Lindy West is not afraid to raise her voice, and we're all better for it. The author of the best-selling memoir SHRILL, West's work has also appeared in The Stranger, The Guardian, The New York Times and Jezebel - and that's the short list! Ira Glass has called her a "totally entertaining and original writer," and her work as an activist, advice-giver, and op-ed writer proves him entirely right.

Sarah Shapiro creates her own reality. As the co-creator of the series UnReal on Lifetime, Shapiro translated her four seasons working as a producer on The Bachelor into dark comedy gold. Now in its third season, UnReal reflects her sharp voice and sharp criticisms of the reality TV industry. In addition to writing and producing, Shapiro's incisive TedX talk on navigating Hollywood has been viewed thousands of times.

Stephen Green is all about building bridges and breaking down stereotypes. He's the founder of PitchBlack, an event created to give African-American entrepreneurs a platform to connect with the budding startup ecosystem in Portland. As an entrepreneur himself, a recovering banker, and self-confessed sneaker-head, Green works to build the community he wants to live and work in.

Alex Falcone is a comedian who has appeared at whole bunch of comedy festivals including Bridgetown, Sketchfest, and the Brooklyn Comedy Festival. His writing has been featured in places like The Portland Mercury, Rolling Stone, and Vox. Fun fact: he also wrote a young adult romance novel called Unwrap My Heart about a girl who falls in love with a sexy mummy. Because of course he did.

Moorea Masa is a singer/songwriter/guitarist who has been making music for as long as she can remember. Masa was raised in Portland, the daughter of an Italian immigrant father and an African-American mother. Recently, Masa has been touring with k.d. lang and preparing to release her new full-length LP, Shine a Light. We can't wait to see what the light reveals about this uniquely talented musical local.