the Ruby Fruit
Groundbreakers
Emily Bielagus and Mara Herbkersman
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
When it came to opening the Ruby Fruit, the first lesbian bar to operate in Los Angeles in six years, co-owners Emily Bielagus and Mara Herbkersman found success by not overthinking it.
“Lots of people were telling Mara and I that this wasn’t a great idea for many reasons, lots of people had lots of opinions about what we should and shouldn’t do, and instead of listening to those people, we listened to ourselves,” Bielagus says. “We didn’t hire a design team to work on the space, we just painted the walls a color we liked and decorated with books, objects, and art from our own homes; we chose a name that made us both smile; we play the music we like to listen to; we serve the wine we like to drink and the food we like to eat.”
Even though establishments for queer women have long been endangered, the opening of the Ruby Fruit — the wine bar/restaurant’s name is a nod to Rita Mae Brown’s classic 1973 lesbian novel, Rubyfruit Jungle — demonstrated a community clamoring for their own space.
“Our first night of service was one of the most stand-out moments of my career,” says Herbkersman, who also serves as the Ruby Fruit’s chef. “In the minutes leading up to doors open, we began to see throngs of people walking through our parking lot, approaching the restaurant, forming a small crowd, and we realized they were there for the Ruby Fruit. When we opened the doors, folks streamed in, our gay ’90s Lilith Fair music was playing, and we watched couples and friends sit down and claim seats and then start to look around the room in amazement.”
Bielagus and Herbkersman are dedicated to making their Silver Lake venue a mainstay of L.A.’s queer community — not an easy feat in a city that grows more expensive by the day. “Late-stage capitalism is a real bitch,” Bielagus admits. @therubyfruit
Groundbreakers
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.