GO! Presents 100 Women We Love: Class of 2024

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Class of 2022

100 Women We Love: Class of 2022

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GO Magazine is proud to present 100 Women We Love, a celebration of out, proud, and amazing women who continue to make our world a better place. This year’s list includes political figures, artists, athletes, musicians, scholars, entrepreneurs, scientists, motivational speakers, advocates, entertainers and more. Each woman, in her unique way, exemplifies the best in our LGBTQ+ community. Collectively, they increase LGBTQ+ visibility through their tireless actions, and their achievements continue to move us toward a better and more equitable future. Please note that, as always, we present our list without numerical ranking. Each of these women is number one on our list!

Alejandra Caraballo

When I was doing direct legal services, my clients were some of the most inspiring people given everything they’ve gone through,” Alejandra Caraballo, a Clinical Instructor at Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic, tells GO. As a child, Caraballo saw firsthand how powerful the law could be after a lawyer helped her father secure workers’ compensation follow- ing an on-the-job accident that left him disabled. Now a lawyer herself, Caraballo is proud to give back to the community that has given her so much. “Being able to help them with my legal skills and get them to a better place was such a privilege,” she says. Throughout law school, Caraballo invested herself in public interest work at Safe Harbor Asylum Law Clinic and at the HELP Elder Law Clinic. But her true interest lies in LGBTQ+ advocacy, which she turned to after coming out as trans soon after passing the bar exam. Before joining Harvard, Caraballo worked as a staff attorney with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, and at the LGBTQ Law Project at New York Legal Assistance Group, where she focused on immigration and family law. Now as a teacher, she wants to inspire the next generation of lawyers to pursue their goals, and to show them that no career is unattainable. “I hope to continue being a symbol of visibility for young trans folks who are struggling, and show that they can do anything they want and that anything is possible,” she says. “If a trans woman of color can teach at Harvard Law School, there’s nothing that trans people can’t do.” –AB

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Lea DeLaria

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

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Kaela S. Singleton

On Twitter, Dr. Kaela S. Singleton calls herself the “Beyoncé of Neuroscience.” The Black, Samoan, and queer neuroscientist and postdoctoral fellow at Emory University School of Medicine can’t stop, won’t stop until fellow Black neuroscientists feel supported. “Being a Black queer woman in a field that’s dominated by straight white men is challenging—if only because it can be hard to envision your dreams, find belonging and people who resonate and understand your struggle,” Singleton tells GO. She was inspired to co-found Black in Neuro, an organization that builds community for and empowers Black neuroscience professionals and researchers, after seeing the success of Black in Astro and Black Birders weeks. “I wanted to be involved in Black in Neuro mainly because I knew so few Black neuroscientists and seeing the outpouring of love and community that came from other weeks was really empowering.” Singleton’s journey with the brain started with a seventh-grade science outreach program. Though she also loved literature, she says, “when I went [to] college I decided I would study the brain in an attempt to understand why/how people behave the way they do.” And it’s paid off, literally: Singleton earned four years of funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and is also an adjunct at Agnes Scott College, her undergraduate alma mater. She’s published manuscripts, gives invited seminars, and speaks on panels on mentorship and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. And Singleton, featured as an LGBTQ+ Innovator in STEM by National Geographic alongside Sally Ride and Bruce Voeller, finds inspiration in the next generation. “Learning from and with [students], watching them finally nail an experiment or understand a complex concept,” she enthuses, “brightens my day regularly.” –LE

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Jackie Aude & Paula Wegman

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

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Suzanne Feldman

“I clearly remember standing on a chair in preschool, telling my schoolmates the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff,” Suzanne Feldman tells GO. “Possibly it was their adoration that I craved, but I just really wanted them to know about those goats!” Decades later, Feldman is telling different tales as a successful out author, whose literary, science, and genre fiction has earned nominations for the Lambda Literary Award and the prestigious Pushcart Prize, as well as numerous other awards and fellowships, including a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council. Though her first love is writing, Feldman taught art for almost 30 years, penning short stories and novels when she wasn’t at work. “I actually chose teaching art over teaching English, because…with art, there are very few papers to grade,” she recalls. “When I got home from school, I would slug back a bunch of coffee, and get to work on whatever book I was working on.” Writing runs in Feldman’s family: her father, a Holocaust survivor, authored a memoir called One Step Ahead, about his experiences as a teenager during World War II. Though Feldman “can’t write” about World War II—“it’s too close to the bone for me,” she explains—her latest novel, Sisters of the Great War, follows Baltimore siblings Ruth and Elise to the front lines in 1914 Belgium. “Lesbian characters alert!” exclaims Feldman, who lives with her wife of 40 years and their “four-legged” children. “I wanted to do something both intimate and epic. What could be more epic than a war? What could be more intimate than love behind the lines?” Her collection, The Witch Bottle and Other Stories, is due out this September. –LE

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Donna Loring

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

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Coya White Hat-Artichoker

“We have to unpack and interrogate the ways colonization has led us to embrace patri- archy and heterosexism,” says Coya White Hat-Artichoker, co-founding member of the First Nations Two Spirit Collective and current Program Officer at the Ms. Foundation. A Two Spirit queer Indigenous person and proud enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, she is intimately familiar with the systemic and violent ways colonization has harmed her community and others. Born and raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, White Hat-Artichoker used to be a Republican. It wasn’t until she became politicized on her own at the age of 15 that her perspective shifted. Since then, she’s worked as an activist in many communities and movements. “I believe in building collective power,” she tells GO. “I trust that communities most impacted know what they need and how to heal and hold their communities. Part of decolonizing means that Two Spirit folks, or queer folks, needed to be brought back into the circle.” Through her collective, White Hat-Artichoker brought Two Spirit people’s voices into the nationwide dialogue on queer rights. She has worked with a number of philanthropic organizations, and currently serves as a board member for SisterSong and the American LGBTQ+ Museum. She is also a strong proponent of self-education and the strength of collective power. “We need to learn about all the other struggles in the world, interrogate, dig deeper, and build solidarity with folks who don’t look like us.” –LC

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Michele Rayner

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

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Amanda Chidester

In 2019, softball player Amanda “Chiddy” Chidester (l) was cut from Team USA. Though many would have thrown in the towel, Chidester took a different approach. “In that moment, I realized I needed to take it to the next level,” she tells GO. “I needed to own all aspects of my life. Be who I truly was and live it along with living out what I wanted to do, every day.” Chidester credits “discipline, routine, and consistency” for her spot on the 2020 Olympic team—and subsequent silver medal. She also made a major personal change, deciding to live out and proud. “I am who I am, and I will love who I want to love,” she says. “I was tired of ‘being careful.’ I wanted to be me fully.” The third of five siblings and surrounded by brothers, Chidester had an active childhood, playing softball, volleyball, and basketball before focusing on the former once she got to high school. She hopes to make an impact on other softball players through her forthcoming app, RISR— which launched on May 16—which offers instructions and guidance for fastpitch players. She also takes her visibility as an out queer athlete seriously. “It was really awesome to see all of the attention we got as a couple when we played each other in the Olympics,” she says, referring to her fiancee Anissa Urtez (r), who played for Team Mexico in the Tokyo Games. “I hope we were able to impact many lives because I know anytime I saw visibility of openly gay athletes, it gave me more and more courage to be me.” –LE

