When Courtney Act lobbed on the steps of Australia House in London, life was crazy. She had just won the UK reality TV juggernaut Celebrity Big Brother and made headlines for the calm and eloquent way she approached big issues like marriage equality and trans rights. Alex Leon, an Australian expat and LGBTQIA+ advocate, had booked her to appear that night. In the chaos, Courtney – real name Shane Jenek — heard Alex's Australian accent, and the connection was instant.

That initial spark evolved into a deep friendship, and "brains trust" that spans continents.