On June 5 at ZO Clubhouse, 525 W. Monroe St., Windy City Times honored a new group of people under 30 years of age for their substantial contributions to the Chicagoland LGBTQ+ community in the fields of entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports or other areas.
Hundreds of people have been honored by the paper in the more than 10 years since the awards were established.
The honorees (in alphabetical order) were Elizeth Arguelles, Andrés Alvarado Avila, Eli Ryn Brown, Hera Jay Brown, Joshua Castille, Rene Castillo, Eileen Dixon, Daniel Eggerding, Scottie Eskelund, Chelcy Flores, Paloma Foxx, Yair Garcia-Rivas, Mario Gaviria, Spencer Haydary, Iselle Jimenez, Logan Jones, Michael Keating, Sara Kenward, Jose Dominguez Magdaleno, Ana Cristina Martinez, Caden Zane Marshall, Dansen Mayhay, Joshua X. Miller, Jayla Xiana Padilla, Maria Fe Ramirez, Xavier Ramos, Saul Rodriguez, Matthew Serafin, Julie Alexa Lopez Sosa and Clover Tipton.
The 30 Under 30 selection committee included Andrew Davis, Jane Palmer, Christopher Pazdernik, Markus Pitchford and Jose “Che-Che” Wilson. Wilson and Pride Action Tank Executive Director Kim Hunt co-hosted the event. Also, for the first time, the ceremony featured an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter, Samantha Taplin.
Sponsors included AIDS Foundation Chicago, Equality Illinois, Pride Action Tank and Windy City Times.
Photography by Kat Fitzgerald/Mystic Images Photography
30 UNDER 30 HONOREES (2025)
— Elizeth Arguelles was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and is a passionate advocate for community empowerment and social justice. She is a proud DACA recipient and graduate of Dominican University.
Elizeth previously served as a community organizer with Increase the Peace, where she worked to support and uplift Chicago’s South Side youth, fostering resilience and inspiring positive change. Today, she carries forward her mother’s cherished legacy through Tamales La Leona, a cornerstone of Little Village’s street-vendor tradition.
As an executive board member of the Little Village Community Council, also a Schmitt Leadership Scholar alumna and is often speaks at panels at Dominican University, where she inspires and empowers students. She also serves as the community engagement specialist for ALMA, continuing her mission of fostering inclusion and advocacy.
Did you know? Elizeth’s contributions to her community have been recognized by former 22nd Ward Chicago Ald. and current Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia.
— Andrés Alvarado Avila (he/him) is a 28-year-old research project manager at Northwestern University’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing. His work focuses on documenting and addressing health disparities among marginalized adolescents and young adults, particularly in Latino and immigrant communities. He has over six years of experience working on NIH-funded studies focused on HIV prevention, digital health and youth engagement.
A first-generation Latino immigrant, Andrés draws from both lived experience and academic training to ensure that research is community informed and culturally responsive. He is especially committed to amplifying the voices of youth in research and advancing equitable, scalable interventions that meet the needs of underserved populations.
Did you know? Andrés spent seven immersive weeks in Vermont learning Portuguese, where he signed a language pledge committing to speak, read and listen only in Portuguese. He lived alongside fellow learners and visiting professors from Brazil and Portugal, creating a fully immersive and culturally rich environment.
— Eli Ryn Brown (she/they/he) is a Black, queer and nonbinary communal healing practitioner who facilitates with Lama Rod Owens, Bhumisparsha, Rest for Resistance, and Abolitionist Dreaming Practice (which they founded).
Their practice is grounded in meditation as an act of abolition, and communal healing as part of the radical rest that helps sustain revolutionary action. She offers accessible community healing options, especially for folks of marginalized experiences, such as Harriet Tubman lineage meditation, bodywork, childcare, ancestral ritual, communal healing, movement practice, zine writing and more.
Did you know? Ryn loves to craft and learn by playing. Currently, he is exploring the world of crochet by making clothes, toys and art for his friends.
