Zanele Muholi, born in 1972 in Umlazi, South Africa, is a renowned visual activist and photographer. Muholi's work is deeply intertwined with their advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community in South Africa and beyond. They co-founded the Forum for Empowerment of Women (FEW) in 2002, demonstrating an early commitment to social justice through visual storytelling. Muholi pursued their passion for photography, enrolling at the Market Photo Workshop in Newtown, South Africa, established by the acclaimed photographer David Goldblatt in 1989. In 2009, Muholi earned an MFA in documentary media from Ryerson University, Toronto. Their photographic series often investigate the severe disconnect that exists in post-apartheid South Africa between the equality promoted by its 1996 Constitution and the ongoing bigotry toward and violent hate crimes against its LGBTQIA+ citizens. Muholi's powerful and poignant work serves as a vital visual history, giving voice and visibility to those often marginalized and overlooked.