Meet the Philadelphia-based founder of Cherry Social, an app for the queer community
In her Philadelphia apartment, Sophia Schiaroli spends each spare moment outside of her workday typing away at her laptop, pouring passion into a project she wishes had existed for her just a few years ago. The 25-year-old is on a mission to create a safe, welcoming digital space for queer people — particularly gay women and trans and nonbinary individuals.
"I'm so passionate about it, and I really believe in what we're creating," Schiaroli said.
Her new app, Cherry Social, isn't about swiping for dates; it's about building friendships and fostering community. The idea took root in 2021 when Schiaroli, fresh out of the University of Pennsylvania, found herself searching for connection in Philadelphia's queer community. Even in a city known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ culture, she said it wasn't easy to meet like-minded friends outside of nightlife.
"Lesbian bars are declining," Schiaroli said. "And on top of that, most of the spaces aren't focused on women or trans people—they're all focused on men."
Schiaroli turned to TikTok with a simple idea: a casual meetup she called a "Gay Girl Walk."
Dozens showed up. Encouraged by the turnout, she hosted more walks, eventually organizing picnics, yoga sessions and even visits to pumpkin farms. She dubbed the group "Philly Gay Girls Plus."
The events drew in people like Kary Santayana, who described feeling isolated before attending.
"I didn't really have a ton of queer community," said Santayana, who is nonbinary. "It's just really nice to have that sense of community — to have someone who looks at the world the same way as you, or to have someone who the world looks at the same way as you."
As attendance grew into the hundreds and then thousands, Schiaroli realized she was onto something bigger. To manage the growth, she created an Instagram account and a group chat on the Geneva app, which became hubs for the now 6,000-member community. She even expanded the events to other cities and returned to Penn for a master's degree in nonprofit leadership to learn how to make the movement sustainable.
"What started out as something I thought was just going to be for fun grew so organically within just months," she said. "I was like, wow, this space is really lacking for people."
But the demand quickly outgrew its home on social media sites. That's when Schiaroli envisioned Cherry Social: a mobile app where queer people could find events, connect with others in their area, and foster meaningful relationships in a safe environment.
"We were like, let's just build something new and build it from scratch," she said.
Schiaroli teamed up with volunteers from the community to help bring the app to life. Among them is Olivia Bowman, a graphic designer who believes the app could be transformative for queer people, especially those in areas with limited LGBTQ+ resources.
"It ensures that queer people across the nation have a way to find that safe space," Bowman said. "In some areas, I know that might not be something you can go publicly looking for."
In January of this year, at a Gay Girls+ event in D.C., Schiaroli found something — or rather, someone — she hadn't been looking for: Jess Plaza, who is now her partner. Though it's not the intention of the group, Schiaroli says several romances have formed, and even a few engagements.
Plaza says she couldn't be more proud of Schiaroli and the app she is working to share with the world.
"I think she's amazing … She puts her heart and soul into everything she does," Plaza said. "I feel like she's always doing things for the greater good of other people."
The team launched a Kickstarter campaign in late November and is preparing to test the prototype with a small group of users this week, with the goal of a full launch in 2025. For Schiaroli, the work is deeply personal and rewarding.
"I'm really grateful that I get to spend my day doing this, knowing that our product is going to be something that I'm proud of," Schiaroli said.
