BY JEN OLENICZAK BROWN

April Forster

What makes you YOU?
I’m a fixer. I care about people and genuinely want to help. I’m also pretty funny. I make up ridiculously silly songs about our dogs.

What are you most proud of?
Coming out. Growing up in the South with a conservative family most certainly meant rejection. I was 35 and it was time. And I was right.

What keeps you going when things are tough?
The love and support of my wife. She’s my biggest fan, always in my corner. It feels incredible to know I have the support of someone who loves me unconditionally no matter what.

What keeps you up at night?
Nothing. I sleep well. What gives me anxiety while I’m awake is the current state of humanity. Everyone is very self absorbed. I wish people would be kinder and care a little more for others.

Latasha Barr-Lewis

What makes you YOU?

Definitely my creativity. It gives me an edge and the ability to think and create outside of the box. I look at things and think and see what could be. It also gives me a sense of optimism to believe and hope for the best.

What are you most proud of?
At 30 I was told that I was disabled and given a prognosis of all the things I couldn’t and shouldn’t do, including having children. I chose to believe something different. My first son was born almost 1 year later to the date. I have built a life on my own terms and I have passed that resilience on to my children.

What keeps you going when things are tough?
My family! I think about all that we have accomplished, the impact we have on our community and what our goals are, and I keep pushing. My family is also where I find refuge and safety to recharge and rejuvenate.

What keeps you up at night?
Given the current climate in our country, I am concerned about issues related to race, women’s rights, voter suppression and the like. What kind of America will my children live in?