Teen Vogue exclusively presents the annual GLAAD 20 Under 20 list honoring outstanding LGBTQ youth.
Every year, GLAAD conducts a nationwide search for queer youth advocating, organizing, performing, and all around shining in a world that seems hell-bent on dimming their light. Even in the face of book bans, legislative attacks on their healthcare, or an entertainment industry still learning to embrace queer narratives, LGBTQ youth are not only surviving, but thriving.
Thankfully, we know that a supermajority of Americans support rights for LGBTQ people — including that school should be a safe space for all youth — and it is really the result of a concentrated but loud minority that challenges queer existence. Time and again, history has shown us that queer people will come out on top, creating lives that we get to live with safety, respect, and dignity.
This year’s crop of 20 Under 20 honorees will make certain of that. Rather than hoping someone else steps up to make things better, these 20 young entrepreneurs, artists, non-profit leaders, activists, athletes and advocates are that catalyst. From the Senate floor to the Olympic podium, they’re showing the world that there’s not just one way to be a changemaker.
Without further ado, meet the GLAAD 20 Under 20 2024 honorees, revealed exclusively in Teen Vogue, with custom illustrations from Kim Salt. 20 Under 20 is sponsored by Delta, and presented with special thanks to Anthony Allen Ramos and Yolanda Lenge.
Aarna Dixit
20, she/her, reproductive justice activist
Aarna Dixit is an expert on reproductive justice because her life is truly built around it. She’s co-hosted a podcast, Dirty Talk, which features unfiltered, educational conversations on topics ranging from UTIs to porn culture to masturbation; she’s worked with multiple international reproductive justice organizations, including Planned Parenthood and Swasti, a public health organization in India; and she even led a campaign at her university on safe medication abortion access on campus. In fact, nearly five years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics tapped Dixit to appear in a video campaign on consent, and what it means for teens. “I think the most important thing about consent is that it is required … it’s quite simple. It’s about respecting yourself, your body, and other’s bodies,” says a then-teenaged Dixit, passionate and informed.
Dixit is committed to viewing her advocacy through an intersectional lens, which includes LGBTQ people. “When it comes to reproductive justice … queer folks often face the most barriers in accessing reproductive healthcare,” Dixit tells GLAAD. “Advocating for LGBTQ+ communities is essential as it allows us to envision more empowered communities, less plagued by oppressive institutions of patriarchy and heteronormativity.”
A gifted writer, a public speaker (including TedXYouth), and a soon-to-be graduate of NYU, “a world where everyone is their most liberated and empowered selves,” is closer than we think with Dixit around.
Adelyn Vigil
16, she/her, trans rights advocate
In the spring of 2021, Adelyn Vigil should have been enjoying volleyball practice, hanging out with her siblings, or even doing homework. Instead, she was doing what so many transgender youth and their families are unfortunately called on to do each time an extremist lawmaker meddles in their access to medically necessary healthcare. Vigil was testifying on the steps of the Texas capitol, calling on lawmakers to roll back legislation that would constitute her parents sound decision to provide her with gender affirming care as “child abuse.”
“Have any of these legislators ever stopped to think about how scary it would be for me to lose the love and support of my family because they refuse to listen to us? … The real child abusers are the people writing these bills, forcing me to be something I am not,” said an impassioned Vigil, just 12 years old at the time.
The bill that would wrongly charge Vigil’s parents with child abuse, SB-1646, died in committee. But its legacy of harm and intent to restrict queer youth still stands, along with the 75 other anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced last year. The only one that passed does still affect Vigil – SB-14, a law barring trans kids from getting puberty blockers and hormone therapies.
Still, Vigil forges on, positive and inspired. She’s appeared on national television to demystify what it means to be trans; she’s championed her Latinidad and Mexican heritage with the Human Rights Campaign; and she looks forward to the next chapter of her life, with plans to pursue a career in law and justice.
In a word of advice for LGBTQ youth, Vigil offers: “you’re not alone and other kids are out there feeling exactly what you are ... stay true to yourself.”