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Jen Tullock

“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

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Rachel Karp, Sarah Gabrielli and Jen McGinity

The idea for the podcast Cruising came to co-creators Rachel Karp (l), Sarah Gabrielli (c), and Jen McGinity (r) on New Year’s Eve 2021, over a discussion about the few remaining lesbian bars in the country. “We were all talking about it, and I said ‘What if that’s our podcast? We go to all the remaining lesbian bars in the country, and document them?’” Karp, a New York-based producer, writer, and director, tells GO. The trio then embarked on a thirty-day road trip across country to visit all the remaining lesbian bars, a journey they recorded in Cruising. Over the course of their road trip, they met many people, shared stories, and built connections with the communities they visited. For McGinity, a New York-based line producer, these connections were the most rewarding parts of their journey. “I got to meet the people that call these bars ‘home,’” she says. “I felt lucky to be able to sit with them and share stories, laughs, games of darts, and express who we are and what our lives are like.” For podcast producer and journalist Gabrielli, “hearing the positive feedback from the folks we’ve interviewed” has been particularly rewarding. “It means so much to hear from people who are happy to have their stories told, and who feel seen and well-represented in the podcast,” she tells GO. What’s next for Cruising? The trio hopes to build more connections with, and share the stories of, others in the LGBTQ+ community. –AB

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Tabitha Jackson

“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

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Braunwyn Windham-Burke

Reality TV star, activist, and mother Braunwyn Windham-Burke wants to make a positive impact on the world. A housewife of 19 years, she was excited by the opportunity to join the cast of Real Housewives of Orange County. “I’m a big believer that sharing your stories helps people in ways that you couldn’t imagine,” she tells GO. Sharing her story on television led her to some pretty momentous changes of her own: she came out, and got sober. While being the first lesbian housewife on Real Housewives of Orange County was not easy—she faced isolation and pushback after she came out— Windham-Burke takes com- fort knowing she isn’t alone, and by reassuring others they aren’t, either. “There’s a peace that comes with knowing you’re not alone,” she says. “Representation matters: seeing yourself represented in the media, whether it be on TV, podcasts, or social media, means that you are not alone. Representation saves lives.” Now, Windham-Burke uses her plat- form to fight for safety and visibility within her community, working with organizations like PFLAG and GLAAD to bring awareness to LGTBQ+ issues, including those which impact LGBTQ+ children, mental health awareness, and the sober community. “There is so much work to be done, and we are just getting started,” she says. But as a funny, quirky, optimistic woman, she has the strength to keep fighting. –AB

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Ayana Omilade Flewellen

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

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Renee Montgomery

Renee Montgomery fell in love with hoops at a young age. She began her illustrious basketball career in Connecticut, where she played for the UConn Huskies and led the team to an undefeated season and national championship in 2009. That same year, Montgomery was drafted fourth in the WNBA. She went on to play for 11 seasons in the league until 2020, when she opted out of the season to focus on social justice reform. She also married her partner, Sirena Grace. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that everything in my life changed for the bet- ter since,” she tells GO. She retired from her basket- ball career with the Atlanta Dream the following year, a decision which has given her the opportunity to pursue new enterprises. Now, Montgomery is a modern-day Renaissance woman, working as a sports broadcaster, podcast host, and vice president and co-owner of her former team, the Atlanta Dream. “This felt like the right step towards leading change,” she says. She’s also ventured into digital, film, and entertainment space through her company, Think Tank Productions. “Our goal with Think Tank is to invest in ideas and stories of underrepresented voices that may be known but not always heard,” Montgomery says, “impacting the culture through narrative change.” Along with helping her develop and strengthen her leadership skills, Montgomery’s time as an athlete has prepared her for facing challenges and pursuing dreams head-on. She doesn’t let adversity or setbacks stand in the way of reaching her goals. “Staying level-minded,” she says, “helps calm adversity.” –LC

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Natasha Jahchan

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

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Alyce Emory

Throughout her life, award-winning production and community engagement professional Alyce Emory has constantly been reminded of the consistent marginalization of Black lesbians. Even within the LGBTQ+ community, there are very few public spaces where Black lesbians— a community that sits at the intersection of three marginalized groups—have their needs prioritized and met. Emory is dedicated to changing that. In 2014, she co-founded the Black Lesbian Conferences in Harlem, which created a welcoming environment for Black lesbians to address their priorities without fear of erasure or exploitation. The success of the conferences led Emory to establish Beyond Bold And Brave, Inc., a non-profit that continues and expands this important Black lesbian community-building work. As Beyond Bold And Brave’s President and CEO, Emory’s vision for the organization is “…to grow and remain strong so we can tackle the priorities that Black lesbian communities have entrusted to us,” she tells GO. Emory has received recognition for her impactful community engagement and activism, including being named a Callen-Lorde 2022 Black History Month Icon, recipient of Griot Circle’s 2021 Changemaker Award, and recipient of the Manhattan Borough President’s 2018 & 2017 Community Appreciation Awards. Emory says the most rewarding aspects of her work are “the gratitude we receive from Black lesbian communities and the partnerships we’ve cultivated to support our work. These have yielded immeasurable rewards for us beyond anything I could have imagined. I am thankful for it all.” –LC

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Wednesday Martin

“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

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Daryn Carp

“I can almost pinpoint the exact moment where I knew I wanted to be in television: I was seven years old,” reality TV and podcast host Daryn Carp tells GO. “I would come home from school and watch TV and I would always gravitate toward game shows. I loved guessing along with the audience and laughing at the silly jokes. It always seemed that, win or lose, people could walk away from a game show feeling happy.” Although she might not host game shows, Carp is very much a fixture on the television landscape. She launched her career at the Bravo network, first as the creator and host of the web series Ask Andy with Andy Cohen (the pair would go on to form the production company, Most Talkative, in 2014), and then as host of the series Throwback Bravo, Cease and Assist, and Bravo Pregame. She currently hosts the daily interview show Reality Check on People TV and the podcast Shaken and Disturbed, which delves into true crime, another of Carp’s passions. The most rewarding part of her work? The personal connections she makes. “Reaching across the aisle to someone who I had no prior relationship with and [being] given the chance to dig deep into who they are as people is so special to me,” Carp says. “I learn a lot from other people, and seeing how they think.” Plus, as she learned from watching game shows, “I knew that I wanted to be in front of a camera and bring a little escapism and a little joy to everyone.” –AB

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Crystal Hudson

“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

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Alex Hanna

“After I came out as a trans woman in graduate school, I started wondering about the connection of queer people and data,” Dr. Alex Hanna tells GO. “Queer people resist fitting neatly in boxes; when it comes to data, failing to fit in can have consequences that are awkward at times, and dangerous at others.” Now a PhD and the Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), Hanna works with data used in new computational technologies, and the ways this data affects racial, gender and class inequality. “In my work with data and AI, I’ve wondered and asked about where the data that machine learning uses—like pictures, text and data—comes from,” Hanna explains. “Who’s making it, where’s it being collected from and who’s laboring on it? And most importantly, are those tools being used to benefit people who don’t fit into pre-made boxes?” A trained sociologist, Hanna has published in top-tier academic and computer science journals, and serves as a co-chair of Sociologists for Trans Justice and on the advisory board for the Human Rights Data Analysis Group. She’s featured in Fast Company’s “Queer 50” and in the New Science exhibit at the Cal Academy of Sciences, which celebrates queer and trans scientists of color. Amid the research, writing and well-deserved accolades, Hanna’s goals remain clear. She tells GO, “I’m hoping we can stop the violence of current data-driven systems and rethink what technology that empowers people looks like.” –LE

