{"id":924498,"date":"2025-01-03T12:03:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T17:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/?p=924498"},"modified":"2025-01-03T14:31:02","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T19:31:02","slug":"glaads-20-under-20-class-of-2023-where-are-they-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/glaads-20-under-20-class-of-2023-where-are-they-now\/","title":{"rendered":"GLAAD\u2019s 20 Under 20 Class of 2023: Where Are They Now?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2020, GLAAD launched the first annual\u00a020 Under 20<\/a> list in collaboration with Teen Vogue. Since the lists first unveiling, the campaign<\/a> continues to shine a light on a new batch of 20 young LGBTQ change makers each year \u2013 pioneers and activists across entertainment, politics, academia, and more.<\/p>\n

The 4th annual list<\/a> featured groundbreaking changemakers like musicians Evann McIntosh <\/span><\/strong>and<\/span> Isaac Dunbar, <\/span><\/strong>content creators <\/span>Zachary Willmore, <\/span><\/strong>Reuben De Maid,<\/strong> and Brooklynne Webb<\/strong>, actors Noah Schnapp<\/strong> and Luke Islam,\u00a0<\/strong>and the organizers of the Trans Youth Prom<\/a>, just to name a few.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the year since the 4th list was published, members of the class of 2023 have gone on to do incredible things with the platforms they\u2019ve created. Hear first-hand some of the exciting projects GLAAD\u2019s 20 Under 20 class of 2023 are working on!<\/p>\n

Luc\u00eda Umeki-Mart\u00ednez<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Luc\u00eda
ILLUSTRATION BY @BLACKPOWERBARBIE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Luc\u00eda Umeki-Mart\u00ednez got their start advocating for and repping the LGBTQ community as a journalist. They served as the race and diversity beat reporter at The Daily Californian<\/a>, <\/i>where they continue to bring reliable stories from diverse perspectives to Berkeley\u2019s paper of record.<\/p>\n

Umeki-Mart\u00ednez is in their third year at UC Berkeley studying Sociology and Chicano Studies while also serving as a senior staff writer at The Daily Californian<\/a> and a staff writer for The Weekender<\/a>, the Daily Cal’s culture magazine.<\/p>\n

On top of all this hard work, they are also a staff writer for Berkeley B-Side<\/a>, their school’s premier music magazine! They share that, “I’m just working and going to school! I’m doing my best to take care of my mental health and prioritize my happiness and school.”<\/p>\n

CJ King<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\"CJ
ILLUSTRATION BY @BLACKPOWERBARBIE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Designer and model CJ King rose to fame when he and his classmate Jazzlynn Vargas<\/strong> traveled to Abu Dhabi to participate as finalists at the Junk Kouture World Final<\/strong>, the world\u2019s largest sustainable fashion competition for youth. Unfortunately, despite being assured King would be safe to attend the competition in the notoriously anti-LGBTQ country, government officials arrived and demanded that CJ be barred from the competition<\/a>\u00a0as UAE law prohibits men from wearing \u201cwomen\u2019s clothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Despite this setback, this didn’t stop King from living his truth. From there, King went on to appear on Good Morning America<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>where he was given the opportunity to show off the look he was denied the opportunity to in Dubai. The look was called \u201cNightingale,\u201d and was made entirely of donated medical waste products and discarded pool insulation and was made in honor of the healthcare workers who risked their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

Since then, King has been making major moves in the fashion world. He had the opportunity to work with the MarcoMarco team at their Dreamland X Marco Marco 20th year anniversary at New York Fashion Week earlier this year.<\/p>\n