Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard

“I’ve always believed that our true legacy isn’t defined by the titles we hold, but by the barriers we break down for those who come after us,” says Diana Rodriguez, who, with her wife Ann Marie Gothard, co-founded Pride Live, a national organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ community awareness and support, via social advocacy and community engagement. On June 28, 2024, Rodriguez and Gothard opened the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in New York—the first LGBTQ+ visitor center within the National Park Service. “When we launched Pride Live nearly 14 years ago, the landscape for LGBTQ+ rights was vastly different,” says Gothard, whose 20-year communications career spans healthcare, Fortune 500 companies, and global organizations. Rodriguez, a previous executive producer of the GLAAD Media Awards, says of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center: “I saw a unique opportunity to create a physical bridge between the legends of the 1969 uprising and the generation of activists leading the charge today.” The most rewarding aspect of their work? “You can read about history in a book or study it on a screen, but there is something deeply significant about standing on the exact ground where history was made,” Rodriguez tells GO. “Providing that experience to our community has been the crowning achievement of my work.” Adds Gothard, “The most fulfilling part of this journey has been the ability to give back to our community in such a significant way, alongside the woman I love, ensuring that our stories—and those of people like us—are never forgotten.” –LE