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.
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
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.
Larry Davanzo has been volunteering with the Smart Ride, an annual two-day bike ride in South Florida that raises funds for local HIV-related non-profits, for the last 17 years.
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.
Chris McNulty arrived in Key West from Cleveland and was surprised to find that such an inclusive island was lacking basic support services for the LGBT community.
Bella Dunbar grew up in Vero Beach — a town she describes as less than inclusive for LGBT and Latinx people — where she and her brother struggled in finding their identity, community, and acceptance.
What started as an once month community gathering has blossomed into a sought-after entertainment destination for travelers near and far. Chef Rocco Carulli said he never envisioned the effect R House’s drag brunch would have.
The dream of residing comfortably in the Conch Republic is what did it for Dorian Patton.
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.
Jameer Baptiste is busy. As an activist he’s known for his work in the HIV, Black, and LGBT communities.
Described by her colleague as a “Powerhouse,” Janiece Rodriguez arrived in Key West looking for a new start.
Jeff Oliverio has made an impact on many people’s lives.
A Reiki Master. An entrepreneur. A certified Holistic Life Coach, Franchesca D’Amore does everything she can to leave an impact on the community.
As Executive Director of Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (SAVE), Orlando Gonzales has the difficult assignment of countering an increasingly hostile political climate.
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.
Ed Sparan works as HIV educator in charge of The PrEP Program at Broward Health. He also does HIV advocacy for the homeless population.
Tedd Davis is an artist and philanthropist. He is best known for his collages and mixed media assemblage art.
Rob Eldredge is a noted figure in his own right, not just for his partner of 21 years Kris Fegenbush, who is a well known commodity in the LGBT community having worked at the Pride Center in Wilton Manors for many years.
Preparing for her seventh SMART Ride, Dr. Jana Jaffe is determined to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Nic Zantop is a South Florida native who works to make a difference in the community. “I believe in advocacy,” they said. “I’m really proud to work with an amazing team that’s doing really impactful work.”
Rudolph “Rudy” Galindo moved to West Palm Beach in 2016 and quickly became a local institution.
To say Gabe Salazar’s tenure got off to an unusual start is an understatement.
May Reign is a poet, author, International Spoken Word artist, and entrepreneur. She's also a proud Black woman, lesbian, wife, mother, and grandmother.
Claudia Castillo is a Wilton Manors based artist and business owner.
As a fierce advocate for his clients, colleagues and the LGBT community, Dave Gervase is constantly working toward a goal.
Allan Hendricks is a resident of Boynton Beach and has been active and involved in LGBTQ advocacy and culture for decades.
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.
Artist Najja Moon came to Miami in 2009 and has developed a creative practice that uplifts and holds space for her community.
“I am a feminist artist, nonprofit leader, educator, researcher, author, and grant writer,” Thinking Cap Theatre Co.’s Artistic Director Nicole Stodard stated unapologetically.
Niki Lopez is a work of art. Her creations, like her, are bright, colorful, and vibrant.
Poet, curator, activist, and philanthropist, Tom Healy’s accomplishments are many, but it is his lifetime of service that warrants his inclusion in the OUT50.
Nadege Green is a writer, community historian, researcher, and editor.
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.
Nicholas Coppola is a retired electrical contractor who has 35 years of experience in the construction industry.
Unlike most of the retirees who find their way to South Florida, Steven Some has not slowed down one bit. He’s just getting started.
An accomplished realtor, Jimmy Cunningham is also a community-minded philanthropist.
Dr. Harvey Abrams has a passion for preserving and sharing LGBT history at his job at Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library
Doors are opening for DJ Citizen Jane and the Miami recording artist wants to keep them that way for future generations.
The Reverend Kevin Tisdol found the family vocation later in life.
As a Broward House care navigator, Derald Robertson sees people living with HIV/AIDS who are often at their most vulnerable stages of life.
As a critical care nurse practitioner on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin Cho Tipton fulfilled what he called, "an overwhelming desire to find purpose."
As a 3rd generation Floridian, born and raised in Palm Beach County, Bill Bone is a champion of many causes and communities.
In her youth, Carol Wartenberg always dreamed of a career on the stage.
When it comes to volunteering, Kevin Clevenger is always ready to lend a hand.
Michael Riordan is a trailblazing trans woman and Director of Marketing at Compass Community Center in Lake Worth Beach.
Joseph Kolb and Michael Hoagland met in Washington DC in the Fall of 1976, as two of the founders of the Washington Gay Hotline.
Jasmine Mckenzie came to find her work in advocacy long before she knew the work had a name.
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.”