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Sam Kirk

“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

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Erica Sullivan

Olympian Erica Sullivan made history in the Tokyo Games as the first American openly- lesbian swimmer to win an Olympic medal. Her outstanding performance in the first-ever women’s 1,500-meter freestyle earned her a silver medal in a country that holds a special place in Sullivan’s heart: as a child, she’d traveled to Japan frequently to visit family, because her mother is a Japanese citizen. “Being one of the very few queer women in the sport of swimming has really taught me to be my own role model,” Sullivan tells GO. As she is a queer Asian-American woman, many minorities can see parts of themselves in Sullivan and can take inspiration from her success. “I want to be the role model for young queer people that I never had, and I plan on doing that by vocally impacting the community in positive ways,” she says. After winning her medal, Sullivan did just that. She’s used her rising popularity and media attention to shine a spotlight on the issues many like her face when pursuing their dreams, particularly Asian-Americans, women, and those in the LGBTQ+ community. She hopes her story can inspire others to be true to themselves and stand confident in who they are. “My goal is to get rid of the negative stereotypes that pre- vent people from coming out,” she says. “I want to show that you can come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and still succeed.” Sullivan is now a film student at the University of Texas, Austin, with aspirations to direct. –LC

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Erin Parisi

“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

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Gabi Meitand Shanna Sciara

Gabi Meit (l) and Shanna Sciara (r) love to travel the world. But when researching possible places to go, “it became really clear that there weren’t a lot of online resources for people like us, a lesbian couple looking to travel,” Meit tells GO. So they created 27 Travels to document their experiences. Now, six years and nearly 100K followers later, 27 Travels is on nearly every social media plat- form. Clearly the LGBTQ+ community want- ed travel advice, which Meit and Sciara are happy to provide. They blog about their trips, and offer tips on how to stay safe and have fun while traveling as an out and proud cou- ple. The best part, they say, is showing those in the LGBTQ+ community that it’s okay to be themselves. The couple also hopes to improve travel safety for women and those in the LGBTQ+ community. “Homosexuality is still illegal in over 70 countries,” Sciara tells GO, “and there are laws every day being writ- ten that aim to harm LGBTQ+ people.” Both self-described “go-with-the-flow” kind of people, Meit and Sciara try to make the best of any situation, and create more visibility for the LGBTQ+ community in world travel. Their favorite spot: the Caribbean island Curaçao. “We have traveled all around the world and still have not seen water as blue and as clear as in Curacao,” Meit says. –AB

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Gabriela Santiago-Romero

“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

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Amy Schneider

After an impressive 40-game winning streak on Jeopardy!, Amy Schneider became a household name. She’s not only the most successful woman to compete on Jeopardy!, she’s also the first out trans contestant to qualify for the game’s “Tournament of Champions.” A software engineer from Oakland, Calif., Schneider says the barriers women face pursuing careers in American society are almost more limiting than the barriers she’s faced as a trans woman. “Society discourages women from excellence in many different fields, including the software engineering field I chose to pursue,” she tells GO. Despite the numerous barriers she’s come up against, Schneider says that society’s limitations were nothing compared to the limitations she put on herself while living in the closet. Transitioning, “made my life better in many more ways than I could have imagined,” she says, and her personal and professional life have since soared to new heights. Intellectual inquiry has always been a driving force in Schneider’s life, and she believes that the ability to question things, and to be a life-long learner, can help deepen a person’s understanding of themselves and the world we live in. When asked about what her future holds, Schneider says she aims to, “represent, empower, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community—the trans community in particular.” She also hopes to spark curiosity and inspire a love of learning in others. To “inspire people to pursue their own quests for knowledge wherever that might lead,” she says, “would be an accomplishment I would be proud to have as my legacy.” –LC

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Haylie McCleney

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

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Dana Rudolph

“Becoming a mom channeled my interests specifically into LGBTQ family issues,” writer and out parenting blogger Dana Rudolph tells GO. After leaving her job with Merrill Lynch to be a stay-at-home mom, she was inspired to start a blog for sharing tips with other gay and queer parents. After reviewing existing websites, Rudolph noticed that they focused on either LGBTQ+ politics and entertainment, or parenting; few, if any, were specific to LGBTQ+ parenting. So she created her own site, “Mombian,” in 2005 in order to fill this gap. “I saw a need for a site at the intersection of these areas, a hub for general and LGBTQ- specific parenting advice, family profiles, LGBTQ news from a parent’s perspective, summaries of research on LGBTQ parents and their children, and reviews of books and media for and about LGBTQ families,” she says. Rudolph’s GLAAD award-winning blog discusses a variety of topics, from lesbian families to resources for out parents to politics and entertainment. But the most rewarding part of her work “has been the community of LGBTQ families and advocates I’ve had the pleasure of meeting,” she says. Rudolph, who also writes one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ parenting columns in the country, encourages others in the community to share their stories on social media by hosting the annual #LGBTQFamiliesDay each June (this year on June 1). In 2021, after receiving many requests from parents, she created an extensive database of inclusive books for both children and parents, which she continues to keep up to date. By sharing these resources, and her own experiences as an out parent, Rudolph hopes she can support and encourage others who are starting or raising their families. –AB

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Debra Shore

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

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I.S. Jones

“Writing grounds me in the physical world,” I.S. Jones tells GO. “It’s the filter by which I make sense of myself and everything around me.” For the poet, essayist, and music journalist who received her MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and who has a slew of fellowships under her belt, reading and writing have always been a central part of her life. “I wrote because I was a brutally shy child. I struggled to speak for myself,” she says. “Writing gave me a key to a power that was always inside of me.” From her individual poems and essays, which have appeared in Guernica, The Rumpus, and other journals, to her most recent chapbook Spells of My Name, which was published with Newfound in 2021, Jones writes her soul onto every page. And since coming out as lesbian, “there’s a new freedom I have forged for myself as to who I call family, how I adorn myself, what I believe is in service to my wellbeing,” she explains. With a full-length book of poems, Bloodmercy, which reimagines Cain and Abel as sisters, now in the works, Jones’ vision for her life is one of “boundless happiness” and possibilities. “I’m in this space in which my life can go in any direction.” –AB

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Hua Boonyapisomparn

“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

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Megan Rapinoe

Olympic gold medalist, two-time World Cup Champion and New York Times-bestselling author: Megan Rapinoe is a legend, no question. But for the out soccer star and fan favorite on and off the field, using her high profile for the greater good—especially where women and the LGBTQ+ community are concerned—is far more important than racking up accomplishments. “Being a cis woman and identifying as gay are so valuable when fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights or joining my teammates in our fight for pay equity, but it’s having the experience of being ‘other’ that has allowed me to extend my voice to other fights as a truly meaningful ally,” Rapinoe tells GO. “It has allowed me to understand that my liberation is tied up in the liberation and freedom of all people, no matter the marginalization they are experiencing.” A fierce advocate for equality, the decorated athlete and author of the memoir One Life, who is engaged to WNBA star and five-time Olympic medalist Sue Bird, finds the smallest results of her work to be the most rewarding. “The look on a little trans kid’s face seeing my teammate Quinn win a gold medal or play professionally for the OL Reign in Seattle, makes every single second worth it,” Rapinoe says. She knows the power of representation firsthand: “My world would have exploded if at a young age I could have seen what I have ultimately become, which is a proud gay woman getting to live her life in the fullest and most authentic way.” –LE

