Yance Ford
Despite doing much of his work behind the scenes, producer Yance Ford was named to The Root’s list of the most influential African-Americans aged 25-45. He worked as a producer for PBS for ten years before becoming an independent filmmaker. He and Joslyn Barnes were nominated for an Academy Award in 2018 for their work on Strong Island, which he also directed. He is not just the first transgender guy nominated, but also the first transgender director. Strong Island was a personal effort for Yance because it reflected the tragic death of his brother in 1992. Aside from the Academy Award nomination, he and Joslyn Barnes also received an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking.
Yance Ford
Eddie Izzard
While comedian Eddie Izzard has been in the public glare for most of her life, it wasn’t until 2018 that she came out as genderfluid, preferring to be referred to as “she.” Her distinct humorous approach has always been self-reflective and lighthearted, so it’s good to see her feeling comfortable enough to openly express one of her most important reflections. This two-time Emmy winner continues to do stand-up in both English and French, has appeared in the Netflix original Green Eggs and Ham, based on Dr. Seuss’s book, and yet finds time to run marathons. We can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Eddie Izzard