Anna Hill
15, she/her, AAPI youth advocate
Disheartened by the lack of Asian American and Pacific Islander stories being told in and out of the classroom, Anna Hill saw a need in the world, stepped up, and filled it. Alongside a powerhouse team of youth activists, Hill founded a non-profit organization called AAPI Youth Rising to make their voices heard.
Now editor in chief of the organization, Hill and the board are committed to educating classrooms nationwide about AAPI histories, advocating and speaking out against discrimination and hate-fueled violence, creating art, and taking impactful but smaller actions, like holding space for conversation on AAPI issues, engaging voters, and fighting for inclusive education for all. AAPI Youth Rising partners with organizations like Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Act to Change, and Teach for America, as well as research initiatives that provide youth insight and data for research about youth mental health, wellness, and safety.
On her intersecting identities as an Asian and queer woman, Hill feels grateful to have LGBTQ family and friends who not only accept, but celebrate who she is. “Growing up around queer family members and them existing as another way of life just like cis/het people made me feel a lot less scared of being different,” Hill said. “Showing youth that, as a queer person, you don’t always have to constantly be proving it and you can just live, is something I’d like to express more through my work.”
Chazzie Grosshandler
18, she/her, GenderCool champion
Chazzie Grosshandler didn’t just inspire The GenderCool Project, she helped ignite a movement. The student and public speaker’s mother helped create The GenderCool Project, a youth-led movement bringing positive change to the world by helping replace misinformed opinions with positive experiences meeting transgender and nonbinary youth who are thriving.
While Grosshandler is “singularly focused on living her life with purpose,” she has already accomplished so much that it’s hard to believe she’s only 18.
At just 11 years old, Grosshandler made her national television debut on the TODAY Show. Joined by her parents, she courageously told the world her story as an out trans girl, which she continues to do at conferences, galas, houses of worship, and schools across the country. On the show, Grosshandler shared that when she came out to her parents, she was met with love and acceptance, “It made me very relieved that I didn’t have to hide who I really was inside.” Her mother, Jen Grosshandler, added that she hopes that by sharing their story, “More folks will understand the kind of kids we’re raising and the values we have, what we expect of our children is really not so different than their own families.”
With Grosshandler’s work as an activist, and by simply being herself, she shows the world the beauty in being trans. “I think it's important for people to learn that our unique differences are exactly what makes human beings so interesting! The LGBTQ+ community is full of fascinating, talented, ambitious people who want what all people want,” she says. “We want a life full of friends, family, and purpose. By being visible, we help folks see us for all that we are.”
Da’Taeveyon Daniels
17, he/him, activist
Da’Taeveyon Daniels calls legendary writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin his greatest inspiration, and they are certainly cut from a similar cloth. Both Black, queer men who are fearless in embracing their intersectional identities, Daniels credits Baldwin for teaching him that, “our voices are powerful tools for change.”
Daniels was called to action his freshman year, joining the National Coalition Against Censorship’s inaugural Student Advocates for Speech cohort. During his term, on top of writing and speaking out fearlessly against the impact of censorship on youth, he also helped NCAC enroll over hundreds of members across his home state of Texas. His success earned him a seat on NCAC’s National Advisory Council, making him the youngest and first-ever student ever to serve as a committee member.
Since then, Daniels’s work has expanded to include civic engagement and improving access to mental health resources, all with a focus on young people. He’s held multiple leadership roles at youth-led nonprofits, including serving as the Southwest Regional Director for Youth Legislative Action Center, where he registered over 4,000 high school seniors across 10 states in 10 months to vote; and at Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), where he serves as the Director of Partnerships & Development. One of his colleagues is fellow 20 Under 20 honoree and SEAT co-founder Hayden Cohen.
In fighting book bans, Daniels has appeared in interviews with CNN and The Emancipator, spoken at SXSW and Unified Jam, and penned several op-eds on the topic. In 2023, he was selected as the Honorary Youth Chair for Banned Books Week, alongside the illustrious LeVar Burton. It’s no surprise that Baldwin, who once said, “you think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read,” inspired Daniels to become such a fierce champion of intellectual freedom.
