He has created, co-created and collaborated in a wide variety of projects that live at the intersections of art, social justice and wellness. They were a co-creator and President of the TransMasculine Community Network, an organization supporting AFAB trans and nonbinary folk in NYC; the Managing Director of the Orange Blossom, an arts and education community squat; a co-designer of Fuck Your Health, a comedy performance exploring reproductive health for LGBTQ folk; and the co-founder and -director of the Kingsmen, a drag performance troupe. Leigh directed Occupy the Stage, engaging occupiers and bystanders in creative dialogue about economic disparity and the dangers of capitalism; designed and managed audience support, dialogue and education project for the Slave Play, a Tony-award winning play; wrote the education toolkits for the award-winning documentary film, Disclosure; and much more.
Leigh was also an Out in Front Leadership Fellow with Stonewall Community Foundation in 2011. They also served as a Board Member and Board President of Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed from 2011 to 2018 and has been providing training and curriculum design support for the Center for Racial Justice in Education since 2016. He has received an award from Brooklyn Borough President for his artistic activism supporting the LGBTQ community and from the Center for Racial Justice in Education for advancing racial equity.
Leigh is also the co-founder and co-owner of the Asterisk, a community workspace for healing, creativity and liberation in Kingston, NY.
About Leigh
S. Leigh Thompson (also S. Leigh Thompson-Shealy) is a white and Native queer trans genderqueer person with disability who has worked at the intersections of art and social and political justice for over 25 years. Leigh has worked as a trainer, campaign strategist, community organizer and lobbyist for organizations such as the ACLU, GLSEN and Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation. They hold a BA in Theatre from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and an individualized MA from Gallatin at NYU, focusing on utilizing creative participation for political and social change with course work in change theory, community studies, public policy, nonprofit management and campaign strategies.
Leigh is currently a consultant, facilitator and strategist supporting deeper understanding of equity, inclusion and justice and building tools to dismantle systemic power, privilege and oppression. His consulting clients include small local to large global nonprofits, educational institutions, movement coalitions and businesses from around the world.
