Who are they?

We'wha (they/them), is a Zuni Native American from New Mexico. They're an accomplished weaver, potter, and the most famous lhamana, a traditional Zuni gender role, which is now most commonly described as mixed-gender or Two-Spirit. They took on both male and female tasks, and endeavoured to preserve the history, traditions, and knowledge of the Zuni people.

Bayard Rustin (he/him), was an American political activist, and a prominent leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, nonviolence, and gay rights. Bayard was the chief organiser behind the historic March on Washington, and in the 1980's became a part of the LQBTQ+ movement and an advocate for AIDS education. In a 1986 testimony on behalf of New York State's Gay Rights Bill, he stated that "Gay people are the new barometer for social change.".

Marsha P Johnson (she/her), was a black transgender activist, drag queen and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. She's best known for her role in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, which was a pivotal event in the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation. Marsha co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) with Sylvia Rivera to support homeless LGBTQ+ youth and individuals. She was a key figure in the early gay rights movement, and always said the "P" in her name stood for "Pay it no mind".

Sylvia Rivera (she/her), was a Latina-American drag queen who was a gay and transgender activist in the 1960's and 70's. She's also well known for participating in the Stonewall Uprising and for establishing STAR with fellow friend and drag queen Marsha P Johnson. In honour of Sylvias activism in the gay and trans community, The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) was founded in 2002. SRLP "works to guarantee all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income and race" by giving the LGBTQ+ community access to legal services, as well as teaching leadership and advocacy skills.

Laverne Cox (she/her), is an American actress and LGBTQ+ activist who achieved a number of 'firsts' as an openly transgender woman in the entertainment industry.  She's best known for her role as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series 'Orange Is the New Black', becoming the first transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy award. In May 2016, Laverne was awarded an Honorary Doctorate form the The New School in New York City for her progressive work in the fight for gender equality.