Bill Glenn is the author of I Came Here Seeking a Person. A Vital Story of Grace; One Gay Man's Spiritual Journey. In the 70s, he trained to be a Catholic priest, but left the seminary at 29. But just as he left, his priestly gifts of love and compassion would be needed to get him — and the thousands of queer people he touched — through the AIDS Crisis.

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Richard Burns has been a pillar of the American LGBTQ+ rights movement. He helped organize the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979. Later, he became the executive director of the NYC LGBTQ Center when New York was the epicenter for AIDS. Here, he discusses his role in history and why that history must be protected and passed down to young people.

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In the 80s and 90s, Derek Hodel was the executive director of the New York Buyer's Club — also known as the People with AIDS Health Group. When life saving AIDS drugs in America were too expensive or not approved yet, Derek bypassed the American healthcare system and brought them in from abroad. He reflects on his work and its impact, nearly 40 years later.

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Greg Louganis is often considered the greatest diver of all time. But his sports journey was intertwined with his deep desire to be loved by his parents. He relives the moment when his HIV status, sexual orientation, and diving career all collided at once: the 1988 Summer Olympics.

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Michael Willhoite wrote the 2nd most challenged book of the 1990s — a children's book called "Daddy's Roommate." The book set off a cultural and political firestorm in America. But Michael recounts how he never sought out to be political. He just wanted to write a children's book.

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Jewelle Gomez co-founded GLAAD, the premier queer media watchdog organization, in 1985. She realized early that media was a tool that could prevent homophobia — or perpetuate it. She recounts why GLAAD was founded and why it's still needed today.

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Patrik Ian-Polk is the creator of Noah's Arc, the first scripted TV show to center Black gay men. The show defied stereotypes and developed a cult following in the 2000s. He discusses the superheroes in his own life that served as his inspirations.

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Peter Staley was one of the most prominent members of the AIDS activism group ACT-UP. He is largely credited as one of the pioneers responsible for the creation of life-saving AIDS drugs. He recounts the most harrowing times of the AIDS crisis — and how he persevered.

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This episode contains frank discussion on suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

In 1998, Celeste Lecesne co-founded the Trevor Project, the nation’s leading suicide prevention organization for queer youth. It was born out of an oscar-winning suicide awareness film he wrote called "Trevor." Celeste recounts how the film was actually based on his own life.

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Susan Stryker is a historian who unearthed the story of Compton's Cafeteria, the first known full-scale queer riot against police harassment in American history. She describes the events of the riot and how her discovery impacted her own life.

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