Speaker Video - Gayety - Raquel Willis Discusses Black Trans Liberation

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Speaker Bio

Raquel Willis is an award-winning activist, journalist, and media strategist dedicated to collective liberation, especially for Black trans folks. She is the author of The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation. She is also an executive producer with iHeartMedia’s first-ever LGBTQ+ podcast network, Outspoken, and the host of Afterlives, a podcast centering the lives and legacies of trans folks lost too soon to violence.

Raquel has held groundbreaking posts, including director of communications for Ms. Foundation for Women, executive editor of Out magazine, and national organizer for Transgender Law Center. She co-founded Transgender Week of Visibility and Action with civil rights attorney Chase Strangio. She is the president of the Solutions Not Punishments Collaborative’s executive board and serves on the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art board.

She published the GLAAD Media Award-winning “Trans Obituaries Project,” in 2022, she executive-produced and hosted “The Trans Youth Town Hall” with Logo. The work was nominated for the GLAAD Awards and won Gold distinction in the Shorty Awards. She was also honored as a 2023 ADCOLOR Advocate.

Her writing has been published in Black Futures by Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham, Bulgari Magnifica: The Power Women Hold edited by Tina Leung, The Echoing Ida Collection edited by Kemi Alabi, Cynthia R. Greenlee, and Janna A. Zinzi, and Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha Blain. She has also written for Essence, Bitch, VICE, Buzzfeed, The Cut, and Vogue.

Raquel is a thought leader on gender, race, and intersectionality. She’s experienced in online publications, organizing marginalized communities for social change, non-profit media strategy, and public speaking while using digital activism as a major tool of resistance and liberation.

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Aligned Speaking Topic

I Believe in Our Power: Lessons of Resilience and Action from Black Transgender Trailblazers

Black transgender activists and organizers have historically played crucial roles in our fight for diversity and inclusion, but their pivotal contributions are often overlooked. In this talk, Raquel Willis navigates this rich yet forgotten history.

She draws from the stories of historical figures like Mary Jones, one of the first openly transgender people in New York history, Marsha P. Johnson, one of the prominent figures of the Stonewall Uprising, and iconic drag queen and activist Crystal LaBeija. Raquel also shares her own experiences in contemporary community organizing, drawing on the many groundbreaking posts she’s held. She weaves history and the present together to illuminate the enduring resilience of Black transgender activists in the face of systemic racism and transphobia, and challenges us all to invest in Black trans liberation and freedom for all.

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Elevating the Legacy and Future of LGBTQ+ Activism

• Rooted in Activism: A lifelong advocate for justice, Raquel served as National Organizer for the Transgender Law Center and co-founded Transgender Week of Visibility and Action alongside civil rights attorney Chase Strangio. She led the Atlanta Trans Liberation Tuesday mobilization as part of the broader Black Lives Matter network, reflecting her deep commitment to grassroots movement-building.
• Historical Context with Personal Insight: Raquel was a speaker at the 2017 National Women’s March in Washington, D.C., where she called for the inclusion of trans and marginalized voices in social justice efforts. Her work consistently connects the modern fight for LGBTQ+ rights with its historical foundations, helping audiences understand the ongoing evolution of Pride.
• Intersectionality at the Forefront: As President of the Solutions Not Punishments Collaborative executive board and a board member for both the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts Collective, Raquel champions intersectional justice at the community, cultural, and policy levels.
• Dynamic Storytelling with Strategic Depth: Whether uplifting Black-led LGBTQ+ initiatives through fundraising or advising progressive foundations like Borealis Philanthropy and the Roddenberry Foundation, Raquel’s voice bridges storytelling with real-world action and strategy.
• Bridging Communities, Inspiring Action: Raquel brings a bold and authentic presence to every stage—grounding Pride in its activist roots while inspiring all audiences, including allies, to take part in meaningful change.

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Speaker Video - Celebrating LGBTQ Upstanders: A Conversation with Eric Marcus for Educators

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Speaker Bio

Eric Marcus is an award-winning journalist, author, and oral historian whose work has illuminated the lives and legacies of LGBTQ+ trailblazers for over three decades. Best known as the creator and host of the acclaimed Making Gay History podcast, Eric brings to life the voices of LGBTQ+ pioneers whose stories have shaped the modern movement for equality.

