(San Francisco, CA, December 7, 2011)—The National Center for Lesbian Rights is proud to announce that its Federal Policy Director Maya Rupert has been named one of this year’s 100 most notable people by Ebony Magazine, the nation’s premier black magazine.
Since joining NCLR in 2010, Rupert has been a regular contributing writer to a number of media outlets—including the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and The Huffington Post—where she frequently addresses the intersection of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
According to Ebony Magazine, the Power 100 celebrates “the shakers and innovators who elevate the game for us all.” In honoring Rupert, Ebony cites her federal policy work and identifies her as a “staunch advocate” for advancements in housing, family policy, health, and employment for LGBTQ people. The article also applauds her lobbying against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), contributing to President Obama’s decision to no longer defend DOMA in federal court.
The Power 100 honorees—including President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder—were selected for shaping the world in new and different ways. Their work, which they must have accomplished in the last year, is described as being so exciting and powerful that it demands to be recognized.
This is the second time in two months that Rupert has been honored for her work by national media. In October, Rupert was named one of the nation’s 100 most influential black leaders under 45 by The Root, an online news site that provides commentary from a black perspective.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.