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Mars Sharrock
Melissa Simpson
Innovators

Mars Sharrock

Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.

Becoming who you are — and showing people your true self — is essential for queer people, “but it’s also fun!” says Mars Sharrock, program director for The Wardrobe, a Philadelphia nonprofit combating clothing insecurity. Whether you need clothes for a job interview or to affirm your gender transition, The Wardrobe makes sure that you are kitted from head to toe.

“Fashion — feeling good in what you wear — is an expression of self. Self-determination goes beyond basic needs and is about creativity, expression, and freedom,” Sharrock says. And it’s self-determination that they want everyone to have access to, regardless of income, race, religion, or even criminal record.

The organization launched a program called “Returning Wardrobe,” which focuses on clothing and education services for formerly incarcerated people. And Sharrock has helped the program increase its services to transgender and queer community members by over 50 percent in just the past few years. “Clothing is a basic need, so I see the work The Wardrobe does as helping people get their basic needs met,” Sharrock says. @_sharrockin_

Liz Bloom
Courtesy photo
Innovators

Liz Bloom

Meet some of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.

Courtesy photo

Liz Bloom serves as the director for equality and opportunity at the White House Domestic Policy Council. With a strong focus on countering anti-Semitism and advancing LGBTQ+ causes, Bloom has been at the forefront of civil rights work. Driven by the belief that combating any form of hate makes society better for everyone, Bloom is a leader on implementing the president’s national strategy to counter anti-Semitism.

Bloom’s efforts have made a massive impact — from protecting same-sex marriage and overturning discriminatory policies to ensuring LGBTQ+ rights in health care and education. She previously served as a speechwriter for figures including Ambassador Susan Rice and Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler. With a background in journalism and a joint MBA/MPP from Harvard, Bloom brings a strong skill set to her mission of creating a more inclusive world.

“We continue to fight to advance equality every day in this administration, and we’re also focused on ensuring that this president’s incredible accomplishments for LGBTQI+ people endure for generations to come,” she says. “No president has done more to advance LGBTQI+ equality than Joe Biden. It’s a testament to President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’s leadership and the incredible team they’ve assembled — the most diverse administration in American history.”