Stonewall Inn co-owner Stacy Lentz speaks to the audience alongside the Stonewall Inn Give Back Initiative’s board members.
Donna Aceto
After a successful 2023 run, The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) kicked off its second-ever Stonewall Inn Brick Awards Gala at Racket NYC in Manhattan on Nov. 18 to honor LGBTQ+ activists and leaders.
This year’s honoree was three-time Tony Award winner Billy Porter, who received the Icon Award for his activism and advocacy; he highlighted the night with a performance of his new song “Not Today” from Black Mona Lisa, Vol. 2: The Cookout Sessions.
Emceed by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Peppermint, the gala boasted a star-studded lineup of celebrities and community advocates, including Porter’s “Pose” co-star Dominique Jackson and “Saturday Night Live” alum Punkie Johnson. The open bar offered three different Stoli-inspired drinks and waiters passed around intriguing hors d’œuvres, most notably multicolored hamburger sliders that were served on a large rainbow arch that required two pairs of hands to maneuver.
Diversity advocate and business-owner RaeShanda Lias, who has nearly 2.5 million followers on TikTok, attended the event in an extravagant ball gown from her boutique. When asked about the importance of her role as a presenter at the awards ceremony, Lias emphasized that the event is about “community and being your loudest self at all times.”
“I like my dress, it’s not too over the top,” Lias joked.
Another notable figure was Kierra Johnson, current president of the National LGBTQ Task Force, an organization dedicated to achieving freedom and justice for the queer community.
“Any chance to tell our story and to celebrate our people and our freedom is a blessing to me,” Johnson said on the red carpet.
Other presenters and special performances included “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” star Alaska, musical artist 76th Street, and drag artist Kevin Aviance. A live and silent auction was held upstairs on a balcony overlooking the glamorous spread below.
The Brick Awards Gala supports SIGBI’s Safe Spaces project, which works to designate workplaces and businesses across the country as Safe Spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. Becoming a SIGBI Certified Safe Space requires a certification process that is focused on community building and advocacy, and is the end result of hours of conversations and collaboration among global thought leaders.
Read more about the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative’s (SIGBI) mission and fundraising efforts at stonewallinitiative.org.
