David Rey Photography
Innovators
Carlos Santiago
Meet some of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Santiago Solutions Group and the Association of National Advertisers’ Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing “work to change how brands and Hollywood portray the LGBTQ+ community and other diverse groups,” says Carlos Santiago, the gay Latino CEO of the former and cofounder of the latter.
During the past year, AIMM “has gained significant influence in the marketing industry by advocating for transformative change and setting new benchmarks for inclusive marketing,” he says, adding, “Specifically, we’ve debunked the myth that featuring LGBTQ+ consumers is bad for business. AIMM’s research uncovered that consumers are more likely to ditch brands that retreat from inclusive practices than those that remain steadfast.”
“LGBTQ+ equality isn’t just a social issue — it’s a reflection of our evolving society,” he notes. “AIMM research shows that younger generations, especially Gen Z, where 75 percent of people identify as LGBTQ+ or as allies, expect and demand equality in the workplace and for all consumers…. Brands that embrace this reality aren’t just doing the right thing — they’re securing their relevance today. Equality isn’t optional — it’s essential for social progress and business success.” @ana_aimm
inKind
Daniel ReynoldsDaniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Johann Moonesinghe
Meet some of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
inKind
Johann Moonesinghe is the CEO and founder of inKind, an ingenious app that rewards diners with credit for supporting their favorite restaurants (inKind gives businesses funding in exchange for food and beverage credits for users).
The app has marked a milestone year, exceeding 1 million users — 1.4 million at the time of this reporting. Moonesinghe, a foodie, personally owns and operates restaurants in order to improve his business model. One establishment, the Guest House, is currently the top-rated restaurant in the company’s base city of Austin. The entrepreneur and angel investor (Uber, Allbirds) grew up in a working-class family with parents who emigrated from Sri Lanka. Today, he is a successful, proudly gay man with a loving husband. But he knows the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in the U.S. and abroad is far from over.
“We’ve come a long way, but we’re still far from the finish line. I encourage our community and our allies not to take anything for granted, but also to recognize and celebrate the progress being made every day — whether big or small.” @johannmoon