Daus Mendoza
19, he/him, beauty influencer
What do titan makeup companies like Sephora, Rare Beauty, and Kylie Cosmetics have in common? They all have collaborated with Daus Mendoza. With more than 5 million followers on TikTok, Mendoza is the it-boy for all things beauty, style, and beyond. A quick scroll through Mendoza’s profile reveals just how successful and vibrant his life is.
If he’s not testing products sent to him by the many brands that support him, he’s getting ready to go out to movie premieres, or giving tutorials on jaw contour and lashes. He posts long-form vlogs on his YouTube in both English and Spanish, where his almost 200,000 subscribers can tag along with Mendoza at New York Fashion Week, or even on his move to LA at just 18. He’s unabashedly himself, whether donning a chic goth look or a vibrant rainbow eye, and will candidly share if he’s feeling bloated, running late, or his pet peeves. Speaking of, he hates when people chew with their mouth open, chaotic drivers, and “school. Just school,” although his early “Get Ready with Me for School” videos remain iconic. He also doesn’t like when followers comment on how he could have improved a look he’s already worn. “It’s not like I can go back in time!”
A proud gay Mexican, when asked who his biggest inspiration is, Mendoza simply answers, “I am my own inspiration.” He says he owes that perspective to his mother, who growing up, “was a huge supporter … and told me to be exactly who I am.” If you’re interested in elevating your taste, or for a daily dose of glamor, give Mendoza a follow. You won’t regret it.
Dilinna
20, he/they, writer and poet
Dilinna is not afraid of hard truths, nor shining a light on them. A Nigerian-American writer, Dilinna uses his poetry to remind folks that “freedom for queer people in the world is hard,” especially in his homeland of Nigeria. Often shifting between romantic and blunt, Dilinna explores the sharp contrast in a world of bittersweets. His piece “Poem About Boys Who Died Before They Were Born,” turns the idea of the closet being a shameful place on its head. Instead, poses Dilinna, perhaps the invisibility offers freedom for young gay kids. In another piece, he describes the jarring dichotomy of going to school, or on a walk, or seeing ads for TV shows, all while Russia invades Ukraine on the other side of the globe:
“At school, my teacher has us
discuss the invasion,
makes us research all the ways
it will affect our lives, and we
talk about frivolous things
like gas prices and the economy.
While Ukraine is under attack,
we discuss the economy.”
He’s been published in TAB Journal, Rigorous Magazine, and 1455 Movable Type, and was also selected as the first California Youth Poet Laureate by Urban Word. Dilinna, who is currently a prose reader for the Adroit Journal, dreams of writing a novel one day. His biggest inspiration is none other than the genius behind Steven Universe, Rebecca Sugar.
Emery Bingham
she/her, 17, performer
Launching her YouTube channel at only 7 years old, singer, songwriter, and stage actress Emery Bingham has long been a staple in internet history. From her iconic Ariana Grande covers and DIY music videos garnering millions of views, to her staged (but hilarious) feuds on Instagram livestream, Bingham has been entertaining us for a decade, and she has a bright future ahead.
Ten years and 360,000 subscribers later, Bingham, who is asexual, continues to create music and art for her devoted fanbase on the internet, all while serving as a beacon of representation for LGBTQ people. First becoming immersed in the community through musical theater, Bingham not only found a place where she felt seen, but also discovered her true passion for singing and acting.
Now with an EP titled Phantoms and an impressive collection of singles and music videos like “Killer,” and “The Way You Broke Me, Bingham is only just getting started. ” Her next single “If He Cared,” will debut in early October.
She reminds LGBTQ fans to “take your time.” She says, “There doesn’t always have to be a label on yourself and it’s not anyone else’s business, you don’t owe anyone an explanation.”
Evy Leibfarth
20, she/her, Olympian
Two-time Olympian Evy Leibfarth has whitewater sports in her blood. She grew up alongside a river in North Carolina, and her parents actually met on the water while kayaking. It took only four years for Leibfarth to take up the sport herself, and she began competing internationally by age 12 after winning a bet against her father (who was also her coach) that she would place first or second at the Junior Team trials hosted by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). Now a decorated champion, Leibfarth’s athletic legacy includes winning the United States’s first medal in slalom canoeing in 20 years at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. On top of her win, Leibfarth was already making history as the first woman to compete in three canoe/kayak events for Team USA.
