100 Women We Love, Queer Women We Love, Wonder Women

100 Women We Love 2012

June 15, 2012 Destiny Dejesus

“Knowing that my election showed Charlotteans and the world that we are not bound by discrimination wakes me every morning with pride,” proclaims LaWana Mayfield, the City Council representative for District 3 in Charlotte, NC, and the city’s first openly gay elected official. Last November, she trounced her Republican opponent in the council election with 78 percent of the vote, replacing an eight-year incumbent. Now, continuously building on her 15 years of activism, her other leadership posts include the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee, Mecklenburg County Development Corp. Board, Smart Start Board and the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund Board of Advisors. Prior to the election, Mayfield took an active role in LGBT activism as the Human Rights Campaign’s Diversity Co-Chair. “I believe that my role, along with growing the City of Charlotte, is to open the door for LGBTQ dialogue and to create pathways to service. I have this amazing opportunity to help direct the growth of the City of Charlotte through my vote,” Mayfield says. “I am right where I am supposed to be, and I love my job!”

Drum roll, please! We’re excited to present this year’s 100 Women We Love—our most diverse group of out entertainers, artists, athletes, activists, business principals and elected officials yet. Each of these women is a superstar in her own right. Their achievements and contributions shape our lives —and elevate us in the eyes of the world . They’re working to raise LGBT awareness, increase our visibility and quicken our progress toward a just society.

We are extremely proud to present the class of 2012. There are no rankings or numbers. They are all leaders.

Jessalyn Frank
Expanding resources and bridging communication between the deaf/hard of hearing and hearing LGBT communities is the motivation behind Jessalyn Frank’s vast range of accomplishments. Frank settled in the Twin Cities specifically to address the gap in social services for the deaf there. As the State Director for CSD of Minnesota, which offers human services for the deaf and hard of hearing, she oversees the Deaf Adult Basic Education Program, as well as programs for domestic/sexual violence, health education and HIV/AIDS prevention. But she doesn’t stop there. She organized deaf volunteers for the Minnesota AIDS Walk, became certified as an HIV tester to communicate awareness in American Sign Language, and initiated the “LGBTQ Quit” smoking research project. She also serves as the Disability Coordinator for Twin Cities Pride, is a board member for the Justice for Deaf Victims National Coalition and founded the annual Deaf LGBTQ Awards in 2011. Even with her amazing achievements, Frank was pleasantly surprised at the reaction to her decision to be out and proud in all of her roles—she’s become de facto leader of her deaf and LGBT peers. “Equality and access should be afforded to everyone,” Frank points out. “The fight to be included was the driving force of my advocacy work. However, the best part is seeing the rewards of helping others discover power within themselves.”