2025 LGBTQ+ Power Players

Chi Ossé is the council member for New York City’s 36th District, representing Bedford-Stuyvesant and North Crown Heights. He entered politics as an organizer and prominent figure in the Black Lives Matter movement. At 23 years old, Ossé was elected in 2021 as the youngest member of this Council and its only member hailing from Gen-Z.

Eugene is an LGBTQ+ leader in communications, government, and urban affairs serving as deputy communications director and spokesperson at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Previously he was deputy press secretary for former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and deputy communications director and LGBTQ+ liaison for the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office. Born in Moscow, Russia, he came to the U.S. at age three and grew up in a Russian immigrant community in Brooklyn, New York.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
Pursue your dreams no matter what anybody says. Believe in yourself that you can achieve whatever it is you want. Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Fight through any obstacles and live every moment, because there is an entire world of possibilities at your fingertips. There will be ups and downs, and the journey will not always be easy, but it’s important to enjoy every moment and grow through every challenge.

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
A group working to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers is qaravan, a nonprofit organization representing LGBTQ+ people from across the former Soviet Union. It provides invaluable support and mutual aid to asylum seekers and other immigrants seeking refuge in the United States and organizes events to build a stronger community of LGBTQ+ immigrants and allies from those countries to increase acceptance and build community in the New York metropolitan area and beyond.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
My proudest moment has been working at the MTA because I get to work with an incredibly talented team that is dedicated to improving the transit system and the lives of people across the metropolitan area. From launching new subway cars to promoting campaigns on enhancing safety and the customer experience including transitioning to tap-and-go, every day is about communicating with the media and community about the importance of sustaining transit as the ultimate connector.

Alexander Roque is president and executive director of the Ali Forney Center, where he has led transformative growth since 2011 – expanding the budget from $3.5M to $25M. He pioneered a first-of-its-kind residential treatment program for LGBTQ youth and launched an international technical assistance initiative spanning 22+ countries. A 2023 Elevate Prize winner and Born This Way Foundation board member, Alex is recognized as a top Hispanic leader and bold advocate for LGBTQ youth globally.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
Be proud of who you are – your identity is not something to survive, it’s something to celebrate. Surround yourself with people who affirm your truth, and know that chosen family can be just as powerful as blood. You are not alone, even when it feels like it. The world may not always be kind, but your authenticity is revolutionary. Live boldly, love deeply, and remember: your existence is not just valid – it’s vital.

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
The New Pride Agenda and their newly appointed CEO, Kei Williams.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
The proudest moment of my career has been expanding and enhancing the Ali Forney Center’s work to meet the growing needs of LGBTQ+ youth. Launching our global technical assistance and training model – now supporting providers in over 22 countries – transformed our local impact into a global movement. We’ve taken a model born from crisis and turned it into a blueprint for care, dignity, and equity worldwide. It’s a powerful reminder that our work can – and does – change lives everywhere.

Allen Roskoff is a legendary gay rights activist who has been a leader in the LGBTQ+ and social justice movements for over five decades. Roskoff achieved many early victories for the LGBT movement, including co-authoring the nation’s first gay rights bill.  Roskoff has been featured, quoted and written about in major national and local publications including  New York Times, New York Post, The Daily News, Wall Street Journal, Politico, City and State and The Advocate

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
Be fierce, be bold, fight as if your life depends on it. Never humanize a Republican.

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, rated the number one LGBTQ+ club in New York City by City and State’s Power List 2024. The club is New York’s Progressive LGBTQ+ Democratic Club and the home Democratic club of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
Co-authoring the nation’s first gay rights bill, my many arrests and co-authoring the nation’s first Gay Democratic Club,  the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. Being a delegate to six Democratic national conventions.  Having helped Bella Abzug win for Congress. Being guest of honor at both Yale and Princeton’s Gay Pride Ceremonies. Having been partners and lovers with Jim Owles in the early 1970’s. Being a friend of Bea Arthur.

Lynn Schulman is a long-time community and LGBTQ+ activist. With decades of leadership in health care advocacy and progressive causes, Lynn was elected to the City Council with a vision for how to bring about the change we need for equity in city government. As chair of the Health Committee, Lynn has been at the forefront of health issues like hospital capacity, Diabetes, Mpox, PrEP, and health care services for LGBTQ+ older adults.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
As someone who is an introvert and is now in an extrovert profession (politics), I would tell my younger self to take more chances and be more outspoken about the things and issues I care about. As my older self, I have followed that advice with very positive outcomes.

