GLAAD RELEASES THIRD ANNUAL 20 UNDER 20 LIST, SPOTLIGHTING YOUNG LGBTQ TRAILBLAZERS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MEDIA & ACTIVISM

GLAAD’s third annual 20 Under 20 list features a diverse collection of young changemakers, including actors Elva Guerra, and Milly Shapiro, Gen Z for Change Executive Director Aidan Kohn-Murphy, activists Jack Petocz and Olivia Julianna, among others

GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 list’s Official Sponsor is Delta

New York, NY – Wednesday, September 28, 2022 – GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today revealed its third annual 20 Under 20 list, spotlighting twenty young LGBTQ people, ages 20 and under, who are accelerating acceptance of LGBTQ people while shaping the future of media and activism. GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 list’s Official Sponsor is Delta.

GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 list launched this morning in Teen Vogue, featuring individual portraits of each honoree by NYC-based professional artist and graphic designer Christopher Skinner. See the full list here.

“Whether sharing their stories across social media, organizing against harmful legislation, or moving through Hollywood as an out and proud performer, the GLAAD 20 Under 20 list is made up of talented and inspiring young LGBTQ people who have already created lasting impact,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.

Full profiles of the 20 Under 20 honorees can be found at TeenVogue.com. This year’s honorees include:

• Aidan Kohn-Murphy, he/him, 18, a gay activist and Founder/Executive Director of nonprofit Gen Z For Change. Host of Next Generation politics podcast
• Alex Consani, she/her, 19, trans supermodel and influencer repped by IMG Models Worldwide and Look Models, has walked for Alexander McQueen, Versace, and Tom Ford
• Ava Aimable, she/her, 17, student and activist. Point Foundation Scholar and Wells Fargo Scholarship recipient at Columbia University, a founding member of her school’s first-ever Student Diversity and Inclusion Council
• Cameron Samuels, they/them, 18, activist and organizer against Book Bans and censorship in their home state of Texas. Currently the Honorary Youth Chair for #BannedBooksWeek. Featured in NBC’s #Pride30 List, and has been recognized by former Pres. Barack Obama for their efforts fighting queer censorship
• Danielle Cohn, she/her, 18, pansexual enterpreneur and social media influencer with over 19 million followers on TikTok. Owner of the first teen-owned feminine brand Feel Divine, a plant based body care line
• Elva Guerra, they/them, 18, non binary actor and activist best known for their role as Jackie in the FX series Reservation Dogs
• Eve May, she/her, 14, public speaker. Trans GenderCool Project Champion, past speaker at the Out & Equal conference, Intuit’s first-ever Trans Summit, and author of Teen Vogue’s letter to Lil Nas X on the power of Black queer representation
• Gabriella Pizzolo, she/they, 19, pansexual actor and writer best known for her roles as Suzie on  Netflix’s Stranger Things and Angela in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sins on HBO Max
• Giiwediin, any pronouns, 20, water protector, student, and TikToker. A Two-spirit indigenous rights activists and environmentalist using their platform on Tik Tok to educate people on indigenous communities and issues
• Jack Petocz, he/him,17, activist, director of campaign Recall FCSB, organizer of state wide walkout against anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, and political strategist for Gen Z for Change
• Jade LeMac, she/her, 18, queer musician, signed by Arista Records for the release of her upcoming EP, has garnered over 25M streams for her tracks “Constellations,” and “Aimed to Kill”
• Javier Gomez, he/him, 18, student activist, writer and designer. Webby Award Recipient for Best Social Movement of the Year for work organizing against Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, introduced President Biden at a White House Pride event, where Biden signed his historic pro-LGBTQ executive order
• Lotus Lloyd, he/him, 19, Point Foundation Scholar and Wells Fargo Scholarship recipient at Oberlin College
• Milly Shapiro, she/they, 20, a lesbian actor and songwriter, known for starring in Hereditary, and Broadway’s Matilda, for which she received an honorary Tony Award and Grammy Nomination. Guest judge on The Boulet Brother’s Dragula, and is in the band “AfterxClass”
• Nico Craig, they/he, 20, a queer trans-masc and nonbinary artivist and musician. A former Human Rights Campaign resident DJ and Youth Ambassador, where he went to Capitol Hill and lobbied for a day in support of the Equality Act, as well as a speaker at a GLAADxGrammy’s Panel
• Olivia Julianna, she/her, 19, queer activist and Director of Political Strategy of Gen Z for Change, went viral for raising over $2M for abortion access after Congressman Mattt Gaetz (R.) attempted to body shame her
• Roswell Grey, they/them, 17, Beloved Arise Youth Ambassador and member of the Hope Squad, a youth suicide prevention organization. Featured on Good Morning America’s “Inspiration List.”
• Will Larkins, they/them, 17, student activist, co-founder and president of their schools Queer Student Union. They organized and lead their schools “Say Gay Anyway” walkout of over 600 people. Their op-ed about Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill was published in the New York Times, and they delivered Harvard Law Schools 2022 Youth Summit keynote speech. Webby Award recipient for Best Social Movement for their activism
• Zander Moricz, he/him, 18, Executive Director of the Social Equity and Education Initiative, a plaintiff in the “Don’t Say Gay” lawsuit against Governor DeSantis and the state of Florida.
• Zuriel Hooks, she/her, 19, Black trans activist, youth ambassador and The Knights and Orchids Society PREP navigator.

“The work being done by these 20 young LGBTQ individuals is remarkable, and inspiring,” said Ranjan Goswami Senior Vice President – Customer Experience Design, Delta Air Lines and GLAAD Board Member. “Delta has a lifetime commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive world for all people, and so we’re proud that we could uplift these GLAAD honorees who are also striving for equality.”

The honorees on GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 list were selected by an internal committee at GLAAD, specializing in LGBTQ entertainment, media, and activism. Honorees were chosen based on the following criteria: 1) The honoree works to positively affect marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ people; 2) The honoree has been featured in or a part of broad regional or national news media stories, public media campaigns, or other public media initiatives; 3) The honoree enhances representation for LGBTQ people through media advocacy; 4) The honoree utilizes an intersectional approach to LGBTQ advocacy.

GLAAD launched its inaugural 20 Under 20 list in June 2020, featuring model Aaron Philip, rapper Kidd Kenn, actors Ian Alexander, Joshua Rush, Josie Totah, and Logan Rozos, activists X González, Jazz Jennings, Jamie Margolin, and Sarah Rose Huckman, among others. Check out the list here.

2021’s list featured international pop star Jojo Siwa, actress Yasmin Finney, trailblazing activists and influencers like Andrea Alejandra Gonzales, Ashton Mota, Onyx, Gia Parr, and Ve’ondre Mitchell, and more. Check out last year’s list here.

GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 honorees gain access to a network of resources made available by the largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization in the world. 20 Under 20 honorees will receive the opportunity to participate in an exclusive live-stream media training hosted by the GLAAD Media Institute. Throughout the year, GLAAD will also help give greater visibility to the 20 Under 20 honorees in the media, including opportunities such as helping to secure media placements, elevating projects on social media, and connecting honorees with unique industry resources for achieving their future goals.

For more information about the 20 Under 20 program, visit www.glaad.org/20under20.