Dany is so active in events and organizations all over Charlotte that he’s been dubbed the “unofficial” mayor of Charlotte. “I’m a community guy,” he laughs.

It’s hard to imagine when he has time to sleep, though—in addition to his day job as the director of strategic marketing for JSW Media Group, he founded his own company, DEPR, an Internet-based marketing company, to help connect people on his own time. The married father of four and Virginia Beach native is also one of the brains behind Amped 4 a Cure, a nonprofit organization that raises money for research into all types of cancer through a series of benefit concerts. And when he’s not working on one of those projects, or busy being Dad, he’s working with Boys Talk, a program through Community Charter School, where he encourages older students to mentor their younger counterparts.

“This is my give back,” says Dany. “I really love what I do.”

What’s your favorite thing about wearing a skirt? “It’s an interesting experience. You can’t go wrong with black.”

Raymond left his career in the medical field to see the big picture. Or was it to taste the sweet life? He’s got technical smarts (like a degree in biochemistry from Davidson College) and the imagination to do both, which makes his baking and his photography all the more amazing. While baking and photography both require precision and skill, they also require a gift—a vision and a sense that the finished result will inspire someone either to see the world in a new way, or to share the essence of a moment.

These days, Raymond focuses on photography more than baking; mostly self-taught, he approaches photography from a fine art perspective, using both new and old technology and techniques like photogravure. “I get a lot of satisfaction out of the work,” he says. “Using old European cameras gives you a real, close connection to the first people who developed the process.”

What’s your favorite thing about reading skirt!? “Seeing who I know that’s in there. It’s a surprise. I love that it’s hard to miss, and I always know Deborah Triplett is going to have something to do with it.”

And wearing a skirt? “It wasn’t that much different from shorts.”

If you’ve visited The Common Market’s new SouthEnd location, you’ve probably seen Chuck around—chances are he chatted you up at the cash register. What you might not know is that Chuck left his longtime gig as a founding partner of Interactive Knowledge to open the new business, and although his new gig might not appear to be as creative as designing interactive web sites, Chuck believes it’s exactly where he belongs. “It’s just a different kind of creativity,” he says.

Tim and Neil are original for many reasons, but the most important isn’t because of their collection of more than 7,000 Santa Claus figurines, or because Tim is the founder of The Krawl in Plaza, or even because of Neil’s dedication to Charlotte’s international population.

What makes Tim and Neil so remarkable, above all, is their dedication to their community. They give their neighborhood children each a special, one-of-a-kind Christmas ornament every year. They created a “Mommies and Me” program to help new moms in their neighborhood get to know each other. They’ve given away more than 300 trees to Charlotte residents to help replenish the city’s canopy. And they created a scholarship for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth through the Time Out Youth program, that awards two $2,500 scholarships each year.

Darren is better known as simply “Jaz,” a nickname from his past as a rapper and fighter, but he’s left that life behind. He’s the owner of RealEyes Bookstore in NoDa, creator of the Charlotte Literary Festival, and currently working on a memoir—you’d never know he was a guy who “didn’t grow up around books.” As a troubled youth, the product of a non-existent father and a drug-addicted mother, Darren was on his own by age 14. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when a coworker wouldn’t stop pestering him to read, that Darren realized his passion; he’s been making up for lost time ever since. “I read Feel the Fear by Susan Jeffers; that was the book that awoke this hunger. All of a sudden I was starving,” says Darren, who spends his free time speaking to children about the importance of reading. “I know better now,” he says, reminiscent. “I feel like I’m surrounded by answers.”

What are your favorite things about reading skirt!? “I like how you encourage women. As far as Charlotte, ya’ll play a huge role in empowering women, and that’s so needed now.”

And wearing a skirt? “It was something different. It was cool.”

Robert’s alarm clock goes off every morning at 2:30am, getting him out of bed and to work in time for his gig as morning news anchor for News 14 Carolina. But this single dad’s professional achievements aren’t limited to the small screen; his first job, at 13, was working as a page at his local library, and before he ventured into broadcasting, he was a freelance financial writer.

Last year, his collection of fictional short stories, Long Dead Lover, was published by Main Street Rag. The stories, a collection of pieces about love and the crazy things love makes people do, are poignant and thoughtful. “Love has always fascinated me,” says Robert. “Love pushes people to extremes. I know of no other emotion which causes us to do such things.”

What are your favorite things about reading skirt!? “Men are, by and large, dolts.
The female heart and mind are complicated and any insight into their workings is appreciated.”

And wearing a skirt? “There aren’t any! It’s not as comfortable as I thought it would be, and it’s a little too drafty for my taste.”

Tony had no intention of leaving behind his career in broadcasting when he first agreed to go dancing years ago. “A friend said, ‘We’re going dancing,’” Tony says. “I thought we were going to a club.”

Instead, they went to a ballroom class, and Tony was instantly hooked—he started taking lessons once a week, dancing everything from the Mambo to the challenging and athletic theatre arts style, which incorporates intricate aerial moves, eventually teaching his own classes and competing in dancing competitions.

“Dancing is the forgotten social connection,” Tony says. He made the leap (so to speak) from broadcasting to dancing full time, and now co-owns Queen City Ballroom.

William, a former Marine, now spends his time as a personal trainer, helping Charlotteans get in shape at his Fitness Together studio in Plaza Midwood. “This is a positive energy place,” says William, and he works hard to keep it that way. William was injured during his time in the Marine Corps, and after months of rehab, he managed to train for and complete the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC—so he, more than anything, knows the struggles his clients go through sometimes in order to regain their fitness. “You have to dig deep, and you have to want it,” he says.

But even though his life has had its fair share of challenges, William has the ultimate optimistic outlook. He loves what he does, and he’s obviously glad to be able to do it. “I really believe this is what I’m meant to do. This is a feel-good job,” he says.

What’s your favorite thing about reading skirt!? “It lets men get an idea of what goes on in a female’s head.”

And wearing a skirt? “Feeling comfortable enough in my own manhood to pull off a skirt.”

From dance and performance art to visual art, guided meditation to spiritual advising, John truly does (or has done) it all. He’s received numerous grants from the Arts & Science Council for his performance art, where he writes, acts, and creates visual installations in which to perform—the epitome of a multidisciplinary artist. “I have an appetite for everything creative,” he says. “When I write, I try my best to get out of the way.”

I’m a feminist because...

“I think women should be able to do everything they want to do—without restrictions.
There’s nothing dumber and more destructive than the ultra-macho outlook, exemplified by military madness, global warming and a host of other outcomes; not exactly brought to you by the feminine end of the spectrum.”

I’m a feminist because...

“I believe that all people deserve respect and equal rights. Championing equality for women is especially important, since men have dominated throughout most of history. Also, women generally have a more sensitive, web-of-relations-based approach to ethics that would better serve men as well.”

~Bill Gay

Spencer grew up near Lance Armstrong in Texas, and enjoyed following the pro biker’s career—but when Lance went public with his cancer diagnosis, Spencer took action, raising money for cancer research organizations any way he could, eventually coming up with the idea for a 24-hour-long bike ride along Charlotte’s “booty loop,” to raise awareness.

A professional ballet dancer with the North Carolina Dance Theatre, Sasha began his career with dance classes in his native Australia. “It’s just one of those things,” he says. “I always used to dance around the house and ask to take dance classes.”

A painter, mixed-media, and mosaic artist, Tom's most recent claim to fame is the large mosaic that lines the city's new light rail line along Camden Road. The work, called "Where East Meets West" (named for the intersection where East Boulevard turns to West Boulevard), utilized a technique called "pique assiette," a style of mosaic work that incorporates ceramic shards into a design.