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). My devotion to health care policy was borne out of the HIV/AIDS crisis when I witnessed friends and neighbors die because of the inaction of government. I worked at GMHC during a pivotal point in the HIV/AIDS crisis, where I had the opportunity to work with others to uplift the lives of those infected and to end the epidemic.  GMHC continues to do that work today for all New Yorkers.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
I was extraordinarily proud to work with the Mayor’s Office to spearhead the implementation of a package of generous benefits for city managers (approx. 28,000), especially those who are LGBTQ+, to build families, including coverage for IVF, surrogacy and adoption among other services. No other major municipality has such a program, which has the opportunity, as outlined, to grow and expand.

Tony Simone represents the 75th Assembly District, covering Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown and part of the Lincoln Center area. He was elected to the Assembly in 2022 after seeking office to address the community’s most important issues: public safety, the mental health crisis, the affordable housing shortage, climate change, tenant and immigrant rights, and equity for LGBT and disabled people. Tony lives in Hell’s Kitchen with his husband, Jason.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
Don’t make your life just about yourself, find a purpose. Remember every person comes with some joy and pain, listen more than you speak. Life can be wonderful and you can make a huge positive social impact. Be your authentic self and don’t worry about what others think about you. Don’t compare yourself to others. Live in the present and harness your positive mindset.

Dr. Carla Smith is the CEO of The LGBT Community Center in NYC. With over 25 years of experience in social services, she oversees The Center’s essential functions. Previously, she was deputy CEO at Urban Resource Institute. Dr. Smith holds an Ed.D. in executive leadership and is frequently sought to speak at public forums about the societal impacts of discrimination and violence. She lives in New York with her wife Jackie, five children, and grandchild.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
To every young LGBTQ+ person: You are enough – exactly as you are. The world may try to define you by its limitations, but you are defined by your power, your joy, and your truth. Find your people, because community is not just a place to belong – it’s a place to thrive. And remember, even when things feel hard, you come from a lineage of people who have loved, resisted, and survived. You are never alone.

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
I’m proud to spotlight Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (BGSQD), the LGBTQ+ bookstore. It’s far more than a bookstore; it’s a vibrant, affirming space that celebrates queer voices through literature, art, and dialogue. They host readings, exhibitions, and events that center LGBTQ+ creatives, helping preserve our histories and amplify new narratives. Having them within The Center serves as a daily reminder of the power of queer storytelling and community.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
Becoming the first Black lesbian CEO of The Center has been the proudest moment so far. It’s an opportunity to honor the legacy of those who paved the way while pushing forward with vision and urgency. I’m proud to stand at the intersection of so many identities, committed to making the Center more inclusive, more accessible, and more representative of our amazing community.

Wendy Stark is a life-long advocate for sexual and reproductive health care and education. Wendy joined Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and PPGNY Action Fund as president and CEO in the fall of 2022, shortly after the overturn of Roe. PPGNY proudly offers a wide range of sexual and reproductive services, including cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing + treatment, HIV testing + prevention, abortion, gender-affirming care, and education programs.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
These are scary times – but our communities across the globe have found ways to be strong and brilliant no matter what. 

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
In a time when our queer history and identities are being erased, Henry Street Settlement offers queer history walking tours of the LES and East Village, a great way to learn more about the history and power of our communities here in NYC. Book at https://www.henrystreet.org/queer-history-walking-tours/.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
When my kid got to talk about an organization I worked with in their health class as an option for how teens can access reliable sexual health information.

Ritchie Torres is a fighter from the Bronx who has spent his entire life working for the community he calls home. Like many in the Bronx, poverty and struggle have never been abstractions to him. At 25, Ritchie became NYC’s youngest elected official and the first openly LGBTQ person elected in the Bronx. He is a member of the Committee on Financial Services and the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and CCP.

As executive director of Friends of the High Line, Alan van Capelle leads the nonprofit and public park on the West Side of Manhattan in its mission to reimagine the role public spaces have in creating connected, healthy neighborhoods and cities. His diverse experience in government, the nonprofit sector, and the labor movement makes him a sought-after advisor and partner by elected officials, business leaders, and nonprofit professionals alike.

What words of advice would you offer to a young LGBTQ+ individual growing up today?
One of the most valuable things you can do is have conversations with people you don’t agree with. You don’t make progress by telling people they’re wrong. You make progress by listening to people and engaging in conversations. And it’s critical that the listening and conversations take place in the real world. Keyboard activism on social media doesn’t move the needle. Volunteering for organizations or a cause with other people is what moves the needle.

Is there an LGBTQ+ owned business or organization that you would like to spotlight?
As someone who struggled with depression and anxiety as a closeted gay man, I am so grateful for the crisis and mental health services The Trevor Project provides LGBTQ+ young people. Maintaining one’s mental health is as challenging as ever in today’s political climate — no one should have to carry those burdens alone.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
My proudest professional moment so far was working for nearly a decade as an architect of the campaign that achieved marriage equality in New York State.