think through my work I’ve been able to facilitate healing by being radically vulnerable, and that feels like a really profound gift.” As she writes about her queerness, trauma, and body image in an honest and compassionate way, Lambert likes to call herself “the fat lady who makes everyone cry.” –LE

“Being a woman, Black, and on the LGBTQ+ spectrum has given me a unique perspective that no one else has the ability to see,” says Nicole Zizi. The Haitian-American multimedia artist launched Nicole Zïzi Studio in 2018 after studying at Parsons School of Design, and uses alternative materials, progressive design, and her outlook on the world as a queer Haitian woman for products, inte- riors, and fashion. “I initially just wanted to intertwine sustainabil- ity in a cool way that would also be impactful,” Zizi tells GO. “It started with me just sharing one denim jacket made from recycled plastic collected in Haiti. I [eventually] released a capsule collection of denim garments with recycled denim materials.” Passion drives Zizi in every aspect of her work—“I love being able to bring ideas to life and support others in that process”—and keeps her going when adversity comes knocking. “There are going to be set- backs. It’s more so a matter of recognizing that so [they aren’t] a shock,” she says. “Once you realize every uncomfortable scenario is only temporary, that makes it easier to process it and plan for set- backs.” The future is bright for Zizi and her studio, and her goals revolve around community and outreach. “I envision myself work- ing alongside a community of designers who are passionate about the same things as I am,” she says. “I hope to open doors for people like me. I want someone else to feel seen through my work.” –LE