Cynthia Erivo, Mickalene Thomas, and MUNA to Be Honored at Los Angeles LGBT Center Gala on May 18th
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Held at LA’s historic Shrine Auditorium, the annual benefit raises crucial funding for LGBTQ+ community services
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LOS ANGELES, CA (April 8, 2024)– Today the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the world’s largest queer-serving nonprofit organization, announced Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated actress, singer, songwriter and producer Cynthia Erivo will be honored with the Schrader Award at this year’s Center Gala on May 18, 2024. A global sensation and proud queerwoman, Erivo will be recognized for her stellar achievements in entertainment and activism championing the LGBTQ+ community.
“I’m thrilled to continue my support for the Los Angeles LGBT Center—an organization that does so much for our community,” Erivo said. “I can’t wait to celebrate with my fellow presenters and honorees, and of course, our queer family in LA.”
Mickalene Thomas, considered one of the most influential visual artists of our time, will be honored with this year’s Vanguard Award. Thomas is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist whose work has yielded widely celebrated aesthetic languages within contemporary visual culture. An out lesbian, she’s recognized for her advocacy and commitment to intersecting complexities of Black and female identity within the Western canon.
“It’s an honor to be recognized alongside Cynthia and so many other talented members of our community,” said Thomas. “I’m excited to kick off an incredible Pride season in LA with the Los Angeles LGBT Center.”
This year’s gala will also feature a special musical performance by power pop trio MUNA, who will receive the Leslie Jordan Award for Excellence in the Arts.
In 2023, the Center Gala raised over $1.2M with 800 supporters coming together to honor the author and activist Pamela Anderson, Emmy-winning actress Keke Palmer, and the beloved entertainer Leslie Jordan (posthumously) for their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. The gala was hosted by social media and television sensation TS Madison, and featured a special performance by R&B-soul artist Durand Bernarr.
“We are facing unprecedented attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, which means the Center’s work is more urgent than ever,” said the organization’s CEO, Joe Hollendoner. “Now is the time to strengthen our support for the movement and celebrate with fierce, radical joy.”
DETAILS:
Saturday, May 18, 2024
6:00-11:00 PM
Shrine Auditorium
665 West Jefferson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90007
For information on purchasing tickets and tables, please visit: gala.lalgbtcenter.org
*All tickets include: parking, top-shelf cocktail reception, three-course meal by Wolfgang Puck—plus hallmark program and after-party.
DRESS CODE: Cocktail Fabulous
About the Honorees
Cynthia Erivo is a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress, singer and producer, as well as an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and SAG nominee. Since bursting onto the West End and Broadway stages in “The Color Purple,” she has taken the world by storm. Erivo is set to star as Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande’s Glinda in Universal’s highly anticipated film adaptation of the hit musical WICKED from director Jon M. Chu. Part 1 of WICKED will be released on November 27th, 2024, with Part 2 released on November 26th, 2025.
Mickalene Thomas is a visionary artist who has revolutionized the landscape of contemporary visual culture. Her innovative and unapologetic aesthetic has not only captured the essence of Black femininity but has also challenged the status quo, sparking a new era of artistic expression. Beyond her groundbreaking art practice, Thomas is a multifaceted force, using her platform as a Tony Award-nominated producer, curator, educator, and mentor to empower the next generation of artists. Her impact extends far beyond the art world as she breaks down barriers and paves the way for marginalized voices to be heard. In 2023, she made history as the first Black femme artist to have a scholarship in her name at the Yale School of Art, solidifying her legacy as a trailblazer. Thomas’s numerous accolades, including the Creative Capital Wild Futures Award (2024), the Pratt Institute Legends Award (2022) and the Newark Museum Artistic Impact Award (2022), serve as a testament to her unwavering dedication to her craft and her unrelenting pursuit of justice and equality.
MUNA is comprised of Katie Gavin (she/they), Naomi McPherson (they/them), and Josette Maskin (she/they). Their latest self-titled third album features the hit song “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. The band has spent the last two years playing sold out shows all over the world, as well as supporting Taylor Swift on her Eras stadium tour. Their hit podcast Gayotic just kicked off its third season, with the premiere episode featuring drag icon Trixie Mattel.
The Diamond Sponsor for the Center Gala is Gilead Sciences, Inc. Platinum Sponsors Glamazon L.A.–Amazon’s LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Gold Sponsors are Contractors State License Schools and Construction Insurance Agency, PS, and U.S. Bank. The event’s Official Airline Partner is American Airlines.
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About the Los Angeles LGBT Center
Since 1969 the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. Today the Center’s nearly 800 employees provide services for more LGBT people than any other organization in the world, offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy. We are an unstoppable force in the fight against bigotry and the struggle to build a better world; a world in which LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org.