Verified LGBTQ+ influencer and community partner roster for the Triangle.

@hannahbetfort · ~4K Instagram

Cary / Raleigh · verified on the club's live 2026 roster

Courage forward #33, openly out and engaged to fiancée Anna Rose. 2025 Lauren Holiday Impact Award nominee for Wake County community work — the most authentic face this campaign can have.

@feli_rauch · est. 30K–80K Instagram

Cary / Raleigh · contract through 2027, US Green Card in progress

Out lesbian defender #11, German international with Olympic bronze. Her settling-in-the-Triangle story pairs with Betfort for bilingual Pride content.

@antonjenkins · 25K Instagram

Chapel Hill · on UNC's current coaching staff, verified

Openly gay Olympic diver (Tokyo 2020), now assistant diving coach at UNC — 25 minutes from the stadium. On record saying LGBTQ athletes need visible representation. Perfect for Pride Night sports programming.

@uproarnc · count not public · uproarnc.com

Cary / Raleigh · the club's south-stand supporters group

Your own supporters group, publicly LGBTQ-affirming ("Y'all Means All," published trans-athlete solidarity statement), already running season-long watch parties at Durham Beer Garden.

@eosathleticclub · 3.7K Instagram

Durham (341 W Main St) · opened Nov 2025

The Triangle's women's-sports bar, queer- and trans-inclusive by mission, and it has already co-hosted official Courage watch parties. Natural away-match watch bar and Pride Night pre-party venue. Same owners as Queeny's.

gayniacs.org · membership in the hundreds (ABC11, May 2026)

Raleigh · verified via ABC11 + Outsports

The LGBTQ+ Carolina Hurricanes fan community that exploded during the 2026 playoff run. Hockey's over for the summer — queer sports fans need a home, and cross-sport conversion is a newsworthy story.

stonewallraleigh.org · org-level partner

Raleigh (Jaycee Park) · active 2026 seasons

LGBTQIA+ rec-sports nonprofit since 2013 — kickball, volleyball, run club, with women/trans/nonbinary divisions. Thousands of queer adults who already do team sports every week: warm audience for group ticket blocks.

durhamqueersports.com · org-level partner

Durham · verified via site + LGBTQ Center of Durham

Free LGBTQIA+ community sports league — including soccer. Queer Durham folks who already play the game, no membership fee barrier. Covers the Durham side of the Triangle.

Club matchday page · no public follower data

Cary · newer official supporters group (2023)

Positions itself as "vibrant and welcoming," but we found no documented LGBTQ+ leadership. Worth a Pride Night co-programming conversation — vet before assigning a queer-community role.

@trashyqweenz · 3M TikTok
@gregory_mason · ~2M Instagram

Wilson, NC · ~50 min east of Raleigh

Viral baker-comedian who owns Treat Yo' Self Bakery with his husband and founded Wilson Pride. The biggest reach on this list, an hour away, with a Pride-season cupcake series already in his content. Repped by Viral Nation.

@printfairy · 865K TikTok
@dakotawright · 252K Instagram

Huntersville (Charlotte metro) · ~2.5h from Raleigh

"Always sassy, rarely classy" Southern lifestyle-comedy creator; his husband Jackson features constantly. Wholesome, brand-safe gay-couple content with a big NC audience. Repped by FWB Talent.

@cookingwithjoya · 230K Instagram
@chefjoya · 150K TikTok

Charlotte · ~2.5h from Raleigh

Black lesbian vegan celebrity chef ("Queer and proud" in her own bio), GLAAD collaborator, runs ticketed dinners. Natural for matchday food activations and Pride Night.

@dustin_and_burton · 260K TikTok
@dustin_patrick_smith 198K + @bbbuffaloe 185K Instagram

Raleigh · verified via Walter Magazine + their own bios

Raleigh's gay-dad family creators — two dads raising twins, ~780K combined across TikTok, both Instagrams and YouTube (136K), with national brand-campaign experience (Old Navy). Queer families are exactly the NWSL family-ticket audience.

@clayaiken · 182K Instagram

Raleigh (born, raised, and a homeowner) · touring nationally through 2026

Raleigh's most famous openly gay personality — American Idol, Broadway, two Triangle congressional runs, longtime LGBTQ advocate. A hometown-hero ambassador/appearance ask through management, not a per-post influencer.

@angelolsenmusic · 285K Instagram

Asheville · ~3.75h from Raleigh — not local; a statewide-name play

Nationally known indie singer-songwriter, publicly out since 2021. The biggest single name here — an anthem, playlist, or Pride Night appearance play through management rather than an ambassador.

@indigofaraway · 117K Instagram

Asheville · ~3.75h from Raleigh — not local; statewide-name play

Rising queer NC indie artist (raised in Spruce Pine), touring 2026 behind her fourth album. Young queer fanbase that overlaps the NWSL demo; management booking, same as Olsen.

@elizaandbrooke · ~30K TikTok (est.)

Dunn, NC · ~40 min from Raleigh

Lesbian couple who keep going viral because viewers mistake them for twins (PinkNews coverage through July 2026). Young local queer-couple energy that matches the matchday crowd.

