Building Queer Community in the Birthplace of the LGBTQ+ Movement

Ahmet Sitki Demir is a Berlin-based non-binary and queer Muslim actHIVist, urbanist, cultural worker, and curator. Ahmet’s work is characterized by an intersectional diversity-critical and discrimination-sensitive approach. They currently work for the German AIDS service organization as deputy manager of the countrywide GBTIQ+ health prevention campaign “IWWIT.” For more than fifteen years, Ahmet has been dealing with discourses around postcolonial theory, social access & barriers, and intersectional feminism focusing on the interweaving of gender, sexual orientation, and poverty. Translating and transferring cultural codes from one group to another and making multiple affiliations understandable has always been the basic groundwork for them. In projects like “Thinking from the outskirts of the city” and “Memory Care” in Berlin, “LastHomo?!” and “Pray me awayer” in Vienna, Ahmet intervened and collaborated within queer/migrant urban fields and cultures. They studied European ethnology and metropolitan culture in Hamburg, Berlin, and Istanbul.

Akim van der Voort is an expert on market economy, free trade, and globalization at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Berlin. He actively strives to integrate diversity and intersectionality into global political and economic debates. Prior to joining the foundation, he worked as an advisor for the German Development Agency GIZ in Nigeria and Botswana as well as at the Trade and Customs Department at the private consultancy firm Deloitte.

Akim has a master’s degree in international law from the University of Amsterdam and a bachelor’s degree in business law and economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Before studying, he played a crucial part in founding a new liberal movement in Austria, campaigning for government reform and human rights. Subsequently, he served as an elected councilor in one of Vienna’s districts, where he fought for more representation and awareness for LGBTIQ+ communities at the local and city levels.

Baylen Campbell is Invest Appalachia’s Director of Community Impact. Originally from and based in Hazard, Kentucky, Baylen brings experience working as an economic development and social impact practitioner. In partnership with the Community Advisory Council, Baylen leads IA’s Catalytic Capital development, deployment, and community accountability. Additionally, he manages IA’s impact measurement, policy research, and partnership development with a focus on capacity building. He is passionate about utilizing strategic communications and storytelling to shift outdated narratives of Appalachia. Baylen holds a BA in International Affairs from John Cabot University in Rome, Italy, and an MSc in Development Practice from Trinity College Dublin/University College Dublin. He is a co-founder of the Lige Clarke Liberation Fund supporting LGBTQ+ infrastructure and advocacy in Eastern Kentucky.

Dr. Carla R. Stephens holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History as well as a PhD in History from Temple University. Her areas of interest include the transnational nature of the black freedom struggle in the 1950s-1970s, particularly activism by African Americans in the liberation struggles of the former Portuguese colonies in Africa. She also earned her Master of Science in Educational Leadership at Montclair State University. Carla became founding faculty at Bard High School Early College in Newark, NJ, in 2011 and served as principal from 2017 to 2023. She brings leadership training and experience from four years at the United States Naval Academy, National Urban League training, as a manager for AT&T, as well as an educational leader to her current position as Director of the Bard Queer Leadership Project at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

Carrie-Ann Lawrence works as a European Affairs Officer in the International Relations Office of the City of Dortmund and as a freelance writer. As a queer woman of color, she has been active in the queer community for many years, both as an activist and in the field of community building. She volunteers to create fear-free workspaces and leisure activities for queer people. With her own series of events, Carrie-Ann has given queer women in particular the space to get to know each other, exchange ideas, and feel a sense of community without having to fear discrimination. She has been honored several times for her commitment, most recently with the “PrOutPerformer in the Public Service” award from the Prout at Work Foundation and the “Recognizing Commitment” award from the Dortmund Volunteer Agency. Carrie-Ann is married and has a daughter; they live together in Dortmund.

Denver Barrows is a Senior Product Manager at Amazon scaling electric vehicle infrastructure. He is passionate about developing a transportation network built for a green economy and supplied by a revitalized industrial base. Previously, Denver worked at Amazon Air where he led business-wide readiness efforts and new product/policy due diligence. Prior to Amazon, he served in active duty and reserve roles in the Air Force with assignments/deployments in Germany, Syria, Puerto Rico, Texas, and California. He continues to serve in the Reserves.

Denver is an Atlantic Council Veteran Advanced Energy Project Fellow, has been recognized as a Center for New American Security Next Generation National Security Fellow, and Out in National Security’s Out Leadership List, where he is the Vice President for Operations. He was an AFROTC Distinguished Graduate at The University of Chicago where he earned a BA in Public Policy. Denver earned his MsC in Logistics from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Jasmin Gräwel grew up in Leipzig, Saxony. Currently, she works as a journalist for a TV production company in Leipzig called Level4Films. She produces TV reports for different magazines for public broadcasting and private television channels. In 2024, Jasmin started a part-time online training as a diversity manager at the University of Hamburg. Jasmin studied American Studies at the University of Leipzig and completed a bachelor's degree in 2010.

