
Out & Proud 50 - 2023

Welcome to OutSFL’s first OUT & PROUD 50 list. Those are so many individuals in our LGBTQ community that are deserving of recognition, it’s hard to choose just 50.
Actually we might have a few more than 50 this year’s, but I won’t tell if you don’t. OutSFL is proud to tell these stories and honor them in this year’s OUT & PROUD list.
Stories of gay men like Jimmy Cunningham, a noted realtor; lesbians like Faywhat, an online television show host; a mental health coordinator like Ryan Papciak, who also happens to be transgender; and Kevin Tisdol, a local LGBTQ faith leader. Those are just four people in this issue. Make sure to read through them all.
These folks aren’t important because they are LGBTQ, they’re important because of their accomplishments and the work they do. But because they are LGBTQ, they serve as role models for our community — and future generations. These individuals prove that we are no longer a sideshow, but nowadays, the main show.
I hope these people inspire you – as they have inspired me.
So welcome to the 2023 South Florida OUT & PROUD, a list of activists, business leaders, organizers, and others who are out and proud members of our local LGBTQ community.
- Jason Parsley, Publisher


“I am a feminist artist, nonprofit leader, educator, researcher, author, and grant writer,” Thinking Cap Theatre Co.’s Artistic Director Nicole Stodard stated unapologetically.

Tedd Davis is an artist and philanthropist. He is best known for his collages and mixed media assemblage art.

Ryan Papciak is Director of Mental Health services at SunServe, a nonprofit that provides mental health services to the LGBT community in South Florida. He is also an out transgender man.

Artist Najja Moon came to Miami in 2009 and has developed a creative practice that uplifts and holds space for her community.

Welcome to OutSFL’s first OUT & PROUD 50 list. There are so many individuals in our LGBTQ community that are deserving of recognition, it’s hard to choose just 50.

A Reiki Master. An entrepreneur. A certified Holistic Life Coach, Franchesca D’Amore does everything she can to leave an impact on the community.

Nicholas Coppola is a retired electrical contractor who has 35 years of experience in the construction industry.

A family law attorney, Nora Rotella represents clients who are going through divorce proceedings, paternity cases and adoptions, but is most proud of her work advocating for children’s best interests before judges.

FayWhat?! is here to be seen and heard. An outspoken advocate for the LGBT community, she is constantly moving up and down I-95 in South Florida to represent and rile up.

Nicole Alvarez found her passion for the law as a 16-year-old driver. “It was a speeding ticket … I took it to court and I won.”

Described by her colleague as a “Powerhouse,” Janiece Rodriguez arrived in Key West looking for a new start.

May Reign is a poet, author, International Spoken Word artist, and entrepreneur. She's also a proud Black woman, lesbian, wife, mother, and grandmother.

Allan Hendricks is a resident of Boynton Beach and has been active and involved in LGBTQ advocacy and culture for decades.

Dr. Harvey Abrams has a passion for preserving and sharing LGBT history at his job at Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library

As a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Horacio Sierra is tasked with advising President Biden on cultural policy.

Steven Crawford is an organizer, planner, and fundraiser. He's the Founder and President of FlockFest events, a non-profit event planning and promoting organization.

Doors are opening for DJ Citizen Jane and the Miami recording artist wants to keep them that way for future generations.

Jameer Baptiste is busy. As an activist he’s known for his work in the HIV, Black, and LGBT communities.

As Executive Director of Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (SAVE), Orlando Gonzales has the difficult assignment of countering an increasingly hostile political climate.

With the type of historic win Penserga had, it was only a matter of time before the Boynton Beach Mayor received our OUT 50 award.
