Why he made the list: Currently Paul sits on Board of Directors for the LGBT political group known as the Victory Fund. Paul previously held the title of Chair for the organization. He is also one of the founding members and the current Co-Chair of the LGBT Leadership Council at the Democratic National Committee. This means if you want to get elected in the ATL Paul needs to be on your friend’s list.

What else you need to know: When Paul isn’t pushing the gay political agenda he is managing money as a Senior VP at Morgan, Stanley, Smith, Barney.



Why he made the list: Even though there are a lot of similarities to the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the equality movement of today, there are few people who have worked painstakingly for both. Many of the leaders from that era don’t believe in equality for the gay community. Or if they do, they don’t necessarily put themselves out there for our cause. And then there are people like Rep. John Lewis who is helping lead the way to LGBT equality. Rep. Lewis has been publicly fighting hard for our rights for more than 15 years. An avid opponant of the Defense of Marriage Act, Don’t As Don’t Tell, discrimination in the workplace, and a staunch supporter of HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and research, Lewis is a man who sticks to his principles and stands by them. “I have fought too hard and for too long against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up against discrimination based on sexual orientation. I’ve heard the reasons for opposing civil marriage for same-sex couples. Cut through the distractions, and they stink of the same fear, hatred and intolerance I have known in racism and in bigotry,” says Lewis. We can all learn a lot from this man. He doesn’t see color nor does he see sexual orientation. He only sees people and understands we are all here on this earth together.

What else you need to know: Rep. Lewis walked side-by-side with Martin Luther King Jr. on many occasions and has been jailed or arrested more than 40 times.



Why he made the list: Reese isn’t the only openly gay member of the Mayor’s team, but because of his position he is definitely the most visible. Reese’s ability to bridge the gap between the Mayor’s office and the LGBT community is a major reason why the Mayor has open communications with the Atlanta gay community.

What else you need to know: It isn’t an accident that Reese works in the political world. He is a political junky who enjoys offering up an opinion on any and all current hot topics.



Why he made the list: There are a lot of people who would like to throw Mayor Reed under the bus for the dreadful Eagle raid. However we have never had in the history of Mayors of Atlanta, a mayor who has been so dedicated to the LGBT community. He routinely attends LGBT events without need for fan fare and he uses his position as mayor to raise awareness for various anti-bullying campaigns. He is a valuable ally to our community.

What else you need to know: Mayor Reed was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, but has spent most of his life in Fulton County. He was first elected to public office in 1998 as a Georgia House Representative.



Why he made the list: Alex is the only openly gay member of the Atlanta City Council. He is also the Director of Development for Jerusalem House which is an organization that finds shelter for those afflicted with HIV/AIDS. Alex’s hard work in both positions gives him the unique ability to give our community a voice, which effectively provides help to those who need it the most.