100 Women We Love

by Melody Wells, editor

July 10, 2008

Tags: 100 women we love, activists, annie leibovitz, artists, cynthia nixon, daniela sea, entrepeneurs, god-des and she, heather matarazzo, jackie warner, jane lynch, kate clinton, lesbian, martina navratilova, melissa etheridge, politicians, suze orman

Wendy Sealey
While pursuing a teaching career and doctorate at Stanford, Sealey had a moment. Though she had studied at several prestigious East Coast schools, Sealey abruptly left academia realizing her skills and talents were best suited for non-profits. The 37-year-old Staten Island-raised Harlem resident became the lifeblood of the Harlem Textile Works. When it lost funding, she set inner-city kids on a path to success as Director of Professional Advancement Opportunities at Prep for Prep. Now, as Director of Development for The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, she’s expanding their donor base so more grants can be made. For Astraea's 30th anniversary, Sealey will continue "cultivating the under-30 crowd" for its donor pool, ensuring a crop of young professionals to lead Astraea to its 60th year. She’s proud that Astraea "is often one of the first funders for many of our grantee organizations. We're making a difference in people's lives." –MW