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Lori Torres

“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

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Hilary Price

For award-winning cartoonist Hilary Price, the most rewarding part of her job is “when someone reads my cartoon and says, ‘That is SO true,’” she tells GO. “It means that my mishaps are also their mishaps. They feel less alone, and I feel less alone, and that’s the power of cartoons and of art in general.” Price has been connecting with her readers, and making all involved feel a little less alone, in her long-running syndicated comic, Rhymes with Orange, which she first launched over 25 years ago. Growing up, Price found that drawing provided her a means of expression, and an outlet for connecting with others. “I liked writing, I liked drawing, and my sister was a huge talker,” Price explains. “The piece of paper in front of me was my space to express myself and to get attention.” Inspired by other female comic artists, she started Orange in 1995, making her the youngest woman ever to have a syndicated strip. She now hopes to inspire others as well. Price teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies, focusing on single panel cartooning; has been featured on The Moth and NPR; and was presented the Inkpot Award for career achievement in comic arts from the San Diego Comic-Con in 2015. She continues to produce Orange, now in collaboration with cartoonist Rina Piccolo. By filling the gap in the media’s portrayal of women, she’s built up her own confidence as an artist, and inspired her readers as well. –AB

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Siobhan Fahey

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

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Jodie Dawson & Kristine-Ellis Petrik

A clinical psychologist and an award-winning journalist walk into a coffee shop: what sounds like the setup for a joke is a dream fully realized for Dr. Jodie Dawson (r) and Kristine-Ellis Petrik. In 2011, the couple founded Java Love Coffee Roasting Company, now a multi-million dollar franchise with four storefronts in New Jersey and upstate New York. “Our goal is to make people’s day just a little bit brighter with some kick-ass coffee while supporting our local communities, caring for our environment with sustainable practices, and creating safe spaces for our staff and customers in our shops,” says Dawson, who recently relaunched her life coaching practice to mentor women through career transitions and entrepreneurship. The couple knows firsthand that risk can equal reward. “Jodie and I did not start this adventure with a well-thought-out business plan,” Petrik, a former video editor for CNN and senior producer on several national news programs, admits. “We started with a passion for our community and an enthusiasm to create a place for people to gather.” Known for its phenomenal customer service as much as its excellent coffee, Java Love and the self-pro- claimed “accidental entrepreneurs” behind it are going strong with a community focus. After the business celebrated its 10th anniversary, Petrik says, she and Dawson “came to realize…we were truly a part of our communities, we had created safe and inviting places to gather, and came to realize our damn good coffee had become a vehicle to share love.” –LE

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Kimberleigh Joy Smith

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

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Natasha Jones

For Natasha Jones, the most rewarding part of her job “is watching a young person connect with the community in a way that is affirming, safe, and joyful,” she tells GO. “Witnessing as a young person steps into their power, grows, and engages in community discus- sions with the support of their peers, is magical.” As the Senior Director of Community Programs at The NYC LGBT Community Center, she is responsible for developing, overseeing, and implementing programs serving LGBTQ+ youth and adults, including through HIV and sexual health resources, case management, patient navigation, and youth leadership programs. Encouraging LGBTQ+ youth has always been her mission, whether working with The NYC LGBT Community Center or, prior to joining the center, as a liaison between New York City schools, community centers, and the NYC Department of Education. “I am grateful I get to show up to work as my whole self each and every day,” she explains, “but I understand not everyone shares this privilege.” Jones’ goal is to break down barriers and help LGBTQ+ communities, especially youth, embrace their authentic selves. She also hopes to create opportunities for everyone in her community. “My vision for myself,” she says, “is to continue to uplift queer people in communities with the highest barriers to employment and economic improvement, and to be a facilitator of queer Black joy.” –AB

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Linda Lewis

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

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Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

“Growing up in the early 2000s, I rarely saw queer people in the media and long wanted to change that,” recalls Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner. And she has. The Brooklyn-based journalist has bylines in top publications like The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Forbes, and Marie Claire. Many are about lesbian culture—an opportunity she relishes, even when it’s challenging. “As a freelancer, it was and can still be tough to sell LGBTQ+ [stories] to mainstream magazines and news- papers,” Hoeffner tells GO. “But I continue to pitch ideas and share my passion and expertise for queer culture as much as I can.” After studying creative writing and lead- ing an on-campus publication at Columbia University, Hoeffner jumped right into the journalistic trenches, always with an eye on LGBTQ+ representation. Even in the rejection-filled world of writing, Hoeffner finds the rewards are plentiful. “I’ve found that publishing queer stories in mainstream publications is a great way to edu- cate folks outside of the community on queer issues and culture, and open up discussions we may not otherwise have,” she says. “I love when someone tells me that my writing has helped them understand what a friend or family member is going through, or that they them- selves felt less alone because of a piece I wrote—that’s the whole point.” When she’s not hanging out with her wife and friends, Hoeffner is going back to her creative writing roots. “I wrote a manuscript during quarantine and as I slowly edit that, I’m currently working on a new novel about lesbians in the Hamptons,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to write queer beach reads!” –LE

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Jessica Esquivel

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

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Angela Barnes & Renauda Riddle

As Black queer women, long-time friends Angela Barnes (l) and Renauda Riddle (r) know what it’s like to be in uncomfortable and unwelcoming spaces. Armed with a vision to create a space where all women on the LGBTQ+ spectrum feel welcome and valued, the pair combined their skills and experiences to open Nobody’s Darling, a Black-owned, women- centered cocktail bar in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. “We wanted to be inclusive because we have felt so excluded [in the past],” they tell GO. Nobody’s Darling clientele are primarily queer women, but all are welcome. Barnes is a corporate lawyer, risk management and compliance professional, and a lifelong Southside Chicagoan. Having stood at the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation herself, she advocates for underserved communities through her work. Riddle, a financial auditor, has dedicated much of her life to serving marginalized communities. She’s been creating queer pop-up events for the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago for more than a decade, and she currently serves on three non-profit boards in the city. She’s also a self-proclaimed cocktail snob, which is reflected in the Nobody’s Darling cocktail menu; their elevated versions of classic cocktails are sure to impress. With lesbian bars across the nation closing, this upbeat, comfortable bar provides a much-needed space for queer women to relax and enjoy great cocktails with friends. “We want to be a best-in-class cocktail venue that continues to be a welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community,” Barnes and Riddle say. “Our goal is to do our best to have fun and make a positive impact.” –LC

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Deborah VanTrece

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

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Kelley O’Hara

Kelley O’Hara is a superstar in the soccer world, but that’s not the only athletic prowess she can brag about. “I’m above average at handstands!” she tells GO. The former Georgia resident is a two-time FIFA World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist. She is currently a defender for the Washington Spirit, leading the team to its first league championship by scoring the winning goal in extra time against Chicago last season. Even if you’re not a sports fan, chances are you’ve seen the iconic image of O’Hara kissing her girlfriend in the stands after her U.S. Women’s National Team World Cup victory in 2019. The photo, a beautiful represen- tation of queer love, has melted hearts around the world. It’s also a testament to O’Hara’s strength and courage, both on and off the field. Though O’Hara has had incredible success in her career, she’s also had her fair share of setbacks. But she says the way a person responds to a setback can make all the difference. “Although setbacks and adversity might feel like failures in the moment, they are actually opportunities to succeed,” she says. When facing an obstacle, O’Hara rethinks her approach and uses it as an opportunity for learning and growth. This process “can lead you to a place you might not have made it to if you hadn’t experienced the setback in the first place.” –LC

