Popular Speakers for LGBTQ+ Programs

An activist whose work began in the 1970s during the gay liberation movement, Jones is a mentee of groundbreaking LGBTQ+ activist Harvey Milk. He co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, created the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and published the memoir, When We Rise.

A survivor of the Marjory Stoneman-Douglas High School shooting, X became a leading voice in the gun violence prevention movement with their powerful speech “We Call BS.” An activist to the core, X—a name they chose inspired by Malcolm X—believes in the power of your voice and how it can cause change. They fight for everything from gun violence prevention to protecting LGBTQ+ rights to environmental protection.

A national leader in transgender rights litigation and advocacy, Strangio has been counsel in some of the past decade’s most pivotal legal fights on behalf of transgender litigants including recent challenges to anti-trans laws and policies in Idaho, Texas and Arkansas; the ACLU’s challenge to Trump’s trans military ban, Stone v. Trump, and more. In 2020, he was named to TIME magazine’s list of "The Most 100 Influential People of the Year."

Recruited by Coach Pat Summitt for the University of Tennessee’s Lady Vols, Holdsclaw was hailed as the “female Michael Jordan." A three-time NCAA champ and #1 draft pick in the WNBA, she seemed destined for a spectacular professional career—until her long-suppressed battle with mental disorders emerged to derail everything and threaten her life. Holdsclaw shares her incredible personal story of resilience as well as a message about the importance of self-care and prioritizing mental health.

One of the most dramatic figure skaters on the planet, Rippon won the hearts of America and the world at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Known for his refreshing candor and wit, his rise to fame has provided him with a platform to speak out in support of LGBTQ+ rights and the freedom to be oneself. His passion and charm have made him an inspiration to young and old alike and he has quickly become a role model and icon to millions.

As a former NFL player and one of the few openly gay former professional athletes, Davis shares his own coming out process and the work he does as an LGBTQ+ consultant for the NFL and as Executive Director of the You Can Play Project, an organization that works with partners to make deep and lasting change in sport, including the NHL, MLS, CFL and others. Currently the Head of Inclusion at Netflix, he has consulted for companies including Google, Procter & Gamble, Viacom and more to co-create transformative solutions to build inclusive corporate cultures. 

Dr. Higgins is a speaker, writer and social justice educator who focuses on issues related to gender, race and media. Named Business Equality Pride magazine’s “Top 40 LGBTQ Under 40” for 2020, they have written for numerous media outlets.

Zannell shares her incredible journey, from growing up in a loving, religious family to the bullying and violence she suffered as a trans woman to making her way to New York City. Now a prominent activist for transgender and human rights, she inspires with a message on the importance of family and chosen family, how to heal from trauma and build sustainable self-care and why it’s important to never give up. 

Creator of the Facebook page “Call Me They,” Dumlao was named an “emerging voice” by NBC Asian America for their inaugural Redefine A to Z series, has been featured in Mashable’s “30 Days of Pride: The LGBTQ Figures Making History Right Now,” and has been named as an NPR "Source of the Week." They educate on the issues of non-binary visibility, Asian and Filipino representation, “genderfull” fashion and aesthetics and more, all through an intersectional lens.

Experienced in diversity inclusion work in environmental spaces, academic research and creative work, Hernandez is a queer environmentalist that experienced homophobia and loss of identity while growing up in a conservative household. As an environmental educator, he examines the history of queer liberation in the environmental movement and how he was able to overcome barriers he faced in his life.

Cook is a Latina businesswoman, the CEO and Founder of Maggie's Salsa, LLC, a fresh salsa and dips company that she started with $800 after she was homeless. She later sold it to Campbell's Soup for $231M. She inspires with a message of resiliency, drawing from her experiences as a minority, a woman business owner and a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

A Broadway performer and debut author, Davis spent 15 years researching, writing and creating The Queens’ English, The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases. She believes this dictionary is a starting point for important conversations around inclusivity, sexuality, gender expression and identity. Her work has been featured on the BBC, The Wendy Williams Show and was a Barnes and Noble Pride Book Pick.