William Dorsey Swann was an African American queer activist and former slave who became the
first known drag queen in the United States.

Roberta Achtenberg is a politician and civil rights advocate who became the first openly lesbian federal appointee confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Mark Leno made history as the first openly gay man elected to the California State Senate, where he championed causes including LGBTQ+ rights.

Activist Cleve Jones has made many contributions to the gay rights movement, including conceiving the idea for the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Queer activist Javier Gomez organized his high school classmates to protest a piece of homophobic legislation in Florida.

Olivia Julianna is a political strategist with a youth-led nonprofit that uses social media to educate, agitate, and raise funds for progressive causes.

Audre Lorde confronted injustice through her art and poetry, which tackled such subjects as racism, sexism, classism and homophobia. 

James Baldwin was a writer and social critic whose work explored intricate issues of race, sexuality, and identity in mid-20th century America.

Tom Ammiano is a politician, teacher, comedian, and esteemed figure in San Francisco’s fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

Harry Britt succeeded Harvey Milk on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where fought for the LGBTQ+ and progressive communities.

Howard Wallace was an organizer and activist who helped unite the labor and gay rights movements.

Cheryl Summerville is a gay rights activist who helped force a corporation to update its anti-discrimination policies.