— Hera Jay Brown, 29, is the development manager at Beyond Legal Aid.
Hera Jay Brown (she/her) is the founder of Sanctuarium, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting transgender, intersex and gender-variant (TIGV) immigrant communities in the United States. She also serves as ALMA Chicago’s communications specialist. She is thrilled to call Chicago home after several years abroad.
She completed her master’s training at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and her undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee. Fundamentally, a desire to advance the rights of and protections for marginalized communities around the globe remains the core driver throughout all of her work.
Did you know? Hera Jay is an avid sporting clay enthusiast and trap shooter.
— Joshua Castille is a Deaf and gay artivist who strives to form meaningful collaborations that explore the boundaries of art.
A resident of Chicagoland in the Oak Park neighborhood, his work as an actor, director and ASL specialist has taken him all around Chicago, the Midwest and the country. Onstage, he’s appeared in Spring Awakening on Broadway and multiple productions at American Players Theatre in Wisconsin. As a director, he co-directed The Little Mermaid at Music Theatre Works here in Chicago. As an ASL specialist, he has consulted on casting around deaf talent, translating scripts for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, and collaborating with interpreters to enhance interpreted shows.
His goal is to bridge communication and cultural gaps, fostering a more inclusive theater environment for all.
Did you know? Joshua has worked alongside artists such as BD Wong, Marlee Matlin and Camryn Manheim.
— Rene Castillo, 26, is a second-generation Mexican American advocate with deep roots in Sinaloa and Nayarit, Mexico.
Raised in East Chicago, Indiana, Rene began their journey in healthcare as a certified nursing assistant working in neuro IMCU and ICU units. Witnessing systemic healthcare inequities firsthand, they transitioned into emergency medical dispatch and public health, gaining insight into barriers like transportation costs and insurance limitations.
Rene’s passion for advocacy expanded through the art of drag, using performance as a platform for empowerment and change. They’ve worked at organizations like Pillars Community Health creating a community outreach that target Latinx communities, and currently serve as project coordinator at CALOR for Rig 8, where they are nationally certified in phlebotomy and HIV testing and counseling.
Rene, a scholarship recipient for AIDS Watch, brought their lived experience to representatives in Washington, D.C. They are also a member of ALMA, a Latinx and LGBTQ+ Advocacy Leadership Institute, and contribute to research through Northwestern’s SILOS study, which bridges healthcare, policy and community impact.
Rene’s passion lies in making underserved communities—particularly Black and Brown communities—healthier and more empowered. They believe that when these communities rise, they have the power to rebuild and transform this country. Despite the systemic barriers designed to keep their communities unwell and struggling, Rene refuses to give up. Their work is rooted in resistance, love, and the unshakable belief that true change starts with showing up for each other.
Did you know? Rene started earning a living by choregraphing quinceañeras to pay for college.
— Eileen Dixon (she/they) is a proudly queer theatre director, actor, producer and casting director based in Chicago.
At 27, she is one of two artistic directors at Redtwist Theatre—a not-for-profit theater company known for pushing boundaries within its intimate black box theater. In 2022, Eileen graduated with her MFA in acting and directing from UMKC, after which she had a formative internship at Ojai Playwright Conference, where she fell in love with developing new theater works.
Eileen followed that dream to Chicago, where she’s been seeking collaboration with like-minded, unapologetic theater artists ever since. Eileen would like to thank her co-artistic director, Dusty Brown, and her mother, Mary, who has supported her from the moment she took her first breath.
Did you know? Eileen grew up on a horse-training farm in North Carolina—and has been falling off horses since before she was born.
— Daniel Eggerding (he/they) is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ liberation, fusing policy expertise with grassroots activism. A proud first-generation college graduate from the Midwest, Daniel draws on his lived experience as a queer gay young person to center his work as a counselor at The Trevor Project, providing crisis support and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth nationwide.
His work directly supports the organization’s mission to end the public health crisis of suicide among LGBTQ+ young people. At 30, Daniel remains guided by a deep commitment to justice, and he continues to champion solidarity, compassionate care and collective empowerment.