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Laura Erickson-Schroth

“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

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Joy Chia

“My career has taken quite a lot of twists and turns,” Joy Chia tells GO, “but a thread that runs through all of my experiences is that I have been driven by the quest for justice.” This thread is visible at each step of Chia’s decade-long career in philanthropy. She began her work at the Open Society Foundation (OSF), where she served first as the East Asia program officer, overseeing grant-making portfolios regarding human rights and equality in China, and subsequently as Team Manager of the Women’s Rights Program. She is now the Executive Director of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, where she continues to pursue her vision for a more just and equitable future. As a lesbian, Asian, immigrant, person with disabilities, lawyer, wife, and mom, Chia understands that with multiple identities come multiple ways of seeing the world, and of being seen. “I hold Audre Lorde’s words close to my heart: ‘There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives,’” she says. “I don’t want to have to choose what parts of myself I should hold on to in order to live, and I don’t want others to have to make those choices as well.” Fortunately, thanks to the work of advocates like Chia, she doesn’t always have to choose: after the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Chia, who was born in Singapore, was able to marry her wife and “put down roots in the United States.” Still, she doesn’t take any victory for granted. “I recognize how precious and how fragile this is, and this is what motivates me in my work.” –AB

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Judy Gold

“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

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Alexandria Hollett

“Being a queer woman is a gift, and my activism, art, teaching, and scholarship are impacted not just because I’m queer in terms of my sexuality, but because queerness has helped me develop a particular way of seeing the world that does not accept with- out question what others take for granted as true,” writer, professor, and activist Dr. Alexandria Hollett tells GO. This lens has shaped much of her work as a professor, impacting her teaching, writing, and nearly all aspects of her life. Inspired to pursue a life of activism during her time in San Francisco, Hollett became a teacher and union delegate in the Chicago Public Schools, and a participant in the Chicago Teachers’ Strike of 2012. Her experiences in education left her with “a lot of unanswered questions about how to make change effectively,” and wondering “what I was actually meant to be doing, and who my people were.” She found her space in the doctoral pro- gram at Indiana University, where she studied Curriculum and Instruction and Gender Studies. Now, as a tenure-track professor at California State University, Northridge, Hollett develops lessons based on organizing, queer liberation, abolition, and anarchism. Her research and drive also provides her with a better understanding of herself, oppression, and queer communities. “Before I learned the word ‘intersectionality,’ I was trying to make sense of how various oppressions map onto each other and create new systems of violence, particularly in the field of education,” she explains. She now passes this knowledge onto her students to equip the next generation. –AB

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Kataluna Enriquez

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

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Kate Dolan

“Despite all my mother’s attempts to steer me towards a reputable career, I just kept being drawn to filmmaking,” writer and director Kate Dolan tells GO. As a child, Dolan had a deep love of cinema. Her mother and grandmother were both cinephiles who instilled an appreciation for the medium of film, even if her mother hoped she’d choose a more suitable career path. Dolan earned her degree in Television & Film Production from Dublin’s Institute of Art, Design, and Technology (IADT), and, after a stint as a broadcast producer in Dublin, went on to make films of her own, like the horror/revenge film Catcalls, and Little Doll, which premiered at Berlinale in 2016. Filmmaking can be a difficult path, rife with rejections and struggles along the way, but Dolan always pushed forward with her pursuit. “The people you love are always going to be the ones who pull you through those setbacks,” she says. “I think if I hadn’t been surrounded by such beautiful people in my life, I don’t know where I would be.” Dolan’s recent coming-of- age film, You Are Not My Mother, which blends horror with Irish folk- lore, reflects both her Irish and queer identities. “The idea of creating something that could resonate with so many people emotionally was always so exciting to me,” she says. Earlier this year, Dolan took home the Discovery Award at the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival for the debut feature. –LC

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Caitlin Ryan

“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

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Caroline Earleywine

“I used to have to really help students unpack what they’d been taught about poetry, that it’s a riddle that has one right answer, that if you don’t ‘get it’ you’re just not smart enough, that it’s all written by old white men, that it’s boring,” poet Caroline Earleywine tells GO. However, she’s noticed a change recently. “Students come to me with an interest in poet- ry that I don’t have to convince them of. They understand it’s a space for them.” As a high school teacher of English in central Arkansas, she hopes to inspire students to love, or continue to love, poetry. And, as an out and proud lesbian, she hopes to be for her students “an example of what queerness can look like in adulthood.” With poetry, too, Earleywine leads by example. Her work has appeared in multiple publications, including NAILED Magazine and Barrelhouse, and she was a finalist for Nimrod’s 2021 Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry. Her chapbook, Lesbian Fashion Struggles, published by Sibling Rivalry Press, focuses largely on the struggles of LGBTQ+ teens, topics her students would understand. “It’s the best feeling when they say they see themselves in my words, or that they are going to start writing,” she says. “Empowering them is the most important work I’ve ever done.” –AB

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Jaime Grant

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

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Margaret Cho

Margaret Cho is loved by many, but the comic’s family still has notes. “My grandmother said ‘You look like bloated, as if you’ve been found dead in a lake after several days of searching,’” Cho recalls. “Koreans are the most savage of all the Asians.” Cho is a true pioneer for women in comedy, dating back to her early days of opening for Jerry Seinfeld and creating and starring in the 1994 sitcom All-American Girl, one of the first shows to prominently feature an East Asian family. Now touring the country once again and co-starring with Bowen Yang in the hit gay romcom Fire Island, the five-time Grammy- and Emmy- nominated stand-up comedian, actress, author, and podcaster tackles tough topics like racism, addiction, childhood trauma, and the pressures of Hollywood with razor-sharp wit and hilarious insight. “I just always loved comedy and started very early on becoming a comedian,” she tells GO. “I love the lifestyle and the constant challenges it presents. It’s the best job and in many ways the hardest job. I will always want to do it.” Having been part of a scene still dominated by cishet white men, Cho has encountered her share of challenges but takes them in stride. “It’s all part of what makes an artistic life worthwhile,” she tells GO. “I find setbacks and adversity an opportunity to overcome obstacles and be present and in acceptance of the moment.” A surprising tidbit about the groundbreaking comedian? “I love gardening and feeding wild birds!” –LE

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Marcia Bernard

“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

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Andrea Jenkins

“I had worked in municipal government for many years,” Andrea Jenkins tells GO, “never really considering running [for office] myself, but in 2016, when America elected an orange reality-TV host as our president, I understood immediately that cities would be the last line of defense for protecting democracy.” So Jenkins ran for a seat on the Minneapolis City Council and, in 2017, became the first out Black trans woman elected to office in the country. With a keen understanding of the position she holds, Jenkins hopes to inspire the next generation of LGBTQ+ politicians. She also knows the statistics: only 10% of known LGBTQ+ elected officials are Black, according to the Victory Fund, and only two of those officials are Black trans women. This knowledge impacts all the work Jenkins does. As a politician, her goals are to create a national memorial to victims of police violence and brutality; ensure “a ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ process that is real, authentic and translates into reparations;” and guarantee the existence of a comprehensive process to address racism as a public health issue. In addition to being a politician and trans activist, Jenkins, who earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University, is also a published writer and poet. Being a woman heavily informs her political decisions and processes. “It has provided me the lived experience to speak out on issues that create negative outcomes for marginalized communities, and the strength to stand strong and fight for equity for all.” –AB