@forthegirlsofrdu · 6.6K Instagram + 3.3K TikTok
@samanthakublin · 6.6K Instagram (personal)

Raleigh · verified via INDY Week + ABC11

Founder of the Triangle's sapphic/WLW events community — sold-out events, doubled in 7 months. The exact audience the Courage wants in seats; a Pride Night takeover is the obvious first activation.

@gemynii · 15K Instagram

Durham · verified via WUNC + Durham Hotel residency

Black queer femme DJ and visual artist, co-founder of The Conjure. WUNC calls her the heartbeat of Durham's DJ scene — directly bookable for the Pride Night pre-match set.

@theaffirmingstylist · est. low thousands IG + TikTok

Carrboro (The Beehive Salon) · ~35 min from Raleigh

Nonbinary trans hairstylist, educator and advocate. An authentic trans Triangle voice for a visibility feature or "get ready for the game" reel — credibility, not reach.

@femithefemme · 2.6K Instagram

Greensboro ↔ Durham · ~1h from the Triangle

Therapist by day, DJ by night; co-founder of The Conjure with sets rooted in Black queer joy. Natural co-book with Gemynii.

@huiyin.zhou · 3.1K Instagram

Durham · Durham Art Guild artist-in-residence 2024–25

Transnational queer feminist photographer and artist — a commission play (match-day photo essay, Pride Night visuals, scarf design) that earns credibility in Durham's QTBIPOC arts scene.

@azulmzapata · 3.7K Instagram

Durham · verified via IG bio + Pinhook recordings

Queer immigrant singer-songwriter with an active NC show calendar — a live-music option for the Pride Night pre-match stage that adds queer Latinx representation.

@naomidix_h.o.c · ~5.6K Instagram · cluberadurham.com

Durham (born & raised) · verified 3+ sources

Owner of Club ERA, Durham's only queer nightclub — one of five drag performers worldwide to own one. The venue is the asset: a Club ERA watch-party-to-Pride-Night pipeline.

@queenysdurham · ~11K Instagram

Durham (321 E Chapel Hill St) · open daily, verified July 2026

Queer-owned bar, restaurant and bookshop that already donates to the LGBTQ Center of Durham. Ideal official Durham watch-party venue with a co-branded menu item.

@legendsraleigh · ~11K Instagram · no TikTok

Raleigh — new home at 316 W Cabarrus St (June 2026)

Raleigh's flagship LGBTQ+ club, ~40 years running: watch parties, post-match nights, Section Ambassador recruiting.

@lgbtcenterofraleigh · ~12K Instagram (+ Out! Raleigh Pride 9.5K)

Raleigh · runs Out! Raleigh Pride

The Triangle's primary LGBTQ+ community center and your lowest-friction renewal — already a Pride Night partner and the natural 5K charity partner. Raleigh Pride (below) is merging under this org.

@lgbtqdurham · 13.1K Instagram

Durham (back at its original Hunt St home) · active 2026

Durham County pulled its Pride sponsorship in Sept 2025 and the Center is fundraising $50K for Pride 2026 now. A Courage sponsorship lands as showing up when it counts — with real press upside.

@raleighpridenc · ~10K Instagram

Raleigh · month-long citywide Pride series

A month of programming means multiple Courage tie-in slots. Flag: announced it is merging under the LGBT Center of Raleigh — treat as one consolidated partnership, not two.

@freemomhugsnc · est. low thousands (national account 93.9K)

Statewide NC, visible at Triangle Pride events

Affirming parents and allies. A hug station at the gates is a genuine emotional moment that makes Pride Night family-welcoming. Already confirmed for Fan Fest.

@qnotescarolinas · 1.9K Instagram · qnotescarolinas.com

Charlotte (~2.5h) — coverage spans the Triangle, verified

The LGBTQ+ newspaper of record for the Carolinas, 40+ years. An earned-media play: pitch a feature on the out players and Pride Night.

@trianglequeerartists · 927 Instagram · tqac.org

Raleigh · meets monthly at the LGBT Center

Tiny following, but one deal opens dozens of artist-creators in their network: vendor booth, halftime live-painted mural, match-day artist market.

@mizmarshamellows · 3.2K Instagram

Raleigh · hosting continuously through July 2026

Raleigh's Favorite Drag Entertainer (2022/23) and the working host of the city's queer nightlife calendar — a natural Pride Night emcee. Her value is in-person hosting, not feed reach.

@stormiedaie · 8.1K Instagram

Durham · WUNC-profiled Dec 2025

"Durham drag royalty" — Black nonbinary femme emcee doing family-appropriate programming (Drag Story Hour NC, "Science with Stormie").

@stacylmatthews · 142K Instagram

Lumberton, NC · ~1.5h from Raleigh — genuinely NC-resident, unlike most Drag Race alumni

Drag Race alum and the original "HENNY" — beloved, funny, rural-NC-authentic. If the club wants one bigger drag name that's actually local, she's it. Currently accepting bookings.