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11 Out Latinos You Should Know

From politics to entertainment, LGBTQ Latinos are making their mark across all industries. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, NBC OUT is recognizing just some of the many who should be on your radar.
Image: Orlando Cruz, Monica Raymund, Faith Ashley
Orlando Cruz, Monica Raymund, Faith AshleyGetty Images

From politics to entertainment, LGBTQ Latinos, Latinas and Latinx are making their mark across all industries. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, NBC OUT is recognizing just some of the many who should be on your radar.

Gabriel Garcia Roman

Photographer Gabriel Garcia Roman
Photographer Gabriel Garcia RomanGabriel Garcia Roman

Artist Gabriel Garcia Roman is known for his "Queer Icons" photo series, a collection of beautiful photos of queer and trans people of color with the aim of amplifying their voices.

Marga Gomez

Comedian Marga Gomez
Comedian Marga GomezFacebook

Comedian Marga Gomez has been representing the LGBTQ community, and her Cuban-Puerto Rican heritage, since the 1980s when she starting making people laugh in comedy clubs in San Francisco. Since then she has regularly toured nationwide.

Shane Ortega

Outfest 2016 Screening Of "The Trans List" - Arrivals
Shane Ortega arrives for the Outfest 2016 Screening of "The Trans List" at Director's Guild of America on July 16, 2016 in West Hollywood, California.Gabriel Olsen / FilmMagic

Shane Ortega is an activist and a combat veteran. As a very visible transperson in the military, Ortega has long been a voice for his community. He is also one of the individuals highlighted in this year's documentary "The Trans List."

Monica Raymund

2016 Winter TCA Portraits
Monica Raymund at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour on January 13, 2016 in Pasadena, California.Maarten de Boer / Getty Images Portraits

Actress Monica Raymund got her start in television as Maria "Ria" Torres on Fox drama "Lie To Me," which lasted three seasons. She went on to appear on "The Good Wife" and is currently playing female firefighter Gabriela Dawson on "Chicago Fire."

Orlando Cruz

Image: Orlando Cruz
Orlando Cruz fights during a boxing match on July 15, 2016 in Kissimmee, Florida.Alex Menendez / Getty Images

In 2012, Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz came out of the closet and became the first to do so while still boxing professionally. He was one of the first athletes inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 and is currently on his way to becoming the first gay boxing champion.

Laith Ashley

Model Laith Ashley walks the runway during the 7th Annual amfAR Inspiration Gala on June 9, 2016 in New York City.
Model Laith Ashley walks the runway during the 7th Annual amfAR Inspiration Gala on June 9, 2016 in New York City.Kevin Tachman / Getty Images

Laith Ashley is a rising star in the modeling world and one of the transgender models appearing on Oxygen reality series "Strut."

Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan

Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan is the justice project director for the National LGBTQ Task Force's Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Justice Project.
Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan is the justice project director for the National LGBTQ Task Force's Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Justice Project.Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan

Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan is the Justice Project Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force's Trans/Gender Conforming Justice Project. Her job involves fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ community and those with disabilities.

Pedro Julio Serrano

Gay Pride Parade in Puerto Rico
Activist Pedro Julio Serrano smiles during the annual Gay Pride Parade on June 02, 2013 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.David Gasser / LatinContent/Getty Images

Pedro Julio Serrano is an HIV+ activist who works fights for the rights of the LGBTQ community in Puerto Rico. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor for the City of San Juan and is the Executive Director of non-profit organization Puerto Rico Para Tod@s.

Rosie Mendez

New York City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez at the Queer Woman and Leadership Panel at the New York LGBT Center.
New York City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez at the Queer Woman and Leadership Panel at the New York LGBT Center.Brian Latimer

Rosie Mendez is a New York-born Puerto Rican woman who currently serves as on the New York City Council. After winning the November 2005 election by a substantial margin, Mendez has been faithfully serving her district ever since. She is also currently on the New York City Council's LGBT Caucus.

Eliel Cruz

Bisexual activist Eliel Cruz.
Bisexual activist Eliel Cruz.Joshua Martin

Eliel Cruz is a vocal bisexual activist. His activism also focuses on issues at the intersection of the LGBTQ community and communities of faith.

Isa Noyola

Isa Noyola is the Director of Programs at the Transgender Law Center
Isa Noyola is the Director of Programs at the Transgender Law CenterIsa Noyola

Isa Noyola is a translatina activist who currently serves as the Director of Programs at the Transgender Law Center. Noyola's main objective is to increase awareness of the conditions transgender people face in immigration facilities.

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