Hi everyone! I'm a bit late with my introduction, but here it is anyway! 🥰 I’m Lisa Ronquillo, and I’m so thrilled to join the Syndicate (a huge thank you to my wonderful friend, Scott, for creating this space for us!) 💙 My work centers on the intersection of Ethical AI, Accessibility, and Responsible Tech. I understand the skepticism that comes with seeing AI in a professional bio - and honestly, that caution is warranted. It's why I'm driven to ensure technology is used to uplift and empower marginalized communities, rather than exploit or replace them. I am currently pursuing my CRAIEO certification as an AI Ethics Officer to support this mission. This commitment is a continuation of my long-standing advocacy. My roots are in community organizing. While a student at Youngstown State University from 2012–2015, I served three years as President of YSUnity. This tenure included several honors: pioneering the campus's first Diversity Prom, assisting with a historic mass wedding in 2013, and launching our first "Coming Out Week," which featured a powerful symbolic closet on campus (yes, people were able to actually "come out" of it!) Though I was incredibly humbled by the awards I received from my leadership, the greatest lesson was learning how to intentionally build spaces where people GENUINELY feel safe and seen. I'm applying that same foundational energy to the technology sector today. My goal is to combat algorithmic bias against LGBTQ+ individuals and pushing for accessibility tools that are genuinely designed for neurodiversity. I'm here to connect - whether you have questions about data protection, want to discuss accessible tool advocacy and development, or simply want a conversation about the future of tech that moves beyond the typical "bro culture" hype. I look forward to connecting! Now, let’s suit up, get into some "good trouble," and fight the good fight together! 🦸‍♂️🌈👊

I’m Raúl Román. A mexican strategist and creative drawn to strategy, narrative, and intelligent branding. I don’t work in campaigns; I build systems — ways of thinking, speaking, and being that allow a brand to grow without losing itself along the way. I work with healthcare leaders and brands who are searching for clarity, coherence, and a voice that feels true. Authenticity and voice aren’t optional to me. When those are clear, everything else finds its place. When they’re not, even the best execution feels empty. As a gay man, single by choice, and entrepreneur, I’ve learned that taking up space is a practice, not a given. It’s a quiet, daily choice to stay present, to speak honestly, and to build a life and work that feel aligned rather than performative. I’m drawn to a more integrated way of leading — one that holds strategy and sensitivity at the same time. I value depth over speed, honest conversations over polished answers, and spaces where people don’t have to soften themselves to belong. Outside of work, I’m grounded by 80s music, the ocean as a place to reset, and dogs as constant teachers of loyalty, rhythm, and presence — gentle reminders to stay in the here and now. I’m here to connect with LGBTQ+ people who lead, create, and question from a place of humanity, vulnerability, and intention. Greetings from sunny México City.😃

Hello to the group and thank you to @Danielle Morris for inviting me to this incredible space! I am a communications and marketing strategist based in Portland, OR in the very early stages of building a consulting business, Amplify Impact Marketing. Prior to setting out on this new venture, I spent 8 years working in communications, development, and marketing in the education sector, most recently as a Senior Marketing Manager at Corwin Press overseeing their line of books focused on advancing equity and justice in schools and supporting BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and multilingual students. Through Amplify Impact Marketing, I'm interested in working with authors in the education justice space, nonprofits focused on advancing justice and equity, and B-Corps or other mission-driven companies serving communities under threat from this administration. I am also a published novelist and essayist with a volunteer project--Amplify Writers--focused on supporting the career development of writers with identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences that are under-represented in the publishing eco-system. My first campaign with Amplify Impact is an all-volunteer effort to oppose proposed changes to Medicare and Medicaid funding that threatens minors' access to gender-affirming care. Our campaign--#PSWeLoveYou--encourages people to leave a comment in opposition on the federal register and include a PS note directly in support of trans kids. My team will be pulling these comments and publishing them as an ongoing show of community love for 2SLGBTQIA+ kids. We are also publishing educational graphics about what gender-affirming care is alongside blog posts and podcast interviews from impacted community.

So people have asked me "why TornBox as a name for a production company Mike?" Well there are two reasons. A torn box may not be useful as a box anymore, but with support from some tape, it could hold things again, if you give it to a child, it can be a spaceship or a house, if you give it to a crafter it could become part of a project, an artist may use it to create something beautiful. It's about not letting something that you perceive at first glance as damaged be devalued. That's the main reason it's called TornBox, it's about giving voices a platform to show their value. And the second reason? Well I will leave that to your imagination.

I am an intersex and transgender advocate, author, and public speaker who uses my platform to elevate marginalized voices and push for equity and understanding. Thrust into the global spotlight in 2014 when I was outed as Michael Phelps’ girlfriend, I turned adversity into activism—becoming a visible voice for the intersex and trans communities. I have appeared on Howard Stern, Entertainment Tonight, and in major newspapers and magazines worldwide, sharing my story to educate and inspire. I am the author of several books and a frequent guest on podcasts and radio, known for my raw honesty and fearless truth-telling. Living with Borderline Personality Disorder, I openly discusses mental health to help end stigma and promote compassion. Through advocacy, marketing, and creating safe spaces, I champion for Black and brown voices, inclusion, and self-acceptance. My journey is one of resilience, authenticity, and using pain as a catalyst for purpose and progress.