Outside of the 5 rings, Leibfarth has garnered multiple medals at ICF-hosted World Championship games, and is a two-time gold medalist at the Pan American Games. It’s no wonder that Red Bull, with its iconic roster of badass international competitors, selected Leibfarth as a Red Bull athlete this year too.
Leibfarth, who is bisexual, asserts that “sports are for everyone.” It was Billie Jean King who taught her the importance of fighting for equality. “She didn’t just change the game for women; she showed that LGBTQ athletes have a place in every arena,” says Leibfarth. A self-described advocate for inclusion, Leibfarth believes “we all need to strive to make a community that fosters inclusion and diversity.”
When she’s not training (or winning), Leibfarth loves mountain biking, baking, and drawing. Her specialty is raspberry white chocolate muffins. She plans to attend Davidson College, where she will study biology, in hopes of becoming a doctor.
Hayden Cohen
20, they/them, student and state policy director
Hayden Cohen — who refers to themself as “nonbinary-ish” — is a state policy director shaking up the political landscape in their home state of Texas. After watching their state’s legislature strip away rights from LGBTQ people, particularly those of trans youth, Cohen co-founded Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) to ensure students had a voice in policy-making.
Cohen first got involved in activism as president of their high school’s Gay Straight Alliance, where they were determined to create a safe and supportive space for LGBTQ and allied students. From there, Cohen joined forces with young activists including fellow 20 Under 20 alumni Cameron Samuels and 2024 honoree Da’Taeveyon Daniels, and SEAT was born. The organization has hosted major events at the Capitol, including an advocacy day with students from cities across Texas, where they met with nearly 30 legislators and offices to demand a seat at the table in decisions directly affecting them and requesting they pledge their support for involving youth in policymaking. SEAT recently took to the Senate floor to speak out against Governor Greg Abbott’s so-called Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act or HB 900. The ACLU of Texas reports that the standards put forth by the bill could lead to, “the removal of books about LGBTQIA+ issues, race, and racism.”
While working towards their degree in social work, Cohen is also currently serving as Harris County's youngest Democratic precinct chair, screening candidates for the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, and helping to endorse and elect those who support their community. As we approach the 2024 Presidential Election, Cohen reminds us that “What is never, ever ok is to have the ability to vote and decide not to…. Voting is sexy, voting is powerful, and voting is how we make change.”
Ivy Wolk
20, she/her, comedian and actress
Self-described as a “modern, nastier Shirley Temple,” comedian and actress Ivy Wolk made her professional acting debut in the Freeform sitcom Everything’s Gonna Be Okay in 2019. Known for her dry humor, tasteful apathy, and sardonic delivery, fans new and old can catch Wolk on the hit FX series English Teacher, or the critically lauded, Sean Baker-directed Anora, which won the coveted Palme d’Or honor at Cannes Film Festival.
Wolk considers herself many things, including a “web slut,” and an “advocate for honesty, for women sharing their emotional truths, for dead celebrities, for controversial people, and for the chronically and mentally ill.” On being a visible LGBTQ advocate, Wolk shares, “I love the gay community so much. Gay art is so important. It is the foundation of everything we have. Gay guys with weird taste have built everything smart and funny and worthwhile.”
Wolk lives in Brooklyn now, where she runs two standup shows “The Right Side of History,” and “Struggle Bus.” Up next, Wolk has several impressive studios and collaborators on the horizon, including A24 and Jonah Hill.
Julia Garnett
19, she/they, anti-censorship activist and organizer
The first time Julia Garnett spoke out against book bans at a Tennessee school board meeting, the audience erupted in applause when she called out the adults in the room for acting like children. Garnett was voicing her support for A Place Inside Me, a picture book depicting the emotional journey of a young Black boy after witnessing a police shooting. The adults she called out were trying to ban a book that, like so many others that are contested, is hardly the perverse, divisive narrative that some claim it to be.
