Celebrating Pride Month 2021 - The Opportunity Network

We kick-off Pride Month by sharing the invaluable wisdom of the prolific screenwriter, producer, and actress Lena Waithe, who reminds us of the revolutionary power of stepping into our full identities.

"To be yourself is truly a revolutionary act, and I think that more and more people should try it, because it's gotten me a pretty cool life."

Join us this month as we highlight individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community whose work and lives broaden and deepen representation of their communities!

Danez Smith

Danez Smith is an award-winning writer and performer–and one of the most discussed poets of their generation. Danez is the author of “Homie” (2020), "[insert] Boy" (2014), and "Don't Call Us Dead" (2017), and has been featured as part of Forbes’ annual 30 Under 30 list. Their numerous awards and recognitions, including the Forward Prize, Lambda Literary Award, Pushcart Prize, Best American Poetry and more, cannot capture their success over the years.

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Dr. Lauren Esposito

Dr. Lauren Esposito is the Assistant Curator and Schlinger Chair of Arachnology at the California Academy of Sciences and Co-Founder of 500 Queer Scientists. She primarily studies scorpions and was once called the "world's only female scorpion expert" by a major publication. ⁣Alongside her study, she strives to fight back against a traditionally heteronormative culture of STEM fields, and co-founded 500 Queer Scientists, a visibility campaign to give queer scientists and engineers a platform to share their personal STEM stories.⁣ Esposito also co-founded Islands & Seas, a science and education nonprofit that aims to build an independent network of field stations where scientists, tourists, and locals can work together to conserve natural resources.⁣

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Jabari Brisport

Jabari Brisport is currently a New York State Senator from the 25th District. He became the first openly LGBTQ person of color ever elected to the state legislature! A former public school teacher, Jabari Brisport prioritizes education and forming an equitable future for students and families. His experiences as a queer Black man and as a Brooklyn native, familiar with the effects of gentrification, shape his commitment to helping his community.

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