Minnesotans are well represented in The Advocate’s list of “40 exemplary people under age 40 this year names the few who you should listen to among our modern-day cacophony of voices.” The magazine is honoring LGBT leaders who “have a message we think you should hear.”

The Advocate honored Richard Carlbom who led the successful campaign to defeat an anti-gay marriage amendment, and a successful lobbying push to make marriage equality a reality. He’s now working to bring the same successes to states around the country with Freedom to Marry.

The Advocate wrote, “Richard Carlbom helped bring marriage equality to Minnesota, and now he’s trying to do the same for the nation.”

CeCe McDonald was injured in a racist and transphobic attack in south Minneapolis, and killed her attacker as a lunged toward her. She was sent to prison. Now, she is a prison reform advocate.

The Advocate wrote, “CeCe McDonald has become the face of a problem too few even knew existed.
“Prisons aren’t safe for anyone, and that’s the key issue,” McDonald said during an interview with MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry in January, one of a number of appearances helping raise awareness.”