After that night, a trailblazing activist and organizer was born. Garnett’s fearlessness that evening snowballed into a life of advocating for the freedom to read. Her experience at the school board meeting led her to realize that it was students who were being left out of conversations that determined their fate. She openly challenged this notion at another school board meeting after her principal told her she couldn’t sit on review committees for books on the chopping block. The following week, Garnett received an invitation.
“Representation absolutely saves lives,” Garnett tells GLAAD. “I grew up with limited representation from the LGBTQ+ community, and I did not see anyone my age speaking out for change. … [I want to] show other young people that their voices have power and are needed within our movements.”
An alum of the National Coalition Against Censorship’s Student Advocates for Speech Committee, Garnett’s accolades and achievements include serving as the 2024 Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair, joining forces with The Trevor Project for their Pride in Action video campaign, and recognition from First Lady Jill Biden for her work combating censorship on International Day of The Girls in 2023.
Now Garnett is a freshman at Smith College, with plans to major in government. To LGBTQ youth everywhere, she states: “Your voice and your story carry power. Own that.”
Kelsey Parker
19, she/her, student and founder of ThinkBlack
Kelsey Parker is making the change she wants to see in the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of working Black business owners plummeted by 40% in the United States, according to the Washington Post. Parker couldn’t just sit around and watch this happen. Combining her strengths as both an advocate and an entrepreneur, Parker founded ThinkBlack, a digital platform supporting over 10,000 Black-owned businesses nationwide.
Launching the project in 2020 in response to the racial disparities she had become acutely aware of amid the pandemic, compounded by the murder of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement, ThinkBlack aims to connect consumers with Black-owned businesses and to encourage growth and relationship-building in the Black community through entrepreneurship and economic prosperity.
Now 19, Parker is an employee and representative for the Greater Baltimore Chamber of Commerce, driving real change by supporting small businesses and enhancing economic opportunities. Not many college sophomores — Parker is studying Agricultural Business at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University — can say they’ve earned a Point Foundation Flagship Scholarship, the U.S. Small Business Administration Maryland Rising Star Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and a Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award all before turning 20.
Parker reminds LGBTQ youth to, “Embrace who you are and know that your identity is valid. Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift and affirm you. It's okay to take time to discover who you are and what you want out of life. Your journey is yours alone, and there's no rush to fit into any mold.”
Nabela Garcia
14, she/her, drag artist
At only 14 years old, DunkaShayMonroe AKA Nabela Garcia has already secured her throne as drag royalty. After slaying her way through the GLAAD Media Award-nominated Discovery+ series Generation Drag and being crowned Downey California’s Pride Princess, Garcia has already mastered the arts of Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, & Talent.
Life as a trans kid hasn’t always been a walk in the park for Garcia. When she was only 8 years old, Garcia had the courage to come out to her parents, to which she was met with nothing but love and support. Unfortunately, as is the same for many trans youth, this support system wasn’t mirrored at school. The bullying and harassment became too much to bear, and struggling with her mental health, Nabela knew she had to fight back… and that’s how DunkaShayMonroe was born!
DunkaShayMonroe is Garcia’s alter-ego with all the confidence in the world. Through her drag persona, Garcia has learned that, “everyone else’s opinions of you [don’t] matter because that’s all it will ever be, just an opinion… you are living your life and truth for your happiness and not anyone else’s.”
Since being featured on Discovery+’s Generation Drag, Nabela has gotten involved with organizations like Q-Youth Foundation, TogetherRide, and CHLA’s Angels of Change, as well as corporations like Nickelodeon and Nike, to help accelerate their advocacy efforts in uplifting trans youth. Garcia has even collabed with fellow Latine drag artist Honey Balenciaga.
On her intersecting identities, Garcia shares with GLAAD, “As a 14-year-old trans-Latina, I feel that being a visible advocate for my community is crucial… I want to educate and be a voice for everyone, but especially my Latin Community.” She adds, “There is so much work that needs to be done, and as long as I’m around I will forever be a voice for my LGBTQ Community."