He holds an M.A. in public policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and a B.A. in Social Relations & Policy from Michigan State University. He envisions and builds collaborative networks across Chicago’s civic, cultural and creative spaces, grounded in the wisdom and resilience of Chicago’s rich LGBTQ+ history and activism. He also volunteers with the Vernita Gray Council (VGC) for Philanthropy at Howard Brown Health, alongside LGBTQ+ professionals and allies in Chicago to expand access to affirming, equitable healthcare for youth, working-class individuals and historically underserved populations.
Did you know? Daniel has met several high-ranking officials and U.S. presidents. In 2014, Daniel was personally recognized by President Jimmy Carter for an award-winning essay on Carter’s book during a dinner hosted by his alma mater, Grand Rapids Community College. And at just 8 years old, he also met President Gerald R. Ford—a moment captured in a photo that’s now part of the permanent post-presidency gallery at the Ford Presidential Library & Museum in their hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
— Scottie Eskelund (they/them), 29, owns and runs a private mental health therapy practice centered around offering queer and trans folks a liberative space to redefine power structures and narratives to reclaim their voices. In addition to being a therapist, Scottie is passionate about fashion.
They are developing Tucked by Scottie, a tucking lingerie and swimwear line that offers gender-expansive folks the ability to dress fashionably and practically. They have also produced multiple gender-expansive fashion shows that combine discarded and non-traditional textiles, spoken word and mental health to evaluate concepts such as love and plastic pollution. They find that through engaging alternative textiles, they get to delve deeper into their trans experience of transforming something that feels discarded into a masterpiece.
Did you know? Scottie used to be a missionary. It just goes to show that it’s never too late to change pathways and find liberation.
— Chelcy Flores is a 20-year-old first-generation Mexican American and a full-time undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in health sciences with double minors in psychology and biology. She currently works as an EMT, gaining first-hand experience in emergency medicine and patient care.
For the past two years, Chelcy has been dedicated to HIV prevention and education with CALOR, focusing on outreach in underserved communities and advocating for accessible, stigma-free care. Her experiences have fueled her passion for becoming a physician’s assistant with a long-term goal of providing equitable, patient-centered care to all individuals, regardless of background or identity. Chelcy remains committed to combating healthcare disparities.
Did you know? Outside of academics and healthcare, Chelcy is a dancer who has been performing since the age of 8—not just in Chicago but in other U.S. cities.
— Paloma Foxx is a Chicago native designer who’s 27—and single.
Paloma attended MIAD and SAIC, majoring in fashion design and fibers. While still in college, she had several of her pieces grace the stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race and All Stars. You may have seen their work worn by Chicago nightlife icons and Drag Race alums. As a member of the Haus of Foxx, her work centers around her Latina identity. Currently, Paloma works with SAIC, helping college bound art students in underserved states prepare their portfolios for merit consideration.
Did you know? Paloma also actually makes her own clothes; in fact, she made the outfit she’s wearing today!
—Yair Garcia-Rivas (aka Persephone Brooklyn) has been a drag artist and cosmetologist for almost a decade. She is a bilingual hostess and house queen at Charlie’s Chicago Bar, a 360 queen at El Jefe Aurora Brunch and a host at Lips Chicago.
Persephone started her drag career in Madison, Wisconsin, where she became a house queen at FIVE Nightclub. During her time there she had done various benefit shows with the goal to uplift her community and showcase representation of Mexican immigrants.
For many years, Persephone has been a professionally trained Mexican Folklorico Dancer alongside her mother, Yaro Rivas. In addition, she has won many titles, including Miss Club Wisconsin, Miss Gay Latina Madison, Miss Primavera Chicago and Miss Charlie’s Chicago.
Currently, she resides in Chicago and is a full-time drag performer. She strives to be a representation of minorities that don’t have the resources that many people have in this country, overcoming barriers, and demonstrating that success doesn’t discriminate where you come from.
