7 Young Black LGBTQ Activists You Should Know

By Jackie Menjivar

The fights for racial equality and LGBTQ equality have always gone hand-in-hand, and there’s a long history of Black queer activists leading change and fighting discrimination -- from Bayard Rustin to Audre Lorde and beyond. Their contributions span centuries, and their fight for social change continues with the work of modern-day activists. Here are 7 young Black LGBTQ activists who inspire us this Pride Month.

1) Ashton Mota (he/him)

In 2018, Ashton Mota became a public face for Massachusetts’ “Yes on 3” campaign, which aimed to uphold a state law that provided protections for transgender people. Ashton shared his experiences as a Black and Latinx trans teen navigating an elite private high school, where he fought for the right to use his preferred name and play on the boys’ basketball team. He has also served as a youth ambassador for the Human Rights Campaign, and he uses his platform to advocate for LGBTQ people of color.

2) Indya Moore (they/them)

As a model and actor, Indya Moore uses their platform to educate others about trans and non-binary identities and the challenges they face. Indya has attended rallies defending trans rights and raised over $20,000 in coronavirus relief funds for Black trans and queer individuals (who are some of the hardest hit populations amid the pandemic). They’re currently supporting the global Black Lives Matter protests and “rallying [their] colleagues in corporate” to follow suit.

3) Oseremhen Arheghan (they/them)

When Ose Arheghan started openly identifying as queer in the eighth grade, the microaggresions they faced motivated them to make their school safer for LGBTQ+ students. They volunteered on their high school’s cultural proficiency subcommittee, and they wrote a series about sexual and racial diversity for their school newspaper. This earned them the Student Advocate of the Year Award at the 2017 GLSEN Respect Awards. Ose has also worked with Advocates for Youth to champion sexual health education and reproductive justice for young people, and they currently write for GLAAD as a Campus Ambassador.

4) Yasmin Benoit (she/her)

Yasmin Benoit is a trailblazer in asexuality and aromantic advocacy, and she’s determined to show the world that asexuality is not just a “white thing.” Yasmin created the #ThisIsWhatAsexualityLooksLike campaign to highlight the diversity of the ace community, and she uses her YouTube channel to share the experiences and challenges she faces as an asexual and aromantic woman. Her hope is to make these identities more visible and defeat the stigma that exists against them.

5) Jules Turner (he/him)

While on his own journey towards self-acceptance, Jules Turner formed his area’s first gay-straight alliance in his senior year of high school. Jules went on to earn a competitive Point Foundation Scholarship, and he wrote for the organization’s blog -- including a powerful exploration of his identity as both Black and queer. He also served as a GLAAD Campus Ambassador and is the Sponsorship Director for a national LGBTQ engineering conference.

6) Amandla Stenberg (she/her & they/them)

Known for her roles in The Hunger Games and The Hate U Give, actor Amandla Stenberg lends her voice to a variety of social causes -- from gender and sexuality equality to racial justice. The Human Rights Campaign has honored her with the Visibility Award, recognizing her presence in Hollywood as a role model for other queer individuals. She was also named one of TIME’s Next Generation Leaders and Essence’s Black Women In Hollywood Honoree.

7) Jess Guilbeaux (she/her)

Since making waves as the first lesbian to appear on the show Queer Eye, Jess Guilbeaux has found a following that looks to her for inspiration and support. Jess continues to share her experiences as a queer Black woman in a conservative Kansas town, and she reflects on practicing self-love, navigating discrimination, and asking for help when you need it. On her Insta feed, you can find her amplifying mental health resources and demanding justice in cases of racial violence.