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Mariah Hanson

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

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Kate O’Brien

Kate O’Brien is used to pivoting. The out Canadian’s first (yes, first) championship sport was bob- sleigh pushing: from 2010-15, she competed in nine World Cup races and won a team bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships. An injury before the 2014 Winter Olympics and a request from a physiologist—what O’Brien calls “a peculiar twist of fate”—led her to competitive cycling and a spot on the Canadian national track cycling team, where she won medals at the 2015 Pan Am Games and World Cup, and represented her country at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. In 2017, O’Brien encountered a major setback: a life-threatening crash resulting in permanent dis- abilities and a traumatic brain injury. Post-rehab, she began competing as a para-cyclist and became the 2020 World Para-Cycling Champion, and a silver medalist at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. “I have had a lot of support from family and friends to help me through adversity,” she tells GO. “I have been a major planner in life, and if the road to the end goal changed, I felt like an utter failure.” O’Brien adds, “A large part of getting through adversity is realizing that I cannot control everything; just because my road or path changes, doesn’t mean I can’t end up where I intended, or find a new place that I would rather be.” A classic overachiever, O’Brien holds a BSc in Kinesiology and an MSc in Medical Science from the University of Calgary, and has a unique preferred snack. She tells GO, “My favorite sandwich is peanut butter, pickle, and ketchup.” –LE

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Storme Webber

“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

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London Wilmot

London Wilmot’s multipotentiality is equal parts impressive and awe-inspiring. She is a writer, athlete-celebrity fashion stylist, and CEO and creative director at Ricco Noir Studios, a bicoastal-based lifestyle brand, consulting agency, and artist collective. The purveyor of superior aesthetics, who is highly regarded for her creativity, style, and unique vision, prides herself most on her ability to connect with people. “My network is both my lifeblood and my superpower,” she tells GO. “Everything great in life is done through collaboration and finding people on the same wavelength makes every- thing that much sweeter.” Born in the U.K., Wilmot studied at the University of Houston and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Her success in multiple fields is a testament not only to her talent, but to her resiliency and dedication to hard work. Her aspiration to continue to foster a spirit of collaboration and build up her community, both locally and abroad, demonstrates her thoughtfulness and generous spirit. With Ricco Noir Studios, Wilmot boasts a client list that includes the likes of athletes Dwight Howard and CeeDee Lamb and comedian Mike Epps. She envisions assembling a team of artists, creatives, and freethinkers to usher in a world where people think for themselves and spread love. Wilmot says, “I want to inspire women and the youth to pursue their goals with diligence and build a platform to help them.” –LC

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Mayra Hidalgo Salazar

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

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Cindy Buckmaster

Dr. Cindy Buckmaster is not an advocate for animal-based research, but she is an advocate “for the strongest science possible and, unfortunately, that still requires research with animals,” she tells GO. “There is no technology in existence that can fully replace animals to help us learn all we need to know to understand and treat disease – not one.” As such, Buckmaster, a PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior with over 25 years experience, has used her career to advocate for the ethical treatment of laboratory animals. In addition to serving as the current Strategic Advisor for the genotyping firm, Transynetx, Buckmaster is the Director for Public Outreach with the National Animal Interest Alliance, and works to make standards of excellence and empathy routine in the care of laboratory animals. “Insisting that animals aren’t still necessary when they are may make people feel better about themselves,” she says,“but it changes nothing for our animals.” Instead, she wants to improve the quality of care for animals currently used in research while developing strategies that would require fewer animals in the future. “There is a way forward, but it must be grounded in reality or the research animals we love will be stuck forever in the aftermath of our arguments,” she says. Despite her love for animals, Buckmaster is scared of spiders. “I won’t kill one, but we can’t hang,” she says. “My wife and friends usually have to escort them away from me.” –AB

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Paula Boggs

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

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Heather Leigh Cullum

“I’m only 27, but they say age is just a number, right?” asks Heather Leigh Cullum. She’s already accomplished a lot. Cullum has worked as a freelance photographer in New York City; as an Associate Producer at Milk Studios; and as a Lead Photo Producer at Slate Studios. Now, following a very productive and successful year, she is Senior Director of Production and Operations with Slate, working with clients like Oscar De La Renta, Anne Klein, and Shiseido. Cullum has a strong sense of obligation for the work she does and loves it when her clients are truly happy with the results. “Building long-term relationships with clients is key, as it not only makes my job better but their job easier,” she tells GO. And as someone who is “not shy” and working in a field that includes unique and creative individuals, Cullum has found that her queer identity is an asset. “Being out and open as a woman who identifies as a lesbian has given me incredible power in my identity,” she explains. “I don’t feel judged, I feel seen and unstoppable.” In addition to her job with Slate Studio, Cullum is also the creative force behind Six Feet Apart, a photo book she describes as a love letter to New York City. She used this project to acknowledge the struggles and losses New Yorkers faced over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. –AB

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Mercury Stardust

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

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Tiara Moore

Dr. Tiara Moore’s career started on spring break. As a biology major at South Carolina’s Winthrop University, Moore signed up for a Tropical Ecology course “because they were going to Costa Rica,” she tells GO. But a vacation turned into much more when Moore arrived. She remembers: “We were doing little experiments, and we were seeing science as it happened and I thought, ‘You’re all getting paid?’” Since that fateful trip, Moore has earned a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and conducted research around the world, including in Bali, French Polynesia, and the Chesapeake Bay, exploring the biodiversity of whole ecosystems through a single soil sample. Along with her work at The Nature Conservatory in Washington, Moore strives for inclusivity as the founder of both A WOC Space and Black in Marine Science (BIMS), for which she is also the CEO. “In the STEM field, we started [going] to all these diversity trainings, but [they were] always taught by a white man and [weren’t] really action-oriented,” Moore recalls. Through consulting and training programs, Moore says, A WOC Space facilitates “safe spaces for women of color in the workspace, utilizing our stories and personal experiences, and [figuring out] how we can find folks to be better active bystanders that are allies and advocates.” Her next goal? “I would love to see a marine science institution partnering with a historically Black college or university, in a place where Black people actually live, who are the most impacted by climate change, marine pollution, and things like that,” Moore says. “I would love to build my own lab.” –LE

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Naomi Goldberg

“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

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Samantha Marie Johnson

“I found NYC Pride during a transitional period in my life,” Samantha Marie Johnson tells GO. Four short years later, Johnson serves as the organization’s senior event manager, producing nine of its 13 official events, creating community programming, and assisting in managing sponsor integrations. And she takes her role seriously, aiming to elevate LGBTQ+ populations who may have less of a voice in the crowd. “Since the start of my time with NYC Pride, I’ve been very intentional about working with community leaders and organizations to build inclusive programs during Pride, specifically highlighting our more marginalized communities under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella,” says Johnson, who previously served as National Director of Volunteers for the Green Festivals, managing over 900 volunteers per event and developing long-term volunteer engagement. Her own identity comes into play as well, Johnson says. “As a Black queer woman, I am proud to have a seat at a table that provides so much joy and a feeling of what liberation could look like.” As an event producer, Johnson is dedicated to work that connects with her core values, as well as designing specific experiences for target audiences. She’s also the co- founder of VASCANO Tequila, a Black, LGBTQ+, and female-owned brand currently in development. The most rewarding aspect of her work, she says, is “the simple ability to provide a platform that gives our community the opportunity to tell our stories through lived experiences, high- light our untold history, and take a stance on how we move toward a more inclusive and equitable future.” –LE

