100 Women We Love Class of 2010
A Houston, Texas native, Annise Parker has remained close to her roots. She was sworn in as the 61st mayor of Houston in January, becoming only the second woman and first openly gay person to hold that office. She graduated from Rice University and worked for two decades in the oil and gas industry, with 18 of those years spent at the Houston-based Mosbacher Energy Company. For ten years, she co-owned Inklings, a Houston-based independent gay bookstore. Parker was involved in Houston politics for several years prior to becoming mayor, serving six years as a member of the City Council and one six-year term as Houston City Controller. -CB
As the first decade of the new millennium comes to an end, we take a moment to celebrate 100 out lesbians who have made the past year one of inspiring change and amazing progress.
Kathy Wolfe
As founder and CEO of Wolfe Video, Kathy Wolfe heads the largest exclusive distributor of lesbian and gay films. Since 1985, the company has grown from a small mail order business with a vision for community building and social change to providing DVD distribution and on-demand programming online and for television. Wolfe was recently honored with a Maverick Award from Cinequest and a Community Partner Award from the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Now celebrating the company’s 25th year, she views her company’s evolution with pride. “When I look at Wolfe, how it began and what it’s become, I am so proud of the way that we’ve made images of our lives visible and accessible to the world at large; and, even more importantly, of the way in which those authentic images have empowered so many individuals to be themselves.” -CB
