Putting the people of Boston on pedestals is kind of how we roll. Our habit is highly justifiable, though — this city is packed with energetic scenesters and game-changing entrepreneurs who dedicate themselves to making our beloved Bean a better place to party, a better place to explore, a better place to live. We dedicate this issue to them. Whether they’re busting their asses to develop thumping new nightlife or pulverizing political glass ceilings, changing local tastes in food and design or helping us look fit and fashion forward, the movers and shakers on the following pages have definitely earned the title “player.”

By Sara Faith Alterman, Kara Baskin, Heather Bouzan, Chris Faraone, Louisa Kasdon, Marni Elyse Katz, Mike Miliard, and Erin Souza. Photographed by TimGray.com