These newsmakers, leaders, artists advocates are making a difference — and all by age 30

Dallas Voice has accomplished a lot in just 30 years, but we are by no means the only ones. Dallas’ LGBT community is full of folks from all walks of life who, in less than three decades, have already forced us to take notice of their work. Some are business leaders; some are activists for gay issues; some are advocates and caregivers in the service of gay people; some are involved in the arts, or the culture, of Dallas in ways that resonate throughout the community; some are involved in the spirtitual health of North Texas; and some do more than just one of these. To these folks — we’ve selected 22 — we tip our hat.

Photography by Terry Thompson, Arnold Wayne Jones and Steve Ramos.

Walterwalter_logosSlow and steady has won the race for Walter Lee Cunningham, 29. A talented singer, he competed in the Voice of Pride competition several times, winning it all last year. But even if you missed him there, you may have seen him on other stages, from the Dallas Theater Center where he stood out in Cabaret, to the Kalita Humphreys Theater as Miss Texas in Uptown Players’ recent production Pageant. And you might even now him under another name: His drag persona Jada Foxx, where he’s a staple hosting karaoke.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

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CarolinaCarolina_logoCarolina Azevedo, 29, is an organizer of the popular lesbian and women-focused mixer, Chick Happy Hour. And last year she launched her own fertility consulting firm with an LGBT focus after her experience donating her own eggs to a gay couple. Her company, Family Fertility Solutions, even encompasses a separate program for gay men, Two Dads and a Baby. The firm handles everything couples need from researching options to legal paperwork and travel plans.

— Anna Waugh

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Eric-REric-R_logoEric Russell, 24, is breaking ground in the research world. A grad student at UTA, Russell has already published a study on why gay men and straight women make such good besties. It was the first study on the close gay-straight bond, and he plans to continue that research and expand it. He’s now using his research to help pair up gay men and straight women for friendship for the recently launched MatchingPetals.com site.

— Anna Waugh

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TreTre_logoTre LeVoux, 25, graduates from Wade College next week, but well before he got a diploma in his hand, he was already making waves in fashion, designing couture clothing for women and club clothes for guy (he had a line at Union Jack, before it closed). He’s also one of the designers paired with a Dallas socialite and mentor for Little Black Dress Designer Fashion Show and has begun filling orders for next season. If Project Runway has taught us anything, it’s that great designers can come from anywhere. And with LeVoux’s work as an indicator, we know it for ourselves.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

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MaddoxMaddox_logoMaddox Price, 28, is a soon-to-be photojournalist. He works as an editor at the Brookhaven Courier and plans to transfer to SMU within the next year to major in journalism with a possible minor in gender studies. He takes photos for the drag king troupe Mustache Envy and Panty Raid, a queer variety show. Price came out as qenderqueer last year in a Dallas Voice cover story. He now also identifies as transgender and had top surgery in March funded through the 70X100 project, which is commonly used to raise money for top surgeries.

— Anna Waugh

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ShelbieShelbie_logoShelbie Rosenblum, 21, has been busy at TCU. In the past year, she worked as president of the campus GSA to fight for more safety for LGBTQ students in the event of hate crimes. She’s also spearheaded an LGBTQ prom for students and alumni after hearing about a prom at the university in the ‘90s. A social work major,  she hopes to work for GLAAD for Trevor Project after college to combine her love of social work with LGBT issues.

— Anna Waugh

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NicholsNichols_logoJustin Nichols, 29, is a San Antonio lawyer who’s paved the way in politics and law. He was the first openly gay person to run for public office in Collin County when he ran for Plano City Council in 2008. He’s paving the way for San Antonio law by representing a trans man who filed the first complaint under the city’s recent nondiscrimination ordinance.

— Anna Waugh

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Alex-SanchezAlex-Sanchez_logoAlex Sanchez, 24, is the volunteer coordinator and development associate for AIDS Services of Dallas. Sanchez was working as a barback at JR.’s Bar & Grill, where Don Maison, the CEO of ASD, occasionally stopped in after work. Seeing what a hard worker Sanchez was, Maison offered him a position with the organization. Maison said he’s delighted with all of the new, young volunteers and creative ideas Sanchez has brought to the Oak Cliff AIDS housing agency since he started working there in February.

— David Taffet

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TempestTempest_logoTempest Redding, 29, has been spotted behind the scenes at local Human Rights Campaign events for years. She’s the community events and planning co-chair for the HRC DFW chapter, which plans several events including Her HRC, the Fruit Bowl and Pride events. A doula and a nanny, she’s also served as co-chair of HRC’s Family Project Committee and continues to work with that group.

— Anna Waugh

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AngelAngel_logoFew folks in Dallas sing as angelically as Angel Velasco, 25. His voice had gotten him noticed since he was a teenager, performing in everything from Altar Boyz to Rent to recurring stints in Uptown Players’ Broadway Our Way. But he’s about to get noticed a lot more. Velasco was diagnosed in January with HIV, and while the news initially sent him into a tailspin of self-recrimination, he quickly recovered and doubled-down on his activism. He’ll be part of a national media campaign for Greater Than AIDS, and will perform at Bloomin’ Ball later this month.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

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TravisTravis_logoTravis Gasper, 28, is using his passion in advocacy to propel him into civil rights law. Having considered law school before, he said his time as an Equality Texas board member, AIDS Interfaith Network employee, as well as helping start Dallas Stonewall Young Democrats, inspired him to pursue a future in civil rights litigation. Now finished with his first year at Texas A&M law school, he’ll head to Chicago this summer to intern with Lambda Legal and work on its HIV Project.