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Linda Villarosa

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

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Maura Healey

Although originally from New Hampshire, Maura Healey has made a name for herself in neighboring Massachusetts: initially, as the first out Attorney General in the country, and now in her bid to become the state’s first elected female governor, and the first out lesbian governor in the country. “I didn’t grow up expecting to run for office,” she tells GO, “but the work put me in a place where I thought I could make a difference.” And Healey has been making a difference throughout her career. As Civil Rights Chief, she brought the first successful challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to the Supreme Court, paving the way for marriage equality in the United States. As Attorney General, she was inspired by work that impacted people’s lives, whether that meant fighting for justice for those impacted by the opioid epidemic or protecting immigrants from xenophobic policies. Her own experience as a lesbian strengthens her resolve to advocate for new policies, and to include underrepresented voices. “I want to help people to believe in our democracy, in government, in looking out for each other and realizing that it’s not a zero-sum game,” she says. The significance of this election is not lost on Healey: being the first lesbian governor of Massachusetts would set a precedent for the future. But always, she embraces her most authentic self. –AB

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Nina Maresca

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

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Jessica Ware

Entomologist Dr. Jessica Ware loves bugs. “Insects are so numerous and there are not enough people studying them,” she enthuses. “Each insect we study is like a time machine that reflects hundreds of millions of years of evolution.” But entomology wasn’t always in Ware’s cards. The researcher, academic, and associate curator in invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History originally had a different focus entirely. “I always loved nature, but I really thank my professors at University of British Columbia for steering me away from marine biology and to entomology,” Ware tells GO. With an overall goal of slowing insect decline, Ware’s research focuses on the evolution of physiological and behavioral adaptations in insects, especially Dictyoptera (termites, cockroaches and mantises) and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). She currently serves as president of the Entomological Society of America and was recently given a Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) medal by the U.S. Government for her work on insect evolution. Besides her passion for entomology, Ware’s own identity—and that of her identical twin and son, both of whom are trans—plays an important part in her work, and the future of her beloved dragonflies. “I love being a member of the LGBTQAI+ spectrum, especially as someone who works on insects, which have many different kinds of reproductive strategies and behaviors,” she says. “I think being part of a community that welcomes a diversity of ideas allows one to look at science through a broader lens, which makes work more creative and hopefully more impactful.” –LE

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Melissa King

“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

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Rosanna Flamer-Caldera

Everyone’s first Pride is life-changing, but Rosanna Flamer-Caldera’s was positively epic. “Harvey Milk headed the parade,” recalls Flamer- Caldera, who moved to San Francisco from her home in Sri Lanka at age 18. Stateside, she came out as a lesbian and became involved in LGBTQ+ activism. But when Flamer-Caldera returned to Sri Lanka in 1990, life was very different. “I was shocked to hear that consenting adult same-sex sexual relationships were a criminal offense under the country’s penal code,” she tells GO. “I felt I had to do something about that.” After co- founding and working with the Women’s Support Group, Flamer-Caldera launched EQUAL GROUND, one of the oldest LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in Sri Lanka, in 2004. She serves as Executive Director, and in 2018 played an instrumental part in filing a groundbreaking case at the United Nations Committee, to eliminate discrimination against women who challenge laws that criminalize same-sex relationships between consenting adults. In 2021, Flamer-Caldera headed up a first-of-its-kind case in the Sri Lanka Court of Appeals against homophobic, inflammatory, and discriminatory speech from police trainers. She’s seen the fruits of her labor flourish—“several of my past employees at EQUAL GROUND have gone on to start their own advocacy organizations and groups,” Flamer-Caldera says—and relishes support from her community. “Having a good net- work of friends and colleagues to form a safety net for when times get rough” helps her with adversity, she says. However, it’s not all work and no play in Sri Lanka. “Being around wildlife and nature is my biggest joy,” Flamer-Caldera says. “And I am a [retired] drag king!” –LE

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Dana Bolles

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

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Shawn Skelly

As a teenager, Shawn Skelly was fascinated with aviation. Her mentors were naval aviators, and she soon realized that she, too, could pursue a career in the field. “I have not forgotten how critical mentorship was to the pursuit of my dream,” she tells GO. Armed with a drive to be in service to others, Skelly applied for a Navy ROTC scholarship. She went on to serve on active duty as a Naval Flight Officer in the U.S. Navy and retired as Commander after 20 years. In 2021, Skelly was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, making her the second openly transgender person confirmed as a federal official. She is also the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Skelly is mindful of the responsibility that comes with representing the LGBTQ+ community in such a public role, and is touched when people share how her living as a proud trans woman has impacted their lives. “It serves as the most meaningful reminder possible of why representation and visibility matter,” she says. “We are not alone in our journeys and believing that helps lift us all to where we rightfully belong in our society.” The most reward- ing aspect of her work, Skelly says, is “that I am able to bring my full, authentic self to the performance of my sworn duties, my relationship to the team I’m honored to lead, and the people and organizations I work with.” –LC

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Stephanie Battaglino

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

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Jaliessa Sipress

At the start of her career, astrologer Jaliessa Sipress spent time at astrology conferences “where my eld- ers’ versions of history and the astrology of it seemed to be skewed in a particular direction, one that I didn’t feel reflected my point of view or experience,” she tells GO. Although difficult, the experience “propelled me and reminded me of the importance of my place.” Sipress began to question the heteronormative and restrictive constructs that had long been accepted as the status quo in the field of astrology. While more nuanced conversations about gender, sexuality and race were new in that spiritual community, this only gave her the fuel she needed to continue. “The lens through which I see the world is a queer one,” she says. This lens has helped her become a pioneer through her work as an astrologer, writer, artist, and spiritual leader. Sipress has developed and shared new ways to use astrology that reflect the broader spectrum of the human experience. And she has the support of the queer community behind her. “My work was supported, almost exclusively, by the queer community when I first started, and that’s still the case to this day,” she says. She attributes this not only to her own queer identity, but also to her unique, inclusive approach. Committed to making spiritual and self-care simple, Sipress enjoys serving and empowering her community through her work as an astrologer, writer, artist, and spiritual leader. The most rewarding aspect of her career, Sipress says, “is witnessing people get freer: to assist people in embodying their authenticity, release all of the societal and family expectations placed on them, and be a mirror for their highest potential in and purpose in this life.” –LC

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Kazi Thomas

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

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Maria Katsikadakou, aka Maria Cyber