Did you know? Persephone was the youngest Miss Club Wisconsin at 23 and the only queen to step down as Miss Five Fabulous and win the title of Miss Five Nightclub in the same weekend.
— Mario Gaviria (who turns 29 on the day of the 30 Under 30 ceremony) is a patent agent at Faegre Drinker and helps inventors secure patent protection for chemical technologies. Although he works in patent law, Mario actively works on a pro bono LGBTQ+ asylum case.
He volunteers as a sponsorship director for the Out for Undergrad Life Sciences Conference, where he aims to introduce LGBTQ+ students in STEM to careers in intellectual property. He actively mentors students through organizations such as ADAPT Legal and Patent Pathways and has been invited to give seminars on transitioning from a STEM degree to a career in patent law. Also, Mario is the co-chair of the Pride and Allies Resource Group for the Intellectual Property Owners Association. He led the LGBTQ+ Affinity Group at his previous firm and is an active member of the group at his new firm.
Did you know? One of Mario’s favorite artists is Feid, a reggaeton artist from Colombia.
—Spencer Haydary (he/him) is a 29-year-old staff attorney at the Law Center for Better Housing. He litigates all kinds of eviction defense cases, but his primary interests are fair housing (especially gender and sexual orientation discrimination), junk fees and lease noncompliance cases.
He received his B.S. in psychology and communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he also served as Chief of Staff on student government. After undergrad, he taught K-3 special education in Chicago Public Schools.
He attended the University of Virginia School of Law, serving as president of the Lambda Law Alliance (the LGBTQIA+ affinity group). There, he helped increase the number of gender-neutral restrooms on campus and facilitated the inclusion of all excluded forms of gender-affirming care in the University’s student health insurance. He is a published co-author on a comprehensive administrative comment against Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Model Policies gutting trans rights in education.
Did you know? Spencer is a master in Tae Kwon Do but, luckily, has never had to use it.
— Iselle Jimenez, 22, is a proud trans Latina/Chicana advocate based in Chicago, dedicated to uplifting queer and Latine communities through visibility, education and joy. Raised by loving and hardworking Mexican immigrant parents, she draws strength from her lived experiences at the intersection of culture, identity, and resilience.
As CALOR’s social media administrator, Iselle creates engaging, culturally relevant content promoting safe sex practices and HIV/STI prevention. She is currently studying at Harold Washington Community College, with plans to pursue sychology and social work to further her impact.
Her leadership spans roles with ALMA’s LGBTQ+ Latine Leadership Institute, the PHIMC Youth Committee and the Transfemicide Work Group. She made history as ALMA’s first trans woman Roman Legacy Scholar and is currently organizing Queer Prom, a celebration of queer joy and self-expression. Whether through digital outreach or grassroots organizing, Iselle’s work centers community, healing, and representation.
Did you know? Iselle is a huge romance movie fanatic with dreams of directing a film about the trans experience and love.
— Logan Jones (30) is a theatrical artist, administrator and consultant. He is the director of accounting at Northlight Theatre and a lead facilitator at Ensemble Consulting. As an administrator, Logan previously served as the managing director for About Face Theatre as well as the production manager and marketing manager for American Theater Company.
In his artistic work as a stage manager and production manager, he has helmed multiple productions for About Face Theatre, American Theater Company, The House Theatre of Chicago, Windy City Playhouse, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 13Exp and the American Music Theatre Project, among others. Logan holds an executive MBA from Valar Institute and a BA in theater and BA in modern languages from Kansas State University. In addition, Logan has been a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association since 2016.
Did you know? Logan’s favorite movie is The Princess Bride, which is inconceivably a perfect film.
— Michael Keating (they/them), 30, is the development communications manager at AIDS Foundation Chicago. Over the past two years, they have spearheaded fundraising efforts for major events including World of Chocolate, AFC40 and AIDS Run & Walk Chicago.
