Lea DeLaria - Panelist

Her stand out role as Big Boo in the Netflix hit series Orange is the New Black seems to have launched her into stardom, but Lea has actually been a professional lesbian for over 30 years. Before that, she freelanced. In 1993 Ms. DeLaria was the first openly gay comic to perform on TV in America. Prior to OITNB, she was seen in numerous TV series and has far too many On and off-Broadway credits and awards to mention. She also has 5 records out on the Warner Jazz and Classics label. Not to mention her book "Lea's Book of Rules For the World."

Amy Fox - Panelist

Amy's the main go-to person at Trembling Void. She writes, produces, plays the role of "Chris" in the upcoming sitcom, The Switch, and generally runs the business. Amy is MtF and butch - a transgender identity that is 'unorthodox' to say the least. It has led her through activism and writing, from being featured in the Lamda-nominated anthology "Persistence," to starting a guerilla art group that overturned anti-trans policies, to serving as Treasurer in BC's Trans Alliance Society in a year where the organization went from being ready to fold to winning "Volunteer Organization of The Year."

Sean Maher - Panelist & Presenter

Sean Maher is a TV veteran with roles in popular shows The $treet, Party of Five, and CSI: Miami. He is perhaps best known for his role as fan-favorite Simon Tam form the cult hit Firefly - a role he reprised in the film, Serenity. In 2011, he used his role as Sean in the Playboy Club, a closted gay man in a sham marriage to a closeted lesbian, to publicly come out as gay. Since, he has played Don John in Joss Whedon's adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, and voiced Dick Grayson/Nightwing in "Son of Batman."

Dylan Marron - Panelist

Dylan Marron is a writer and performer based in New York City. He is the voice of Carlos on the hit podcast "Welcome to Night Vale" and he plays Ari on "Whatever this is," the 2013 web series that Indiewire named the best web drama of the year. As an ensemble member of the New York Neo Futurists he writes for and performs in "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind," the company's signature late-night show that is one of New York's longest running productions. He spent his childhood searching for his reflection in the media and is spending his adulthood trying to create it.

Jasika Nicole - Panelist

Jasika Nicole is best known for her roles on Fringe, Scandal, and the podcast Welcome To Night Vale, but she is also an illustrator, comic book maker, furniture builder, seamstress, needleworker, and tumblrer. She is honored to be a part of the important work that The Box Scene Project is doing, and hopes to continue to spread knowledge and inspiration both inside and outside of her community. You can find more about her work at jasikanicole.com. .

Crissle West - Panelist

Writer and hilarious co-host of the popular podcast, The Read, Crissle West moved to New York City in 2012 in search of the meaning of life and neighbors who believe in gun control. Born in Louisiana and raised in Oklahoma, Crissle is a half-hearted lesbian who enjoys spending countless hours watching Beyoncé performances online and pretending that updating her Tumblr is an acceptable substitute for writing. Her work has been published in ESSENCE magazine and she has appeared as a panelist on gender identity & sexuality at NYU. Crissle’s essays can be found on her eponymous website.

Julie Vu - Panelist

Julie Vu is an openly transgender YouTube star and actress. She has been working in the beauty industry since age 18, gaining her skills through self-study rather than prohibitive private schooling. Sharing every step of her transition through vlogs, now she uses her 150,000-strong YouTube channel to advocate for LGBT communities. Acting and modeling have always been a distant dream for her, but now at age 21, these dreams are coming into reach of waking life. Transition has only made her more confident and fiery. Now it's time for the spotlight.

Prof. Russell Robinson - Moderator

Russell Robinson is a Professor of Law at Berkeley Law. During the 2014-15 school year, Professor Robinson will be the Samuel Rubin Visiting Professor of Law at Columbia Law School and a Fellow at the Center for Gender and Sexuality Law. Prior to joining UC Berkeley, Robinson was a Professor of Law at UCLA. Robinson graduated with honors from Harvard Law School (1998), after receiving his B.A. summa cum laude from Hampton University (1995). Robinson clearked for Judge Dorothy Nelson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (1998-99) and for Justice Stephen Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court (2000-01). He has also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel (1999-2000) and the firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld in Los Angeles, practicing entertainment law (2001-02).

Robinson's scholarly and teaching interests include antidiscrimination law, race and sexuality, law and psychology, constitutional law, and media and entertainment law.