In a time when the world can feel endlessly heavy, there are people whose presence radiates something steadier, something like light. Not because they pretend things are easy, but because they move through the world with honesty, vulnerability, heart, and fire. Kirsten Vangsness is one of those people.

Best known for her role as Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds, Vangsness has long been a spark on screen. She is funny, vulnerable, brilliant in neon glasses and unapologetic heart. But her impact off-screen is just as luminous. She is an actress, writer, and activist who continually uses her platform to uplift others, especially those in marginalized communities. She speaks loudly and lovingly for LGBTQIA+ rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the power of being brave.

She identifies as queer, and rather than offering her story as a neat, packaged narrative, she speaks openly about the fluidity of identity, about becoming, un-becoming, and learning to live in your own truth. It’s not performance. It’s invitation.

Every day, she chooses action. On her social media, she regularly urges followers to call their representatives, to make noise, to do what they can. She reminds us that civic engagement doesn’t require perfection, just presence.

And then there’s BITS!—the monthly show she curates and hosts at Theatre of NOTE in Los Angeles. BITS! is unpredictable, intimate, and generous. Each piece is under seven minutes, and the show often supports charitable causes. It’s exactly the kind of artistic space that feels like a gathering: for the weird, the earnest, the vulnerable, the brave. It’s where art meets activism, not through spectacle, but through sincerity.

She’s also a longtime supporter of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, helping to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. Whether she’s on stage, in a writer’s room, behind a mic, or on social media, Kirsten Vangsness finds ways to make doing good feel possible. Not perfect. Just possible.

And personally? Watching her gives me hope.

She’s one of those rare people whose presence offers comfort to those of us who feel a little outside of everything. She speaks in a way that’s both deeply human and impossibly sparkly. Her voice cuts through the noise not with volume, but with truth and kindness. And when she tells you to be brave, you actually believe you can be.

I think we often underestimate the value of people who keep showing up with honesty, especially when the world keeps asking them to shrink or conform. Kirsten doesn’t do that. She doesn’t ask anyone to be fixed or finished, just honest. Just themselves, exactly as they are. She’s silly, serious, chaotic, kind. She’s a blueprint for how to lead with heart in an age of burnout.

Some people carry light like it’s stitched into their seams. And in this stormy moment in history, her voice matters. Her light matters. And I hope she knows we see it.

On that note, one of the causes Kirsten has supported, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, will host its annual L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade event on Saturday, October 4, 2025 from 12 to 4 pm at UCLA’s Royce Quad. Hosted by Chef Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne, and Chef David Lentz, the afternoon will feature tastings from top chefs, brewers, vintners, and mixologists. Last year alone the event raised $1.6 million, and since its start it has passed the $10 million mark in total funds raised for childhood cancer research. This year promises another family-friendly afternoon of food, fun, and community, with every bite supporting kids and families who need it most.