Reed Erickson (1917 – 1992) was a mechanical engineer, businessman, financier, and philanthropist whose support of transgender research and advocacy made him one of the most influential early benefactors of the transgender rights movement.

In 1964, he founded the Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF), which provided funding for LGBTQ organizations, served as an information resource for transgender individuals, and supported pioneering research into gender-affirming healthcare. Through the EEF, Erickson contributed millions of dollars to research projects, referral networks, educational materials, and advocacy efforts, helping shape the development of the transgender movement in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.

Aime Wichtendahl is the first openly trans woman elected to government in the State of Iowa. She was first elected to the Hiawatha City Council in 2015, and was reelected without opposition in 2019 and 2023. She became the first transgender person elected to the Iowa Legislature, representing District 80, which includes Northeast Cedar Rapids and the cities of Robins and Hiawatha, in the 2024 election. During the 91st General Assembly, she spoke passionately in defense of trans rights and in opposition to the removal of gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. She is the ranking member of the House Economic Growth and Technology Committee and serves on the Ways & Means, Judiciary, Veterans, and Local Government Committees.

Ms. Wichtendahl is also the author of the 2011 novel “The Butterfly and the Flame,” which was a Lambda Literary Finalist in 2012. She graduated from Mount Mercy College, now University, in 2005. In her spare time, Ms. Wichtendahl spends time with her family and writes eclectic sci-fi stories.

Chris Kalcich has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and progressive causes for more than a decade. He currently serves as Vice President of the Pennsylvania Young Democrats and is the Executive Director of Fairness Pennsylvania, a statewide LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization.

Kalcich was only the second openly transgender individual to hold public elected office in Pennsylvania (Selinsgrove Borough Council), and the first to hold party leadership. As Chair of the Snyder County Democratic Committee from 2021 to May 2026, he helped oversee local party organization and engagement efforts at the county level. In 2024, he was named to Inside PA’s 30 Under 30 list in recognition of his advocacy and public service work.

Stu Rasmussen (1948-2021) made history in 2008 by becoming the first openly transgender mayor elected in the United States after winning election as mayor of Silverton, Oregon. Rasmussen served on the Silverton City Council beginning in 1984 and served as mayor from 1988 to 1992 as a man, before returning to office in 2008 after transitioning to a woman.

During Rasmussen’s tenure, the city developed a new community center, expanded its public library and senior center, revitalized local businesses, and increased tourism. Rasmussen’s election demonstrated that transgender public officials could serve openly while earning the support of their community.

Alan L. Hart (also known as Robert Allen Bamford Jr.), 1890 –1962, was an American physician, radiologist, tuberculosis researcher, writer, and novelist. Hart pioneered the use of X-ray photography in tuberculosis detection; he worked in sanitariums and X-ray clinics in several states. For the last 16 years of his life, he headed mass X-ray programs that screened for tuberculosis in Connecticut. X-rays were not regularly used to screen for tuberculosis prior to Hart’s innovation, and are still used today, which has led researchers to believe that he saved countless lives.

As a fiction author, Hart published over nine short stories and four novels. Circa 1918, Hart became one of the first trans men in the United States to undergo a hysterectomy as gender affirmation surgery.

Founder and Co-Executive Director of Programs at the New York Transgender Advocacy Group, Kiara St. James was a tireless activist who helped push the passage of NY State’s Gender Expression Nondiscrimination Act (GENDA) and advocated for funding of trans-led community-based organizations and PrEP/HIV treatment campaigns centered on Black and Brown TGNB New Yorkers. She also worked with other activists to end a New York City loitering law known as the “walking while trans” law, as trans women were disproportionately targeted.

Kiara’s vision encompassed liberation, dignity, and creating real pathways for trans, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, and intersex communities to thrive. Through her leadership, she built a movement rooted in love, resilience, and collective power. Kiara passed away in May 2026; New York Governor Kathy Hochul echoed the feelings of many in her statement, “I was proud to know her and to fight alongside her. She will be dearly missed.”

Octavia Y. Lewis is recognized as an activist, advocate, humanitarian, mother, and scholar. She currently serves as Interim Program Manager at the Transgender Law Center, where she supports the National Advisory Board of Positively Trans, the first national advisory board established by and for transgender individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Ms. Lewis possesses a deep understanding of the complexities and intersectionalities within society and is committed to advancing the interests of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Her dedication is evident through her roles as board member of both the National Advisory Board for Positively Trans and the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at UC San Francisco. She previously served as a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women–Manhattan Chapter and as a Board Member of Positive Women’s Network USA.

Jahaira Gonzalez is a proud Afro-Latina, native Puerto Rican transgender woman from the Bronx, New York, and a dedicated community advocate with over a decade of service. As Director of Outreach & Prevention Services at Destination Tomorrow, The Bronx LGBTQ Center, she leads initiatives focused on HIV prevention, sexual health education, and community.

In addition to her outreach work, Jahaira manages a food pantry and clothing distribution program supporting individuals facing food insecurity and provides Narcan training to help combat the opioid crisis in New York City. She is deeply committed to helping people navigate and access essential services, working to remove barriers and ensure others do not experience the hardships she faced growing up. Through her work, Jahaira continues to uplift, educate, and empower marginalized communities.

Congresswoman Sarah McBride was elected to Congress in November 2024 and represents the state of Delaware as its sole member of the House of Representatives, becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. Congresswoman McBride was the first transgender state Senator in U.S. history, serving the First State Senate District of Delaware from 2020 to 2025. She has worked as a public servant and advocate for decades.

As a state senator, McBride distinguished herself as a leading health advocate by expanding access to care and strengthening public health systems, including passing the landmark Healthy Delaware Families Act, providing paid family and medical leave, and the Protect Medicaid Act of 2024.

For over 20 years, Asha Lyons has dedicated her career to supporting marginalized communities through social work, public health, research, and anti violence advocacy. A trans woman of Latin and Caribbean descent, she brings a trauma informed, anti oppressive, and gender affirming approach to her role as the Licensed Social Worker for the Gender Affirmation Program (GAP) at VNS Health, where she supports trans and nonbinary patients post-gender affirmation surgery. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Bronx LGBTQ Task Force, at the office of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, continuing her commitment to advocacy and community empowerment.