As staff lead for the CommunityDirect program, Michael provides coaching and capacity-building support to help local non-profit agencies maximize their fundraising impact. Beyond their professional role, Michael organizes charity live streams on Twitch with friends, raising funds for Chicago’s storefront theaters and local non-profits.
Did you know? Michael has been acting since elementary school. In high school, they participated in a theatre troupe that visited Lincoln, Nebraska, public schools to educate students about bullying and abuse prevention.
— Sara Kenward (she/her) is a multidisciplinary designer based in Chicago.
As senior graphic designer at AIDS Foundation Chicago and the Center for Housing and Health, she leads design across a wide range of materials—from digital campaigns and large-scale print to branded apparel, fundraising events, and cross-platform storytelling. Sara graduated from the University of Michigan with a BFA in art and design, and a minor in community action and social change.
Sara’s strength lies in translating complex ideas into accessible, engaging visuals, reflecting the communities her work serves. Her approach is collaborative and people-centered, guided by empathy and close attention to detail. She is especially passionate about working with mission-driven teams and believes great design should be bold, people-first, and grounded in purpose—amplifying voices, building community, and strengthening impact.
Did you know? Sara has been practicing ceramics since 2014! She also spends her free time baking treats for friends and scouting out Chicago’s best coffee.
— Jose Dominguez Magdaleno (they/he/el) is a Chicago-based drag artist and educator/facilitator from the Garden State: New Jersey. Jose is a lead bilingual sexual health educator for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, where they facilitate sexual health education classes in predominantly Latine, Spanish-speaking communities in Chicago.
Previously, they were the LGBTQ+ project support coordinator for Chicago Public Schools in the Office of Student Health & Wellness. They are also a drag artist in which the feminine Latina diva, Paloma, comes out to perform at local venues and be part of Drag Story Hour events for Chicago Public Libraries and different Chicago Public School events. He is also a teaching artist for a variety of Chicago theater companies. Their drag Instagram is @paloma.chingona and their drag TikTok is @paloma.chingona.
Did you know? Jose loves to party—safely—and hates cooking. Maybe this is why Jose loves going to family parties with carne asadas; he gets everything in one, for free.
— Ana Cristina Martinez is a graphic designer and animator based in Chicago. As an artist, Ana focuses on highlighting Latine and LGBTQ+ culture and advocacy.
Ana has worked extensively with non-profit organizations such as Calor-AHF and SomosLoud-AHF in creating moving art to start the difficult conversations about HIV awareness and prevention in the Black, Brown and LGBTQ+ communities of Chicago. Ana has worked on campaign pieces such as her well-known “Spread Love, Not the Virus” Mercado-inspired designs. Ana also dedicates her time to educating community members about HIV at testing events around the city and encourages them to know their status.
Did you know? Ana loves to study paleontology and Meso-American history in her free time.
— Caden Zane Marshall is a Chicago-based theater artist, certified ASL interpreter and content creator who is passionate about making the arts more inclusive.
With dual B.A.s in musical theater and ASL Interpreting, Caden Zane bridges performance and accessibility, specializing in Deaf theatre and queer storytelling. As “@TheMusicalDealer,” he shares lesser-known musicals with a global audience, advocating for underrepresented voices and fostering a vibrant community of 100,000+ followers and millions of impressions. His collaborations with Deaf artists like fellow 30 Under 30 honoree Joshua Castille span stage, film and television, emphasizing authentic representation.
His commitment to inclusivity and innovation positions him as a dynamic force driving change in the performing arts.
Did you know? Caden’s 15+ years of experience include work with Apple TV+, Tectonic Theater Project and 54 Below.
— Dansen Mayhay (she/her), 30, brings an advocacy lens to her professional life and personal passions.
Her career began in gender-based violence, having worked with and provided community outreach for survivors of domestic and sexual violence at YWCA Richmond and Center on Halsted. She has led DEI training on LGBTQIA+ inclusion to Fortune 500 companies, government entities, and other community organizations. In 2020, Dansen started “Kimchi for a Cause,” selling homemade kimchi with partial proceeds going toward Third Wave Fund, a non-profit that supports sex workers of color. She celebrated her first kimchi pop-up in October 2024 at Side Practice Coffee, a local Chicago AAPI-owned coffee shop.