Nadya Lopez
20, she/her, performer, artist, and advocate
When Nadya Lopez was cast as the lead in her mainstage musical senior year, a student came up to her after the show and revealed: “seeing you on that stage gave me the strength to be myself today.” But for this multi talented actress, student and advocate, the pleasure was all hers.
It was Indya Moore’s portrayal of Angel Evangelista in POSE that enlightened Lopez to who she was. “My eyes lit up. I saw her and knew that I was like her as well,” Nadya tells GLAAD. She began transitioning later that year.
Since then, it’s been an inspiring journey of embracing knowledge and familial support, organizing against discrimination, and of course, performing. As she connected with her truth, Lopez still found multiple ways to support her queer classmates as well, joining the Changemaker Leadership Program at the Alliance for LGBTQ Youth. When the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill loomed in Florida, Lopez organized student walkouts at her high school in Miami. And despite being a gifted singer and musician, Lopez is unafraid to pass the mic, creating and directing a short film called “Presence,” in which she brought eight transgender people together to “build dialogue and highlight the essence of being trans.”
Lopez most recently appeared in GLAAD’s Here We Are campaign, a series of videos intended to show the 71% of Americans who have never met a trans person the reality of their lives. “I want to be happy, I want to be healthy, I want to have people by my side who will always be there for me,” declares Lopez, flanked by her mom and dad, both of whom support their daughter’s right to live as her authentic self.
Lopez studies fashion design and performing arts at the competitive and esteemed Savannah College of Art and Design. In a word of advice to LGBTQ youth, she offers “protect your peace.”
Q Licht
19, he/him, activist
Q Licht is working overtime to make Central California a more inclusive place. Founder and director of the Purple Sticker Project, Licht started an initiative that aims to make books with positive LGBTQ representation more accessible in school libraries. What started as a high school freshman’s idea has evolved into a $30,000 initiative in the Santa Cruz County Office of Education to bring queer media and curricula into schools.
In a time where book bans are up 65% and nearly half of all censorship attempts are aimed at LGBTQ-inclusive stories, Licht’s work couldn’t have come at a better time.
Through this project, Licht became one of the first openly transgender male member of the Girl Scouts in Central California to earn a Gold Award, the most prestigious achievement within the organization. In doing this, Licht has proven that at their core, a Scout is a leader sparking positive change within their community.
With countless accolades under his belt like the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Youth of the Year, a Santa Cruz County Queer Youth Leadership Award, and multiple Congressional recognitions, Licht is proud to be a visible LGBTQ advocate. He says, “When I can answer someone’s questions, they are more prepared to support the LGBTQ people in their life. To me, being a visible advocate means volunteering my experience to further respect and understanding.”
Rueby Wood
17, he/him, actor
Not many high school students can say they were cast in a Disney+ feature film before their 18th birthday, but not many high school students are Rueby Wood. A gifted performer from Syracuse, New York, Wood won the hearts and minds of the world through his portrayal of Nate in the Tim Federle novel-turned-film Better Nate Than Ever. Wood not only held his own in a cast with superstars like Lisa Kudrow and Norbert Leo Butz, but shined, earning a Children’s and Family Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program. Before his debut on the big screen, Wood also starred in the first national Broadway tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as…Charlie. Clearly, he has a thing for titular roles.
Still, it was Nate who inspired Wood to be himself, “unapologetically, all the time, no matter what,” and now Wood is doing the same for other LGBTQ youth. His performance of “Show Yourself” from Frozen 2 for Disney+’s Say It With PRIDE series has nearly 20,000 views, and is a sublime package of warm, crisp vocals, and powerful message of stepping into your light.
A student at the renowned performing arts school Interlochen Academy, Wood also hosts the academy’s annual drag show. He cites the beloved Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova for inspiring him to get into drag, and queer hip-hop superstar Lil Nas X for reminding him to not care what other people think.
Safara Malone
19, she/her, transgender policy specialist
One thing about Safara Malone is that when the world won’t make a space for her, she’s going to create one for herself. As a proud member of the ballroom scene and one of Harvard’s finest, Malone refused to be intimidated by the predominantly white institution. Although Malone’s countless accolades speak for themselves, as a Black trans woman she shares that she had to “channel that ballroom confidence to find and create queer spaces for myself,” when she arrived in Cambridge for her freshman year.
