My guest, Jessica Stern, served as United States Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI Persons from 2021 to 2025. She represented the world’s most marginalized communities. But this interview isn’t about her policy analysis. It’s about how a seemingly ordinary young girl was inspired to rise to extraordinary prominence. The stories that shaped her life and inspired her to become a leader for social justice. Jessica's journey from a voracious reader in childhood to a prominent activist and government official. We talk about the challenges of coming out, the importance of community support, and the current state of LGBTQ rights globally. And, of course, the importance of stories.