Tony Oswin Tovar believes leadership is not about standing in the spotlight. It is about creating enough space for other people to shine.
Tovar, 42, is an openly gay Mexican immigrant in Miami whose path has crossed technology, politics, public health and community organizing. He came out at 14 and lost his parents’ support. At times, he relied on a food pantry and did not know how he would afford school or his next meal. He eventually worked his way through college, paying his tuition in cash.
“My journey has taught me that where you begin doesn't define where you can go, but it does define how deeply you appreciate the chance to help someone else get there,” Tovar said.
That perspective shaped his decision to speak publicly for marriage equality in Illinois after the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down in 2013. Despite risks connected to his immigration status, he shared his story with the Chicago Sun-Times because he believed visibility could change minds.
Professionally, Tovar helped grow health technology companies in Chicago and Austin when Latinos remained underrepresented in the field. His organizing later included mobilizing LGBTQIA+ voters during the 2020 election in Tarrant County, Texas, and supporting Eileen Higgins’ successful campaign for Miami mayor.
More recently, Tovar organized Frost Science Museum Pride Night events that drew more than 750 people across 2025 and 2026. He also serves as a national leader of the PRIDE+ Colleague Resource Group at CVS Health and participates in South Beach Gaythering Volleyball.
“To me, being Out & Proud means living authentically while making sure the door stays open for the next person,” he said.
Tovar’s advice to LGBTQ youth comes directly from experience. He urges them to seek help, nurture supportive friendships and remember that chosen family can be as powerful as the family into which they were born.
“Your life won't be defined by what happens to you, and it will be defined by what you choose to do next,” he said. “One day, you'll realize that the challenges you survived became the strengths that allowed you to help someone else.”
His own personal motto makes that outward-looking vision plain: “Your success is my success.”