In 1992, Eric published Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights, 1945 to 1990, one of the first comprehensive oral histories of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. He later expanded this work in a 2002 edition titled Making Gay History, which would go on to inspire the widely celebrated podcast series of the same name. Lauded by educators, advocates, and cultural institutions alike, the podcast has become a definitive archive of queer resilience and activism.

Eric began his career at CBS News but left network journalism to pursue LGBTQ+ storytelling at a time when few dared. His decades of advocacy through storytelling include publishing eight books, covering topics from suicide prevention to same-sex relationships, and serving as co-producer of a television documentary for public television on gay youth.

Today, Eric speaks to audiences about the importance of preserving queer history, amplifying overlooked voices, and drawing connections between past and present struggles for justice. Through rich archival research and powerful personal anecdotes, Eric equips audiences with a deeper understanding of Pride’s roots—and why its lessons matter now more than ever.

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Speaking Format

Eric, the creator and host of the award-winning Making Gay History podcast, is a dynamic and informative guide to LGBTQ history.

The Making Gay History podcast mines Eric's decades-old archive of rare interviews to bring LGBTQ history to life through the voices of people who lived it, both the well-known and long-forgotten.  The live presentation--virtual or in person--incorporates a broad cross-section of activists and allies as it reveals a key American civil rights story that remains almost entirely unknown.

Eric's Making Gay History features a slideshow that includes about 10 short audio clips from his archive; he uses those clips to frame his talk about the LGBTQ movement and his own work recording some of the pioneers who shaped that movement.  The presentation typically lasts 45 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes for Q&A, though that's flexible.

In addition, Eric is an experienced panelist and moderator, and he’d be happy to work with your Employee Resource Group to organize and moderate an intergenerational discussion with LGBTQ employees.

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^{“THANK YOU!!! Your presentation was incredible, and you deserve so much gratitude for preserving these beautiful stories of LGBT+ history that would have otherwise been lost. We have received so many comments praising your presentation, and we look forward to working with you again!” —Alan York, Chair of PRISM (LGBT+ Inclusion Group), Reed Smith LLP}

^{“Thank you! This was our BEST pride chat EVER and the staff has been buzzing.” —Tommy O’Donnell, Senior Contracts and Systems Specialist, Grants Management, Rockefeller Foundation}‍

Speaker Video - Dr. Eric Cervini | What is Pride Without Parades

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Speaker Bio

Dr. Eric Cervini is an award-winning author, producer, and historian of LGBTQ+ politics. His first book, The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America, was a NYT bestseller and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It also won the Publishing Triangle’s Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction, the NYT Editors’ Choice, and the “Best Read of 2020” at the Queerties.

Cervini is the Emmy-winning creator and Executive Producer of The Book of Queer, a queer history docu-series boasting the largest all-queer cast in Hollywood history, is now streaming on HBO Max.

In March 2024, Cervini launched Allstora, an online book marketplace, alongside fourteen-time Emmy-winner RuPaul Charles. Cervini currently serves as Allstora’s CEO. On the site, Cervini also hosts Eric’s (Very Gay) Book Club, where he highlights the most brilliant and exciting works of gay literature.

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Speaking Topic

The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America

Harvard and Cambridge-trained historian, Dr. Eric Cervini expertly explains the cultural crossroads that America is currently facing in the timeless battle for gay rights. Based on firsthand accounts, recently declassified FBI records, and roughly 40,000 personal documents, Cervini uncovers the secret history of gay activism that began a generation before Stonewall. From public battles with Congress and FBI informants to murder and betrayal, Cervini chronicles the events that have led us to this exact moment.

Cervini also explores the intersectionality of several civil rights movements as he traces the forgotten ties that bound gay rights to the Black Freedom Movement, the New Left, lesbian activism, and trans resistance. Audiences will walk away with a new perspective on how we got to this point, and also what needs to happen next.