Dansen has been a financial advisor for the past two years, integrating her trauma-informed experience with her public health education background. She leads with the philosophy “Advocacy doesn’t only live in social work.”
Did you know? Dansen means “dance” in Dutch. Dansen loves to dance! She has experience in hula as a kid, bhangra in college and pole dancing as an adult, having competed in the latter two disciplines. She is always excited to learn new forms of dance.
— Joshua X. Miller (he/they), 29, is a dynamic force of creativity, courage, and culture. As program and outreach manager for the arts nonprofit Black Alphabet, they use art, advocacy and storytelling to uplift Black LGBTQ+ voices and spark community transformation. A proud graduate of Millikin University and Loyola University Chicago, Joshua blends academic insight with lived experience to create spaces rooted in healing, joy and justice. Whether behind the camera, on the mic or in the community, their work radiates Black brilliance and queer power. Passionate about building bridges across generations, identities and neighborhoods, Joshua is committed to using film and dialogue to foster deep connection and lasting impact.
Did you know? Joshua has a green thumb and loves growing fresh food every summer—cultivating both gardens and community.
— Jayla Xiana Padilla (she/her) is a 27-year-old trans Latina from Puerto Rico, now rooted in Chicago.
Jayla embraced her truth as a woman of trans experience and shifted into HIV prevention, becoming a certified HIV counselor through the Illinois Department of Public Health. She now serves as the HIV and PrEP Navigator at Alivio Medical Center. Jayla is also the founder of PILLARS: Trans BIPOC Market, a trans-led space uplifting artists, vendors, and community through gender-affirming resources and joyful visibility. Her work is rooted in education, cultural power and the belief that trans people deserve to live boldly, without apology. With more than five years in the field, Jayla continues to blend activism, care and creativity to uplift the communities that raised her.
Did you know? Outside of her work supporting her community with access to HIV prevention and care, Jayla is a HUGE Pokémon fan and, in fact, can name any Pokémon on SIGHT. No, seriously—try her.
—María Fe Ramírez is a Colombian-born trans woman who lives in Chicago.
She works in community health—offering HIV testing, navigation and care to queer, trans and displaced people trying to survive systems that were never built for them.
María Fe is learning how to be in her body, how to belong and how to honor her history without needing to have all the answers. She believes in care as a shared practice, in resistance that happens every day and in building life around connection—not control.
She moves through systems that weren’t made for her, holding space for others doing the same. Her approach to care is quiet, deliberate, and deeply political.
Did you know? Maria Fe loves the movie Born in Flames—saying it’s more than a film; it’s a radical blueprint. She said, “As an intersectional feminist, its vision of marginalized women rising up against systemic oppression—even in a society that claims to be fair and equal—resonates deeply. It reminds me that true liberation is built collectively, from the ground up.”
— Xavier Ramos is a dedicated client service associate at JP Morgan Chase, specializing in mortgage finance within the Financial Institutions Group.
With more than seven years of experience in Finance, Xavier excels in client relationship, project and change management, leading a portfolio of clients with solutions that reflect JP Morgan Chase’s standards. Beyond his professional role, Xavier is a fervent supporter of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and serves as the team’s DEI advocate. His commitment to community extends to his leadership role on the Pride Illinois board, where he has been instrumental in organizing JP Morgan Chase’s participation in the Chicago and Elgin Pride Parades.
Did you know? Outside of work, Xavier enjoys volleyball, indoor plants and Fortnite. He shares his life with his partner, a Navy veteran and former semi-pro basketball player. Xavier’s passions for interpersonal connections and continuous learning fuel his ambition to become a manager.
— Saul Rodriguez, also known as Luna La Catrina around the community, is a passionate 28-year-old and resilient individual who works both as an entertainer and bartender at the newly renovated Charlie’s Chicago.