With a resume like Malone’s, it’s no wonder she’s attending one of the top institutions in the world. The Texas native got her start working with the GSA Gender Justice Leadership Program, a multi-dimensional, media-based strategy that aims to center and uplift the power, leadership, and truth of trans and nonbinary young people. From there, she became part of a community advisory board for a research project building trans-affirming sex education; was part of the Fierce Freedom School program at the Transgender Law Center, which is the largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people; worked as the Trans Justice Intern at the ACLU; and became the co-chair of TransHarvard, which in 2023 was, to the organization's knowledge, the largest trans-centered, trans-student-run event in the world. Now, Malone works as a policy intern at Transgender Education Network Texas.
Malone is an unstoppable force, unwilling to be limited by anything that gets in her way. Malone’s work to combat anti-trans legislation is paving the way for the next generation of trans youth. She recently spoke out at a state congressional hearing against TX HB1686, a Texas bill that would effectively ban necessary medical health care for trans youth.
She credits Emmett Schelling, the Executive Director of the Transgender Education Network of Texas, as her biggest inspiration. She shares, “Emmett isn’t just my boss, he’s much more than that. He’s almost like a dad to me. He’s helped me learn so much about myself.” She adds, “His tireless dedication to the trans community of Texas always inspired me and I hope to stand on his shoulders one day and continue making change for trans Texans and trans people across the nation.”
Sasha Knight
15, he/him, actor
You may remember Sasha Knight from his breakout role in the 2020 film Cowboys. The film tells the story of a father and his trans son who run away together into the Montana wilderness for the adventure of a lifetime. Knight realized his calling as an actor when he was only 11 years old, earning the Best Performance Award at the 2020 Outfest Film Festival for his role as Joe in the film. Starring alongside Steve Zahn and Jillian Bell, Cowboys brought a powerful and authentic portrayal of the experience of a young trans boy who is denied acceptance by his own mother. The film highlights the profound power of how just one person seeing and believing in you can make all the difference.
In a 2021 interview with Get Into Film, Knight shared that he hoped the film would make a difference, and resonate particularly for parents of trans youth, saying, “I think they’re gonna see what the impact of not supporting your child brings.”
On top of this, Knight is also the voice behind some of kids’ favorite animated characters on shows like Eureka! and Not Quite Narwhal. Fans can also catch Knight as Crouton on the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses.
Knight shares with GLAAD that his trans role model is the incredible Hunter Schafer. He admires the way “she is proud of who she is but unwilling to be put in a box,” much like himself.
Victoria Bazúa
17, she/her, actress
World, get ready for the takeover of young Mexican actress and model Victoria Bazúa because it’s imminent. You may already know Bazúa from her breakout role in Apple TV+’s Land of Women, where she portrays Eva Longoria and Santiago Cabrera’s trans daughter, Kate. And while her success in the States has branded her a “newcomer,” Victoria has been a key player for almost seven years now.
Bazúa began her professional journey at age 10, studying under multiple institutions and private teachers in Mexico City. She also started modeling at 14, securing campaigns with major fashion brands in the country, and walking for a number of years at fashion shows in Mexico City. When she auditioned for Land of Women, Eva and the show’s team were so impressed with her that they rewrote part of the fictional family’s history to account for Bazúa’s slight Mexican accent.
What makes the character of Kate so successful is what intrinsically lives in Bazúa: an acceptance of herself as a trans woman. The plot does not revolve around Kate’s inability to embrace her gender identity, but the usual teen drama and conflama that might arise when your life is suddenly uprooted and you are forced to travel across the globe to live in obscurity in Spanish wine country. You know, stuff usually reserved for cisgender teens!
When asked who her biggest inspiration is, Bazúa answered Zión Moreno. Also a Mexican trans actress, Bazúa adds “I see a lot of myself in her.” Who knows, maybe Moreno can make an appearance in Season 2 as a long lost sister or cousin.
