The Human Rights Campaign Honors André De Shields, Junior LaBeija, Marcia Gay Harden

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, brought together LGBTQ+ advocates and activists from across the country for its annual National Dinner. 

At this year’s event, HRC honored Academy-Award winning actress and ally Marcia Gay Harden as well as LGBTQ+ icons André De Shields and Junior LaBeija. Harden received the Ally for Equality award, presented by actress and ally Camryn Manheim, for being an outspoken ally for the LGBTQ+ community and using her platform to advocate for equality. DeShields and LaBeija each received HRC’s Legendary Visibility Award for their deeply impactful work expanding visibility on critical LGBTQ+ issues, permanently shaping the culture and legacy of the LGBTQ+ community. The night also featured keynote remarks from staunch ally and proud mother of a LGBTQ+ child Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, whose pro-equality leadership has led to critical civil rights protections for Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community.

HRC President Kelley Robinson delivered remarks on the fight ahead for LGBTQ+ equality. The event also included HRC’s National Dinner Chairs Gurpreet Brar, Shawn Skelly, Michelle Hurst and Vincenzo Volpe, and comedian and Out 100 honoree Dana Goldberg hosted a live auction.

Select quotes from the night include:

“We are in a history-making moment. This is our moment. This is the time to say out loud what we already know to be true: That immigrants belong here. Black lives still matter. Love is still love. Trans women are women. And every child deserves all the protection and joy this world has to offer.” – HRC President Kelley Robinson

“Love is making room for another person to tell you who they are. And then, having the decency, the joy, and the courage to believe them…Allyship is not a pose, it’s a practice.” – Marcia Gay Harden

“We are the generation, we are the people, we are the culture who knows exactly what to do with the miasma that’s staring us in the face.” – André De Shields

“I’m going to tell you why I’m here: Because I’ve met Marsha P. Johnson. I’ve met Sylvia Rivera. I went to the Quentin Crisp Memorial on Union Square. I’ve went to the memorial for Matthew Shepard. I’ve worked the pier.” – Junior LaBeija

“Fundamental freedoms are not some magic language that just exist on paper. They’re about your power to make decisions about your own life. To choose when and how to start a family. To see a doctor without going broke. To get housing without fear of being evicted. To feel safe in your community. Get a job that pays the bills. Or a loan for a small business. As leaders, we should be fighting for every person to have those basic freedoms — no matter who they are or who they sleep next to.” – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

 

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 4 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action—working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.