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PRIDE 2016: LGBT CREATORS YOU SHOULD KNOW (PART TWO) | PART ONE

So Pride month is technically over, but we’re still featuring some fine LGBT talent in the animation and comic world (besides lots of places hold pride in July and August anyway).Onward!

ANDREAS DEJA - CHARACTER ANIMATOR, ARTIST

Deja is a Disney animator with some big names on his resume. Andreas was born in Poland, and grew up in Germany, inspired by Disney animated films as a kid. He’d go on to animate some of Disney’s most beloved villains–among them the likes of Gaston and Jafar. It’s not all baddies, though; Deja was the character animator for the titular protagonist Hercules. Deja received the Windsor McCay award at the 35th Annie Awards, and is currently working on his own film, Mushka. Deja is openly gay, and spent three decades working for Disney. Here’s an animation reel just to give you an idea of how many iconic scenes he helped bring to life.

You can check out his blog here.

SHADI PETOSKY - ARTIST, WRITER

Petosky was recently in the news for an unpleasant reason. Her story of being mistreated at an airport due to being a trans woman made the news in various publications a few months ago. Shadi is, beyond her bravery, a talented artist with a creative mind. She wrote, starred in, and helped produce a colorful animated comedy known as Danger and Eggs. She didn’t get there easily, either.  “I think I counted 14 failed network developments I produced before this one.” she told the Huffington Post. D&E, however, ended up getting its fair share of praise and fans in the wake of its release. Shadi is multi-talented, also knowing programming and having illustrated comics. She has also animated for the children’s show Yo Gabba Gabba.

You can read Shadi discussing making a cartoon here.

TANEKA STOTTS - WRITER, EDITOR

Taneka is a busy person. First of all, she writes the comic Full Circle. Then she edits comic anthologies. Oh, and she’s won a Lamba Literary Award. Taneka supports diversity in literature and art, and is quite a creator herself. She’s currently helping to kickstart a comic anthology called ELEMENTS to showcase the work of creators of color, which boasts such talented names as Maddi Gonzalez ( @maddigzlz ) and Nina Matsumoto ( @space-coyote). She’s on the pulse of a lot of exciting new material in the comic world, and is definitely worth keeping an eye out.

You can follow Taneka on twitter here. Portrait illustration by Genue Revuelta

CHRIS NEE - CREATOR, WRITER, PRODUCER

You may not recognize Chris Nee, but she made every five year old’s favorite plushieatrician, Doc McStuffins. Nee created the show for her son, and insisted on having a female character take on the doctor role. Disney suggested making the character African-American as well, which Nee readily took to. Doc McStuffins became a big hit for Disney Junior, the company’s preschool network, and won both an NAACP Image Award and a Peabody. The show has been praised for providing positive representation for young black women and girls, and a special “We are Doc McStuffins” collage was made featuring doctors of color. Nee is a lesbian, and has discussed the importance of creating a world where characters are open and accepting.