— Anna Waugh

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Daniel-MoranDaniel-Moran_logoDaniel Moran, 21, is currently balancing studying political science at UNT while running for the state House in Denton County’s District 63. Openly bisexual and genderqueer, Moran will take on anti-gay incumbent Republican state Rep. Tan Parker in November. The district includes Flower Mound, Highland Village, Sanger and the western half of Lewisville.

— Anna Waugh

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Steven-D.-Hill,Steven-D.-Hill_logo,Steven D. Hill, 29, not only knows how to shoot a model, he knows how to make her look good. A talented makeup artist, Hill has an even for inventive photography that bubbles with joy. He shares that joy, especially with kids, every holiday season when his organization The Heads with Hearts hosts a mixer and toy drive to bring a touch of Christmas to underprivileged children. And we’re not making that up.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

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Carina-TerryactivismCarina Terry, 15, targeted LGBT bullying at Arlington Heights High School last year when she started the campus GSA. She and other students felt the Fort Worth school district’s “It’s Not Okay” program didn’t have a strong enough LGBT component. Terry still runs the GSA in between volunteering at a local homeless shelter and refereeing for soccer. She eventually wants to be a civil rights attorney.

—Anna Waugh

 

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Kristopher-SharpactivismKristopher Sharp, 24, made waves at the University of Houston-Downtown last year when he was outed as gay and HIV-positive during his campaign for student body vice president. Open about both his sexuality and status, Sharp went on to win the race and ended up pushing for LGBT-inclusive policies, including gender-neutral restrooms on campus. He interned this spring for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in D.C. this semester, using his story of bullying to spur Murray to reintroduce the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2014.

— Anna Waugh

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James-LeepoliticsJames Lee, 23,has worked for the inclusion of LGBT students at the University of Houston. Last year he created the “Get Off My Backpack” campaign an worked with the student government to lobby against state Rep. Bill Zedler’s anti-gay amendment that cut funding to colleges with LGBT resource centers. He also worked on Mayor Annise Parker’s re-election campaign and helped Houston elect Robert Gallegos, the first openly gay Latino council member in the state.

— Anna Waugh

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Valerie-JacksoncultureValerie Jackson, 28, has risen high in a short period of time. She was already practiced on the drag stage before coming out as trans, and as of this year, is the regular host of Gaybingo, coming her saucy presence with a commitment to fundraising. Performing, being trans and raising money for charity combine for a potent combination of style and substance.

 — Arnold Wayne Jones

 

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Jonathan-LiptonpoliticsJonathan Lipton, 21, is a Houston-based political powerhouse. Having played a role in Texas and national LGBT political campaigns, he once worked with the Global Equality Fund for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has also helped build inclusive Jewish communities in Texas and organized San Antonio’s Jewish community to secure a unanimous resolution by the Jewish Community Relations Council to support the San Antonio nondiscrimination ordinance last year.

 — Anna Waugh

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Khalil-AbuhusseinactivismKhalil Abuhussein, 28, a Palestinian from Jordan, applied for asylum in the U.S. due to his sexual orientation and the danger he faced were he to return. Last year, he was granted withholding from removal, which allowed him to stay in the country and work. This year, he and his partner Alex Diaz were legally married in Iowa, and Khalil is applying for his green card. He went to work for Best Buy and within six months was promoted to supervisor. “I love this country,” Khalil says, smiling.

— David Taffet

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Ahrys-Zhen-serviceWhen Arhys Zhen Prince, 28, told his story in Dallas Voice in 2012, he recently had been diagnosed with HIV. To maintain his health, he began doing CrossFit, and got serious about sticking to his regimen of medication. His viral load rapidly dropped to undetectable levels. Last year, Arhys graduated college and entered the DISD Alternative Certification Program. He’s currently teaching junior high math, and by the end of the school year will be certified. This week he was accepted into a Masters program in the Caldwell School of Education at Southern Methodist University. He continues doing CrossFit and remains healthy — an inspiring story for all youth with hurdles to overcome.

— David Taffet

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Isaiah-SmithactivismIsaiah Smith, 18, was upset when he found out that his hometown of Keller didn’t have a nondiscrimination ordinance. But rather than accept it, he leapt into action, collecting more than 1,000 signatures of city residents to get it before the council. The mayor was so impressed with Smith’s initiative that when he came to city hall, he was given more than his allotted three minutes to address the council. No ordinance passed, but not without consequences: Smith was thrown out of his house by his mother. Fortunately, he was taken in by friends and finished high school. In the fall, Smith will be off to college and he plans a political career.

— David Taffet

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Kat-RalphbusinessKat Ralph, 25, took an anti-gay harassment incident at a Denton bar in 2012  and turned it into an empowering group for local businesses. Her group, Keep Denton Queer, sought to expand the dialogue on LGBT issues in Denton, helping businesses become allies to the community and even planning marches at City Hall in honor of marriage equality. Still working on KDQ, Ralph has since joined OUTreach Denton, a group that helps LGBTQ youth.

— Anna Waugh

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 16, 2014.