This week, The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative hosted its second annual Brick Awards Gala (SIGBI) in New York City!
SIGBI is the official and only nonprofit of The Stonewall Inn bar which aims to spread the legacy of the historic LGBTQ landmark and promote safe spaces and housing for members of the community.
The second annual celebration, which was emceed by RuPaul’s Drag Race’s and GLAAD Board Member Peppermint, was dedicated to supporting SIGBI’s Safe Spaces Initiative and honoring LGBTQ leaders from around the world.
Most importantly, Black and Brown queer and trans creatives, activists and long-time advocates of the LGBTQ community gathered together to remind us of the legacy of Stonewall amid expected rollbacks of rights and freedoms with a transition of power in Washington, D.C. — that the fight for LGBTQ rights and freedoms is not new.
To quote actor and activist Billy Porter from the event: “We have been here before.”
GLAAD’s Yolanda Lenge and Allison Bloom chatted with some of the stars in attendance to talk about the importance of safe spaces and advocacy for the LGBTQ community during these uncertain times.
Pose star Dominique Jackson, who was honored with last year’s Icon Award at the Brick Awards, told GLAAD that “After the election, I was very much unmoved.” She explained that as a Black trans woman who has seen how the world treats her community, “It was just something that I kind of figured was going to happen in all honesty.”
She adds that, “I was prepared for that. My ancestors taught me to be resilient, my ancestors taught me to fight, my ancestors taught me how to do it silently and loudly.” She then said, “We’ve been here before, and what did we do? We fought even harder.”
Jackson gave a shout out to her fellow trans siblings and reminded everyone, “Don’t forget about our trans elders,” as they are the ones who paved the way for the next generation.
She then shared that the thing she was most excited about that night was getting to see Billy Porter, who accepted the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiatives’ 2024 Icon Award for his inspiring work and commitment to continuing The Stonewall Inn’s legacy and the fight for global equality.
GLAAD also spoke with The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Bronwyn Newport. She spoke about ways allies like herself can support the LGBTQ community, saying, “I think there is so much you can do just on a very personal level, making sure the people in your circle on influence are not misgendering individuals, not deadnaming people, we’re making sure everyone feels included and accepted and safe.”
She continues to say, “Then there are bigger things. Of course you can donate time and money. But I think the most important thing we can do now that the election has passed, is just not give up. The fight changes but it doesn’t stop.”
She talked about how important it is to her to use her platform as a Bravo star to support important organizations and causes like this. She then shared that her stunning look that night was by none other than iconic gay designer Christian Siriano.
Finally, GLAAD spoke with SIGBI co-founder and CEO Stacy Lentz. She shared what this award ceremony meant to her, “It’s really incredible to be able to honor activists from all over the globe. A lot of these folks are doing the work on the ground and continuing the Stonewall legacy and everything that happened in 1969 that sparked the revolution. They’re working tirelessly to keep that battle for full global equality alive.”
In the wake of the 2024 election, Lentz said that, “I think now more than ever, we are going to need everyone in the community to really use their voices and stand up. Especially making sure that we’re raising the marginalized voices of our trans and non-binary brothers and sisters because with this current administration, they’re going to be under attack.”
To close, Lentz spoke about the importance of safe spaces for the LGBTQ community. “Safe spaces are so important because it’s a place that we can be our authentic selves, especially in a climate in today’s world.” Adding, “Being able to walk into a space where you know that you can hold your partner’s hand, you know you’re not gonna get misgendered, where you know that you’re gonna be around community and they will also have your back to make sure you’re safe, I think that’s going to be one of the most important things as we try to get through this administration.”
Additional guests in attendance included indie/rock duo 76th Street, drag artists Kevin Aviance and Alaska, SNL alum Punkie Johnson, actors Brigette Lundy-Paine and Tomás Matos, filmmaker Tina Romero, and comedians Dana Goldberg and Murray Hill.
Additional awards went to Kayla Gore for the Community Activist Award, Daniela Lourdes Falanga received the Global Activist Award, Puck Carlson received the Billy Bean Youth Courage Award, and Jon Tilli got the Safe Spaces Champion Award.
Proceeds from the gala go to SIGBI’s important work supporting grassroots organizations committed to LGBTQ+ advocacy, as well as SIGBI’s Safe Spaces certification program which institutes policies to ensure businesses and venues worldwide are serving LGBTQ+ staff, customers, and advocating for equality.
Learn more about The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative here.
