Monique Force-Setlock

“I chose a career in advocacy because I’ve always believed that our stories, especially women’s stories, shape the world we can imagine for ourselves,” Monique Force-Setlock tells GO. “I’ve seen how often LGBTQ+ women’s stories are overlooked or unrecorded. As Stonewall’s director of advancement and the National Women’s Fund, I’m committed to changing that by building the resources and visibility needed to ensure that queer women’s lives are preserved, celebrated, and centered in our national narrative.” A nonprofit development leader with over 20 years of experience, Force-Setlock oversees all fundraising efforts for the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library. She also serves as director of the Stonewall National Women’s Fund, where she helps grow Stonewall’s national presence, elevate LGBTQ+ women’s history, and extend the institution’s impact through community investment and strategic philanthropy. Force-Setlock’s previous position was director of development at Palm Beach County’s Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA), where she spearheaded robust fundraising initiatives and created signature events, including the Heart of a Woman Luncheon, which featured high-profile speakers like Elizabeth Smart and Olympia Dukakis. When asked what culture helped shape her own identity, Force-Setlock replied with a book title. “At a time when so many lesbian stories in books and films ended in sadness and tragedy, [Rita Mae Brown’s] Six of One offered something different,” she says. “It was the first time I encountered queer women living boldly, hilariously, and unapologetically, and it showed me that our lives could be central, joyful, and worthy of storytelling.” –LE