Ryan Greenleaf
Innovators
Sunitha Menon
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Sunitha Menon made history this year as the first executive director of the Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission, selected by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. In this role, she works with a team of 15 commissioners to address gaps in policies and services affecting the LGBTQ+ community.
One of her proudest achievements so far in her new role was supporting queer kids facing bigotry from their school boards and extremist groups like the Proud Boys. “Being with those students, helping create a space for them to stand in their power, own their voices, and stand up for themselves and the LGBTQ+ youth in their community was inspiring in a way I won’t ever forget,” Menon says.
Menon previously worked at Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, and at RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. As a queer woman of color, her dedication to advocating for marginalized communities is personal and powerful.
“We all deserve to live fully equal lives, and until we do, I’ll be in the fight alongside our incredible and powerful community,” Menon says. @sunitha.menon1
Gabriella Angelina
Melissa Simpson
Stacey YvonneStacey Yvonne is a critic and entertainment journalist who can be found in Los Angeles eating snacks at events. She loves to uplift the LGBTQIA+ community and specifically highlight Black and female members. She can be found at SYvonneCreative.com
Stacey Yvonne is a critic and entertainment journalist who can be found in Los Angeles eating snacks at events. She loves to uplift the LGBTQIA+ community and specifically highlight Black and female members. She can be found at SYvonneCreative.com
Stacey Yvonne is a critic and entertainment journalist who can be found in Los Angeles eating snacks at events. She loves to uplift the LGBTQIA+ community and specifically highlight Black and female members. She can be found at SYvonneCreative.com
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.
Melissa Simpson
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_