Leah Lakshmi (they/she) is a queer, disabled, non-binary writer, poet, and disability justice advocate. They are the author and/or co-editor of more than 10 books; including The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs, Beyond Survival: Stories and Strategies from the Transformative Justice Movement (co-edited with Ejeris Dixon), Tonguebreaker, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, Bridge of Flowers, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home, Bodymap, and The Revolution Starts At Home (co-edited with Ching-In Chen and Jai Dulani). (brownstargirl.org) She has also worked on curating works of poetry and performance art related to queerness and disability.
Find out more about Leah on their website: https://brownstargirl.org/
Lydia Brown (they/them) is a “writer, public speaker, educator, trainer, consultant, advocate, community organizer, community builder, activist, scholar, and attorney.” (Lydia Brown) They are “multiply disabled, queer, and nonbinary Chinese American, East Asian transracial and transnational adoptee of color.” Their work centers on the intersections of queerness, disability, race, and gender. Brown founded the Autistic People of Color Fund which focuses on redistributive justice by providing support, aid, and retributions to autistic people of color.
Find out more about Lydia on their website: https://lydiaxzbrown.com/about/
Aaron Rose Philip (she/her) is a Black, transgender, disabled model who has been featured in Vogue and has walked multiple runways including Moschino and Collina Strada. She has cerebral palsy and uses a chair; in her interview with Cassandra Pintro she said “That became my biggest goal. If I'm going to be a model, I'm going to be present with my disability in this industry because I’m allowed to be here.” (Rose Philip in Vogue) As well as being a model, Aaron also has a memoir book called This Kid Can Fly: It’s About Ability (Not Disability) about her experiences as a 14-year old boy with cerebral palsy and the challenges that come with living in a world not built for disabled bodies.
Follow Aaron on social media to learn more: @ aaron___philip
Eli Clare (he/him) is a white, disabled, genderqueer author and activist. He identifies as a trans man and has cerebral palsy. Eli has written and published two essay books, “the award-winning Brilliant Imperfection: Grappling with Cure and Exile and Pride: Disability, Queerness, and Liberation, and a collection of poetry, The Marrow’s Telling: Words in Motion.” (Eli Clare) He has been working since 2008 giving speeches, training, and education at over 150 conferences and events about disability rights. He co-organized the first Queer Disability Conference. As well, Eli is on the Community Advisory Board for the Disability Project at the Transgender Law Center and is a Disability Futures Fellow.
Find out more about Eli on his website: https://eliclare.com/bio/