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Groundbreakers
Becca Balint
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Rep. Rebecca Balint is aware her election last year to the U.S. House of Representatives was historic — not just because she’s the first woman and first out LGBTQ+ person Vermont ever sent to Congress, but because of the times she finds herself in. “Democracies don’t fail overnight,” Balint says. “That’s why I’m fighting alongside my colleagues and my community to stand up against any attacks to erode our democratic norms.”
As Vermont’s lone representative in the House, Balint is one of the most powerful people in a state that’s produced political icons like Bernie Sanders and Howard Dean. Even after years serving in Vermont’s state legislature, Balint had to battle her own imposter syndrome.
“As a mom, a teacher, and an openly gay woman, my communities and other marginalized communities aren’t always represented in spaces of power — like the halls of Congress. And as the child of a working-class mom and an immigrant dad, I never thought elected office could be for me,” she says. “That question of belonging never quite leaves you, but you learn how to manage it. I’m so grateful to have found a support system that showed me there was a place for me in government.”
Serving on the House Judiciary and Budget Committees, Balint has a lot on her plate, but improving life for her community is always top of mind. “I want the LGBTQ+ community to know I’m fighting for our rights every day in Congress as they continue to come under attack from every direction,” she says. @repbeccab
Photo by Patrick Randak
Janelle Rodriguez
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Photo by Patrick Randak
Janelle Rodriguez is the executive vice president of programming at NBC News, in which capacity she manages NBC Nightly News, NBC News NOW, as well as breaking news specials. It’s a notable year for the country’s longest-running evening newscast, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
In addition to upholding the gold standard of this time-honored brand, the out Puerto Rican executive is breaking new ground by building NBC News NOW, the fasting-growing U.S. streaming news network. Under her oversight last year, NBC News NOW had an impressive 50 percent year-over-year growth and broadened into national and international linear distribution.
As the world gears up for an action-packed 2024 that includes the Paris Olympics and a U.S. presidential election, Rodriguez is more than prepared to lead her teams in their coverage. It’s a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly.
“I get a front row seat to history every day and have the honor of working with the best journalists in the world to bring the news to our audiences everywhere,” Rodriguez says.
Previously, Rodriguez served as CNN’s vice president of programming. During her career, she’s won several Peabody Awards and five Emmy Awards for election night coverage and beyond. Her CNN team took home the prestigious Alfred I. DuPont Award for its reporting on the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. And she’s routinely honored for her work by media outlets, being recognized by Variety’s Women’s Impact Report, Fast Company’s Queer 50, and CableFax’s Pride List.
Despite all her professional accomplishments, Rodriguez takes her greatest pride in her family. “Being a mom to my 10-year-old daughter is the greatest gift and hardest work of my life. I’m truly blessed,” she says.