ALABAMA
Máni Blunt
Sometimes just being yourself is enough to enact change. As the Alabama programs manager for TransFamily Support Services, Máni Blunt, 30, is personally and professionally leading the charge. Blunt, who is genderfluid and transmasculine (he/they), connects and guides transgender and gender-nonconforming people through their journeys. They educate professional staff on cultural humility to best serve their trans clients, students, coworkers, employees, and others. They’ve also facilitated support groups for youth and young adults and coordinated public events with sibling LGBTQ+ organizations throughout Alabama. Together with another trans-serving group in the community, Blunt cohosted Huntsville’s first Trans Day of Visibility event. Blunt says he is especially happy about the large turnout. As far as inspirations go, Blunt says,“I had originally hoped my voice would sound like Neil Patrick Harris after transitioning! But a huge inspiration is Carmarion D. Anderson-Harvey [of the Human Rights Campaign]. Hearing her speak is absolutely powerful.” Voices like Anderson-Harvey’s give Blunt hope for queer folks in Alabama and for LGBTQ+ protections and the safety of trans-identifying people across the country, “And the world! But one step at a time,” they say. —Stacey Yvonne
ALASKA
Alexis “Alex” Anoruk Sallee
At just 31 years old, Alexis “Alex” Anoruk Sallee has already made a name for herself as a film director and producer. As she is a queer Iñupiaq and Mexican-American woman, Sallee’s work comes from an Indigenous perspective centering “indigeneity, queerness, and female strength,” she says. In 2021, Sallee had three short films out. She directed and produced Dear Kin, which highlights individuals from the Alaska Native LGBTQIA+ and Two-Spirit communities. She also wrote, directed, and produced Who We Are, a short film dedicated to her Iñupiaq ancestors, and Celebrating Our Beauty, a documentary short that focuses on a traditional Indigenous tattoo ceremony. “As a filmmaker, I feel my power is in sharing stories,” Sallee says. “I believe we can change hearts and minds with emotion. A lot of it is educating those that are misinformed, as a majority of people have grown up with a colonial mindset. Once you humanize someone that you think is ‘different,’ I believe it changes perspective. I don’t ever want to shame people for what they believe but to open their eyes to learning and understanding.” —Becca Damante
ARIZONA
Charlie Amáyá Scott
Charlie Amáyá Scott (they/her) is a 27-year-old trans femme doctoral student studying higher education. They also educate and influence nearly 80,000 followers on TikTok. “I create content about Native LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit issues and discuss gender and sexuality through a decolonial framework both on social media, and in workshops and panels,” they explain. Scott’s very presence in higher education is a reclamation in itself, giving voice to Indigenous communities while she learns how to challenge harmful power dynamics and policies at colleges and universities. The Navajo scholar recently co-published a chapter in the Encyclopedia of Queer Studies in Education, has created a zine on Indigenous feminism, and will be featured in the upcoming documentary Indigenous Queer Joy by Evan Atwood Benally. They see their work as part of a broader resistance. “Outside of my ‘queer’ and ‘trans’ ancestors within my community, I have my friends Alberto, Tony, and Britt to thank. The work they do is rooted in joy and justice for themselves and others,” she says.
Scott’s future plans include “[making] content that provides an outline of what people can do — whether it is financially supporting organizations who are already doing the work, signing petitions, or sharing.” —Megan Colleran
ARKANSAS
Jay Wilks
Eureka Springs, Ark., is the only American city to plan three Pride celebrations this year thanks to Jay Wilks (on left), director of Out in Eureka since 2017. After a two-year hiatus, the organization’s Spring Diversity event came back strong, with city officials helping secure a $15,000 grant to make the event’s return a true celebration. “We brought back all of the family-friendly events…and the famous Official Diversity Drag Queen Bingo, which was hosted by former Miss Gay America 1995 Patti Le Plae Safe and the current Miss Gay Oklahoma America, Gizele Monáe,” Wilks says. In 2014, Wilks and husband Keith Johnston became the fourth same-sex couple to wed in Arkansas. They now have a chihuahua named Webster and care for their mothers. The 54-year-old, who has lived with HIV since 1998, grew up inspired by Harvey Milk and Marsha P. Johnson, activists who stood up to anti-LGBTQ+ forces. Their example motivates his work, Wilks says: “You cannot change anything unless it’s done with education and a clear sense of pride.”—Jacob Ogles
CALIFORNIA
Priya Aurora
Hollywood may be the entertainment capital of the world, but it can sometimes lack the representation needed to reflect its audience. South Indian queer and nonbinary activist Priya Aurora (she/they) is inspired by LGBTQ+ standouts in entertainment and advocates for more exposure for marginalized communities. “Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres on Grey’s Anatomy was one of the first queer characters I ever identified with. They’ve remained one of my biggest queer idols because of the unapologetic and authentic way they’ve shared their journey,” Aurora says. They have also been inspired by folx who broke barriers and paved the way for them and their community members. By being themself, Aurora is working diligently to increase awareness of queer and Indian experiences as well. She hosts a podcast called Queering Desi that celebrates South Asian LGBTQ+ folks, and they’ve been the subject of features in Cosmopolitan India and GQ India. Aurora often speaks on panels about the intersectionality of being queer and South Asian and most recently moderated “Beyond Binaries: Creating Space for Gender-Inclusive South Asian Stories” at the 2021 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. “I’m a journalist fighting for a more inclusive workplace,” Aurora says. “I’m a partner who is supporting my wife as we embark on our journey to become parents. And I’m a community activist building ties and creating safe spaces.” —SY
COLORADO
Tom Dunn
The blueprint to reshaping the future may lie in the past, according to Colorado State University professor Tom Dunn. He’s writing a second book on historical LGBTQ+ theory and politics, this one on how Americans used memories of Nazi persecution of gays in World War II to advance LGBTQ+ rights in the postwar era. “I’m deeply inspired