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Illuminating the Hidden History of Queer Resistance in America

• Rooted in Activism: Dr. Cervini’s work centers on the overlooked and erased stories of early LGBTQ+ activism—most notably Frank Kameny, the federal employee whose fight against systemic discrimination launched the modern gay rights movement.
• Historical Context with Personal Insight: A Pulitzer Prize finalist for The Deviant’s War, Eric weaves together meticulous archival research with dynamic storytelling to show how Pride was born out of protest, organizing, and resilience under pressure.
• Intersectionality at the Forefront: His scholarship connects the LGBTQ+ movement to broader civil rights struggles, shedding light on the intersections between sexuality, race, gender, and political power in shaping policy and culture.
• Dynamic Storytelling with Strategic Depth: Whether through his writing, speaking, or online platforms, Dr. Cervini delivers engaging, evidence-based narratives that make complex historical events feel immediate and relevant to contemporary audiences.
• Bridging Communities, Inspiring Action: With a talent for making history accessible, Eric empowers allies and queer audiences alike to understand their role in carrying forward the legacy of resistance, activism, and systemic change.

Speaker Video - Chase Strangio on Anti-Trans Attacks, Legislation and Hope - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osrBHXCvHok&t=2s

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Speaker Bio

Called a “beacon of hope for transgender people around the country,” Chase Strangio is Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project and a nationally recognized expert on transgender rights. Chase litigates extensively in federal and state courts across the country and defends the rights of LGBTQ people before state legislative bodies.

Chase has been counsel in some of the past decade’s most pivotal legal fights on behalf of transgender litigants including the ACLU’s challenge to North Carolina’s notorious HB2, Carcaño, et al. v. Cooper, et al, the ACLU’s challenge to Trump’s trans military ban, Stone v. Trump, the case of Aimee Stephens, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v EEOC at the Supreme Court and recent challenges to anti-trans laws and policies in Idaho, Texas, Tennessee, Indiana and Arkansas.

Chase was also counsel in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court decision that struck down bans on marriages for same-sex couples. In addition to his advocacy in the courtroom and state legislatures, Chase appears regularly in media, including appearances on The Rachel Maddow Show, Vice, NowThis, PBS NewsHour, Democracy Now, The Daily Show and Pod Save America. He has also produced multiple short films including the Emmy-award-winning short, Texas Strong.

In 2012, Chase co-founded the Lorena Borjas Community Fund, an organization that provides direct bail/bond assistance to LGBTQ immigrants in criminal and immigration cases.

In 2020, Chase was named to TIME Magazine’s List of the Most 100 Influential People of the Year. Chase is also a co-founder of TranSanta and the Trans Week of Visibility and Action.

“Chase has the fortitude to speak with clarity on the messy contradictions and limitations of our legal system, while simultaneously wielding the powers of that system to help the most vulnerable,” wrote actress and LGBTQ+ advocate Laverne Cox, who credits Chase for helping shape her activism.

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Aligned Speaker Topics -

The Potential & Limits of Legal Advocacy in the Fight for Trans Justice

Transgender people are facing an all-out assault in state legislatures, in the courts and in the public discourse. Opportunistically weaponized by political actors to turn out votes, this small and marginalized community has never faced so many barriers to legal equality and material survival. In this talk, the ACLU’s Deputy Director for Trans Justice Chase Strangio will talk about how the fight for trans rights takes on new urgency in the court in a post-Dobbs world, the limits of legal advocacy and the potential for cross-movement mobilizing in the years ahead.

Protecting Our Trans Community

The attacks on the freedom and dignity of trans people and their families continue to escalate, with one-third of the country passing laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care. A nationally recognized expert on transgender rights, the Deputy Director for Transgender Justice for the ACLU LGBTQ and HIV Project and the top LGBTQ+ attorney in the country, Chase Strangio discusses the ACLU’s Trans initiatives, his role at the famed civil rights organization and what we all can do to help protect Trans people from discrimination.

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Defending Trans Lives and Advancing Justice Through the Courts

• Rooted in Activism: A national leader in trans legal advocacy, Chase brings deep credibility as the ACLU’s foremost trans rights attorney—fighting on the frontlines of landmark civil rights cases.
• Historical Context with Personal Insight: His work defends the legacy of trans resistance by ensuring current and future generations are protected under law—a modern evolution of Pride’s protest roots.
• Intersectionality at the Forefront: Chase consistently centers race, class, gender, and bodily autonomy in his legal arguments and public commentary, advocating for the most vulnerable in LGBTQ+ communities.
• Dynamic Storytelling with Strategic Depth: Both candid and compelling, Chase speaks from the courtroom and lived experience—educating, challenging, and motivating audiences toward action.
• Bridging Communities, Inspiring Action: With a powerful, principled voice, Chase inspires both allies and queer audiences to understand Pride not just as a celebration, but as a call to defend justice.