Maria Katsikadakou, aka Maria Cyber, has been using her voice for decades to fight for equal recognition and rights for Greece’s LGBTQ+ community. “I have always been speaking on behalf of those that didn’t have a voice,” she tells GO. Even as a small child, Cyber felt “it was a moral obligation to not stay silent.” Her courage and activism have undoubtedly changed the lives of countless people in Greece and around the world. But it hasn’t always been easy for Cyber. In the early 2000s, the radio station for which she produced the Athens Gay and Lesbian Show was sued by the Greek National Council for Radio & Television, and the show was removed from the air. Cyber didn’t let this silence her. Determined to continue her work to elevate the queer community, she and a friend co-created Mind Radio: the first-ever user-generated web radio station in Greece. Mind Radio went on to win gold in the Ermis Awards, which celebrate creativity in communication. Cyber is currently channeling her courage into her health as she navigates life with cancer, but facing a life-threatening disease hasn’t slowed her down. If any- thing, it’s inspired her to encourage others to talk openly about end-of-life care, a subject that is taboo in Greece. She’s also gleaned wisdom in facing her own mortality. “I realize how important it is to be present in every minute of your life,” she says. After helping many LGBTQ+ people exhibit their work over the years, Cyber decided it was time to display her own. She is curating a lesbian pornography photo book comprised of images she’s taken over the years with her past lovers. –LCThe 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

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Keturah Herron

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

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Mary Anne Adams

When Mary Anne Adams saw a major resource gap in her queer community, she dropped everything to fill it. In 2017, the public health researcher and trained social worker quit her job in academia to focus full- time on ZAMI NOBLA (National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging), a membership-based non-profit that centers service, advocacy, and community action research in order to build a base of power for Black lesbians over the age of 40 nationwide. “I founded ZAMI NOBLA because aging Black lesbians were no longer occupying positions of primacy in the youth-oriented Atlanta LGBTQ community and were increasingly rendered invisible, generally overlooked, and often ignored,” Adams tells GO. “They faded from these queer spaces feeling unwelcomed and unwanted.” Though leaving her job was risky—“I would lose 75 percent of my annual income,” Adams recalls—ZAMI NOBLA’s Executive Director soon saw results. One year after Adams left her job, the organization acquired a 35-year lease on a residence in northwest Atlanta, which they named the Biggers House for Black Lesbian Elders, which provides affordable and accessible housing for Black lesbians over the age of 55. “Low-income LGBTQ elders have unique needs and require affirm- ing spaces to live and thrive that are affordable, accessible, and empowering of their identity,” Adams says. “As a member of the community I am working on behalf of, and with, I am committed to building upon and maintaining connections with Black lesbians as they age, to help grow a network of intergenerational women who can offer care and friendship to one another.” –LE

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Vivian Joiner & Stephanie Tyson

“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

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Iman Le Caire

The most rewarding aspect of her work “is their metamorphosis,” Iman Le Caire says of the transgender asylum seekers she helps. “The way they look before they leave their home country and once they arrive in their final, safe destination are so different.” Le Caire knows this experience all too well: as a successful dancer and choreographer in Cairo, Egypt, where she was born and raised, she suffered greatly for being trans. “I was persecuted…rejected by my whole family and society, raped and physically harassed, targeted by the police and jailed” before fleeing Egypt for the United States in 2008, she tells GO. After being granted political asylum, Le Caire turned to activism, helping trans folk whose home countries are no longer safe escape and find refuge and protection. Her work as board member and Arabic Relations Manager of the European organization TransEmigrate, and with Trans Asylias, the organization she founded last year, as well as her own powerful story, earned Le Caire a place on the BBC’s 2021 list of 100 Inspiring and Influential Women from Around the World and parts in two documentary features coming out this year. She also acted in The Shuroo Process, which debuted at the Woodstock Film Festival last October. In a still-challenging world, Le Caire, who lives in New York City with her husband of eight years, knows the power of self-care. When asked how she deals with set- backs, Le Caire responds, “[a] shot of tequila and I say ‘c’est la vie!’” –LE

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Tiffany Cabán

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

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Imara Jones

“The desire to know what’s true, to understand it, and then the need to inform others about what I have come to know is what led me to journalism,” Imara Jones tells GO. An Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist, Jones founded TransLash Media, a non-profit, narrative organization focused on equality, in order to combat “the misunderstanding and mischaracterization of our com- munity that is leading to violence, even death,” she says. “It is my firm belief that telling our stories is a way to counteract the ignorance about us and to help save lives.” Jones is widely acknowledged for her work sharing stories of the trans community. She was recently included in Politico’s “Recast Power List,” which recognizes power players focused on the intersection of race, politics, and policy. She appeared on the cover of Time in 2020, and is regularly featured in publications and on news shows, including The Nation, NPR, The Guardian, and others. Her work includes the Webby-nominated TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones and the investigative series The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality, which examines the rise of anti-trans legislation in state houses across the country. “I want to reach as many people as possible with the fundamental messages of hope about our community and the possibility of change which all trans people embody,” she says. But awards and accolades are only part of her success. The most rewarding aspects of her work “are the late night messages telling me that one of our documentaries has stopped someone from committing suicide or that our podcast has helped someone accept their child. Those quiet moments of hope and affirmation are by far the best part of my job.” –AB

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DJ Mariko

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

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Gina Ortiz Jones

“I’ll never forget, one of the very first things I had to do as an Air Force cadet was to sign a piece of paper saying that I would not engage in homosexual behavior,” says Gina Ortiz Jones, who joined the service during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era. The discriminatory policy forbid openly LGBTQ+ folks from serving in the U.S. military. Nearly two decades later, Jones serves as Under Secretary of the Air Force, the second-highest ranking civilian leader- ship role within the department. As the first lesbian and first woman of color to serve in the post, Jones is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all airmen, guardians and civil servants can serve to their full potential. “Some of my most rewarding work involves shaping the policies that are improving the quality of life and quality of service of our folks and their families,” she tells GO. In her work as Under Secretary, Jones is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force under the Biden Administration. This includes organizing, training and equipping over 700,000 active duty military and civilian airmen and guardians and their families serving around the globe. She firmly believes that anybody willing to serve their country should have the opportunity to do so, and uses her position to ad- dress the disparities facing underrepresented minorities in the Air Force and Space Force. “We need talent as diverse as the opportunities and challenges that we face as a country,” Jones says.“This is really important work for our nation, and I’m honored to carry it forward every day.” –LC

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Mary Lambert

“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

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Malinda Lo

“I’ve always wanted to tell stories,” says Malinda Lo. “When I was growing up, I wrote for myself: stories of escape and imagined adulthood. As I became an adult, I wrote to discover myself.” The New York Times best- selling author burst onto the literary scene in 2009 with her debut novel Ash, a sapphic reimagining of the Cinderella story that was nominated for several honors, including the Lambda Literary Award, and is now considered a queer classic. Her latest novel, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, has earned wide-spread critical acclaim, winning the Stonewall Book Award, the National Book Award, and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, among other honors. Lo takes pride in writing for teens, and thinks her work speaks to adult readers as well, especially to those in the LGBTQ+ community. “Because [my books] are about young queer women coming of age, I think they’re for queer women of all ages,” she tells GO. “We’ve all gone through or are going through similar kinds of experiences.” As the acclaimed author, who lives in Massachusetts with her wife and their dog, continues in her career, she finds her artistic vision evolving. “I’m increasingly aware of time, in that I’m not going to have an infinite amount of time to write,” she says. “As I grow older, my interest in the ways we are all connected has deepened, and I’d like to explore that interconnectedness in my fiction.” Lo is “also interested in the cyclical nature of human experience, and how that can be expressed in art, including novels. I hope to write something that can speak to that.” –LE

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Nicole Zizi

“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

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