Since 2018, Jasmin has volunteered as a press officer, podcast host, and member of the management board at Leipzig Pride (CSD Leipzig). CSD Leipzig is the oldest pride organization in east Germany after Berlin. Jasmin also hosts a monthly podcast called “Inside CSD Leipzig.” On this podcast, Jasmin speaks with queer people in and around Leipzig, listening to their individual stories about coming out as queer and sharing experiences as queer people with a wider audience.

Lea Nolte grew up on the coast of northern Germany. After high school and spending three years abroad, she studied Psychology (MSc) at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany. Her core topics are stress management and the mental health of employees. In addition to her studies, she has volunteered for the anti-discrimination project “SCHLAU,” which offers educational work on sexual orientation and gender identity through workshops for students. After moving to Hanover and starting a career, she is still active as a trainer and gives voluntary workshops at schools, as “SCHLAU” exists in several German cities. Attending seminars on sex & gender or racism-critical workshops, she likes to educate herself continuously, connect with people, and share stories. In addition to strengthening LGBTQ+ rights, animal protection is a topic close to her heart, and she is committed to volunteering in animal sanctuaries in Germany and abroad.

Lennart Linke is an LGBTQ+ rights activist living in Heidelberg, Germany. In activism, his main goal is to build resilient communities and learn from historic perspectives to design strategies to preserve and strengthen queer rights in the future. He is involved in community building, creating spaces for subculture, as well as engaging with local politics. Lennart has hosted panel discussions with city council members and created a guide on candidates’ stances on LGBTQ+ issues in the council election. In addition, he contributes to social media campaigns and fosters queer subculture spaces, which are not yet represented in his hometown Heidelberg. Beyond his activism, Lennart recently received his master’s degree in Molecular Biotechnology at Heidelberg University and is moving toward a research career in cancer biology.

Lui Mess is a 28-year-old queer non-binary lesbian working at rubicon e.V., one of Germany's largest queer counseling centers. In their role, Lui coordinates and manages various organizational processes. Alongside their professional duties, they are pursuing a master's degree in Gender & Queer Studies at the University of Cologne. Lui's academic journey is marked by their research project, “Queerschnitt: Current State of Queer (Counseling) Centers in Germany.” This project critically examines the organizational structures, intersectional approaches, and challenges faced by queer counseling centers nationwide. The insights gained from their work at rubicon have been instrumental in advancing this research. In addition to their professional and academic endeavors, Lui has volunteered with the Anti-Discrimination Project for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Schools at SCHLAU Köln e.V. Currently, they are working on their master's thesis titled “Lesbian & Queer Spaces in Cologne – Where Have They Gone? Documenting and Mapping Spatial Changes.” This thesis explores the shifts in queer spaces within the city of Cologne.

Michael Guston has been a law enforcement professional for thirty-six years. He is currently a captain with the George Mason University Police Department in Fairfax, Virginia, where he oversees two satellite campus police stations in neighboring cities. In addition, he manages the IT and Technology department, which is responsible for in-car police computers and report-writing software. Michael is also the department’s LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer, a position he helped create in 2010 to enhance the relationship between the police department and the university’s LGBTQIA+ community. As the LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer, Michael has participated in many local and international LGBTQ+ law enforcement events and conferences. At these conferences, LGBTQ+ officers shared their efforts to establish inroads within the queer communities where they serve and attended classes on various LGBTQ+ topics.

Phuong Tran is the Managing Community & Coalition Storyteller at the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia (ACLU-VA). She manages ACLU-VA’s storytelling program and works with ACLU-VA clients, partners, supporters, community members, and the creative community in Virginia on multiple storytelling projects, covering issues like LGBTQ+ rights, criminal legal reform, reproductive freedom, and voting rights. Phuong combines photojournalistic practices, ethical storytelling, and a public narrative approach to tell impactful stories that center people and their lived experiences.

Sarah Pope is the Director of U.S. Programs at LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, overseeing Victory’s leadership development internships and fellowships, along with the annual International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference. Sarah started with Victory in 2018 as the U.S. Programs Manager, managing the day-to-day operations of Victory Institute’s Congressional programs. Prior to joining Victory, Sarah worked in youth leadership development and K-12 education within underserved environments. Sarah attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, where they earned their bachelor’s in sociology with a Spanish minor and their Master of Public Administration. A Maryland native, Sarah returned to the Washington, DC, area in 2017. In her free time, she can be found showing you pictures of her cat Birdie, making pottery, and telling you the latest reality TV show gossip.

Tyler Renner works as Communications Director for PATH, a statewide homeless services provider and affordable housing developer in California. He has worked in a variety of public service roles focused on underrepresented communities. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and began his career as a behavioral therapist for youth on the Autism Spectrum. Tyler dedicated several years to LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS advocacy, working at the Pacific Pride Foundation in Santa Barbara and the San Diego LGBT Community Center as a Program Coordinator, Development Associate, and HIV Test Counselor. He served as Director of Community Outreach for San Diego City Council, District Three, focusing on constituent services, LGBTQ+ issues, and advancing policies that reduce homelessness. Tyler currently serves on the board of directors for San Diego Pride and writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune Community Voices Project.