Speaker Video - Surviving Voices - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHsfKyHAEk0

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Speaker Bio

For 50 years, Cleve Jones has given a voice to the voiceless, organized the struggling and disenfranchised, and inspired activists and audiences alike with his life stories of driving history-making change. He was recognized as a Champion of Change by President Obama and portrayed in an Oscar-winning film. His acclaimed keynotes connect the historic struggles of the past with the most urgent issues of our time: overcoming pandemics, achieving economic justice, protecting the vulnerable, and standing up for all forms of human rights.

Jones currently works as a community organizer for UNITE HERE, the international union representing hotel, casino, food service and restaurant workers. He came to labor activism already a hero in the struggle for gay, lesbian and transgender rights, and a fearless champion for those living with HIV. Jones has been a driving force behind the most important gains made by the LGBTQ+ community over the last five decades. From his early days in the “gay liberation” movement with Harvey Milk to co-founding the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, founding the AIDS Memorial Quilt and fighting for marriage equality, Jones has made history as part of one of the most effective human rights movements of all time. He was portrayed by Emile Hirsch in the Oscar-winning film Milk, for which he served as a historical consultant. Jones was also prominently featured in the critically acclaimed miniseries When We Rise, which was inspired by his award-winning 2016 memoir of the same title.

In 1987, he founded the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, the world’s largest community arts project, memorializing the lives of more than 85,000 Americans. Jones’s first book, Stitching a Revolution: The Making of an Activist chronicles his life and how the AIDS Memorial Quilt project sought to restore hope in a time of tragedy and fear. Jones led the 2009 National March for Equality in Washington D.C. and also served on the Advisory Board of the American Foundation for Equal rights, which challenged California’s Proposition 8 in the U.S. Supreme Court, winning a landmark victory for marriage equality.

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Aligned Speaking Topics -

Becoming a Changemaker: Mobilizing Movements for Any Cause

Before social media –even before the digital age itself, Cleve Jones co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SAF), one of the largest and most influential advocacy organizations of its kind. SAF was the foundation for 50 years of standing up for individuals and groups that need a strong voice, including the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and Jones’ current work for UNITE HERE, the international union representing hotel, casino, food service and restaurant workers. In this essential talk for advocates, activists, fundraisers and changemakers, Jones, now one of the elder statesmen of human rights activism, translates the tenets of grass roots mobilization for a new generation of changemakers. From messaging to best practices in organizing to how to be an effective leader in this space, Jones provides an essential toolkit—and sage advice— for anyone seeking to advance a cause and create real and lasting change.

When We Rise: My Life in the Movement

In this moving talk, drawn from his critically acclaimed memoir, When We Rise, Cleve Jones shares his 50-year personal and political journey to becoming a hero of the LGBTQ+ community. Beginning with the electrifying atmosphere of 1970s San Francisco, Jones takes audiences through the Gay Liberation Movement, his mentorship by legendary activist Harvey Milk, the terrifying early years of the AIDS pandemic, and his own rise to the forefront of activism as co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and AIDS Memorial Quilt. Speaking as both a witness to history and as one who critically shaped it, Jones chronicles an era that forever changed both the fabric of our nation and the lives of millions of LGBTQ+ Americans.

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A Living Link to the Foundational Struggles for LGBTQ+ Rights

• Rooted in Activism: A direct protégé of Harvey Milk and longtime labor and LGBTQ+ activist, Cleve’s legacy spans the earliest days of gay liberation to modern intersectional organizing.
• Historical Context with Personal Insight: His memoir and storytelling chronicle Pride’s protest origins—from the AIDS crisis to marriage equality—with firsthand accounts that are both educational and deeply moving.
• Intersectionality at the Forefront: Cleve’s work across LGBTQ+, labor, and healthcare justice spaces helps corporate audiences understand how these movements interconnect and remain relevant today.
• Dynamic Storytelling with Strategic Depth: Whether through his writing or public speaking, Cleve humanizes historical events, offering emotional clarity and political relevance in equal measure.
• Bridging Communities, Inspiring Action: His decades of work have empowered countless allies and activists, making him an ideal voice for a Pride program that seeks to honor activism and ignite impact.