For more than eight years, Luna has been dedicated to volunteering with CALOR, advocating for HIV prevention and tirelessly working to make a difference in the community. Through the past CALOR program A.C.E. (Advocating for Community Empowerment), they discovered a supportive and vibrant community that has shaped their sense of self. In addition to their advocacy, Luna has made a name for themself in the drag community, winning prestigious titles such as Charlie’s Chicago 2019, Diosa Latina Illinois 2019 and Miss Latina Kenosha 2021. Luna wouldn’t be who she is without the loving and supportive community she’s around, especially her mom!
Did you know? Luna’s mom has made more than 90% of her outfits—and counting. Also, her family members are their number one fans!
— Matthew Serafin (he/him), 30, is a senior associate in the Commercial & Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan. He’s just wrapped two years as a leader of the firm’s PRIDE BRG, where he’s championed employee efforts to increase LGBTQ+ acceptance and visibility— as well as the organization’s commitment to local engagement.
Notably, Matthew has given years of service to the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, where he organized and led the business group’s first-ever Pride event in 2023 (held again in 2024) to demonstrate the importance of investment in corporations’ queer employees and the greater queer community in Chicago. In addition, Matthew has been an active volunteer with several nonprofit associate boards, including those of Chicago House Social Service Agency and Gilda’s Club of Chicago. Outside of work, Matthew has built a community of more than 65,000 on his social media (@themegamega), where he posts both concert and live music footage, along with content ranging from local political activism and fundraising for worthy causes.
Did you know? Matthew toured with a musical nonprofit organization, Up with People, that took him as far as Bermuda and Estonia, where he performed and engaged with local nonprofits to amplify the work being done in communities where his cast visited.
— Julie Alexa Lopez Sosa (she/her/hers) is a 24-year-old Mexican American trans woman based in Chicago whose journey is defined by resilience, advocacy, and radical authenticity.
With nearly a decade of human resources experience, Julie has built her career from the ground up, navigating corporate America as a trans woman of color while living with multiple neurodivergent diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, PTSD and anxiety.
A survivor of medical trauma herself, having undergone gender-affirming surgery in Mexico at 18 with limited resources, Julie is committed to breaking cycles of isolation, shame, and inaccessibility. She is currently expanding her advocacy into public health, sex worker rights, and community-centered healing spaces.
Did you know? Julie’s passion for visibility and education recently led her to participate in a documentary film project centered on neurodivergent experiences navigating healthcare systems that highlighted the unique barriers of neurodiversity and trans individuals face when accessing medical care.
— Presently employed with Vivent Health + TPAN as a prevention specialist, Clover Tipton received her BA in sociology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There, she organized comprehensive sex education for the campus community.
Clover began working in the HIV healthcare field in 2022 and has continued in various capacities. She was a founding member of Trans Aid Nashville (TAN), and she now works with the trans communities in Chicago to further healthcare autonomy and create degenerate art. Clover is also an accomplished florist having designed for notable studios through the Southeast and Midwest. She has contributed writing to Tryst addressing the intersections of transness, sex work, and desirability under a nom de plume. You can find Clover creating questionable art in a variety of mediums, engaging in lucid bacchanalia and arguing against simplification.
Did you know? Clover likes to ride her motorcycle and is in the market for a larger one.
SELECTION COMMITTEE BIO UPDATE:
Christopher Pazdernik (any) is a Jeff Award-winning director and producer who has been active in Chicago theatre since 2007. Described as having “a near encyclopedic knowledge of musicals,” they were recently named to NewCity Stage’s Players 2024: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago. In addition to their creative pursuits, Christopher has held staff positions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Porchlight Music Theatre, Refuge Theatre Project and, most recently, producing director at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theater. An openly HIV+ artist, Christopher is also active in AIDS advocacy work, producing the annual benefit concert Belting for Life and leading a team at AIDS Run/Walk Chicago for the past decade. He is currently the managing director at Season of Concern and a proud 30 Under 30 honoree (Class of 2016).