The 2025 Native Son 101 List has been released, and there are a number of familiar theatre faces on display!

Native Son, a content and storytelling platform for Black gay and queer men, has published the annual list since 2020. Recognizing a variety of Black gay and queer men who have created impact throughout the year, the 101 List shines a light on leaders, mavericks and innovators who achieved unprecedented cultural heights and historic firsts, and those who are using their platforms to break through barriers in their respective roles, professions, and areas of expertise.

Present on this year's list are a number of creatives in the theatre and dance world, including actor Colman Domingo, actor Jeremy Pope, actor Layton Williams, costume designer Paul Tazewell, playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, playwright Jordan E. Cooper, and Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney. Both Domingo and Tazewell were also included on the 2024 list.

“2025 has been a year where our community has been tested in unprecedented ways,” said Emil Wilbekin, founder of Native Son. “We witnessed aggressive roll backs of DEI programs, erasing LGBTQ+ protections and policies—legislating against the very existence of queer and trans people. And yet—in the face of all of this—this community continued to rise. They created art. They led movements. They built-up institutions. They fully stepped into power. They used their voices and platforms to protect our stories, our culture, our humanity, and our history. The leaders on this year’s 101 List did not shrink. They pushed harder. They refused to be erased. They demonstrated that our brilliance is not conditional, our resilience is not optional, and our joy is an act of political resistance. This year’s list is a testament to our courage, creativity, and collective legacy.

To see the full list, visit NativeSon.US.