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2023 Gala

The 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force Gala, presented by St. John’s on the Lake United Methodist Church, will celebrate the National LGBTQ Task Force’s 50th anniversary of leading the fight for LGBTQ liberation in the United States.

We return to the dazzling Grand Ballroom of the Miami Beach Convention Center on Saturday, October 14, beginning at 6:30 pm, for an evening that features a cocktail reception, a sprawling and spectacular silent auction, a sit-down dinner, an awards ceremony, and the AfterGlow Ball, with a DJ and dancing.

The image displays a poster for the National LGBTQ Task Force's Gala event. The event theme is Forever Strong Unapologetic Queer. The poster features a blue and gold background, with prominent text in the center that reads "National LGBTQ Task Force Gala" in gold on the blue background. Below the main text, there is additional text that reads "The 50th Anniversary of the National LGBTQ Task Force." This text is located on a gold rectangular block on top of a blue background. Towards the bottom of the image, there is a section with the text "Forever Strong Unapologetically Queer" displayed prominently on a blue background. This text is followed by "October Miami Beach Convention Center" written in smaller font. In the lower center of the image, there is a white feather displayed on a blue background. Another white feather can be seen at the top left corner of the image. Overall, the image showcases the details of the 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force Gala poster, with various text elements and visual elements displayed against a blue and gold background.

Co-Hosts

The National LGBTQ Task Force is thrilled to welcome both iconic performer Latrice Royale and award-winning actor, singer, filmmaker, writer and dancer Dyllón Burnside as emcees of the 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force Gala.

Latrice Royale

Latrice Royale captured the hearts of the world and earned the title of “Miss Congeniality” on Season 4 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.She has made multiple guest appearances on Drag Race as well as on RuPaul’s Drag U and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (Seasons 1 & 4), and she represented RuPaul’s Drag Race on Celebrity Family Feud. In January 2021, she made history by becoming the first queen to appear in drag on the QVC network while promoting Ruby Royale nuts by Squirrel Brand. Her historic achievements continued with two successful runs on London’s West End Stage in DeathDrop and a wildly popular residency at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas as part of the cast of the RuPaul’s Drag Race LIVE! Show. Most recently she had a guest star role on the Netflix series AJ & The Queen and sold out her remarkable autobiographical one-queen-show, Here’s to Life, in major cities all over the world. Latrice hosted the virtual edition of the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala in 2020, and we’re overjoyed to welcome her back as co-host of our 50th anniversary celebration!

Dyllón Burnside

Dyllón Burnside first captivated audiences with his Broadway debut, starring as Anthony in 2014’s Holler if Ya Hear Me, a hip-hop musical inspired by the music and lyrics of Tupac Shakur. His notoriety quickly grew with appearances on Thoughts of a Colored Man, NBC’s Peter Pan Live! and the HBO series High Maintenance. He gained international praise and global recognition for his starring role as “Ricky Evangelista” on all three seasons of Ryan Murphy’s Emmy nominated FX series, POSE. As a singer/songwriter, Burnside has released three chart-topping solo singles, “Silence”, Heaven”, and “Superpowers”. He is currently finishing his debut album. In 2020 Dyllón produced and hosted Prideland, a one-hour documentary and a short-form digital series for PBS exploring the lives of LGBTQ+ people living in the southern region of the United States, which received a Daytime Emmy Award, two Telly Awards and a GLAAD Media Award nomination. We are thrilled to welcome the Florida native back home to help us remind the world we are “Forever Strong. Unapologetically Queer!”

Performers

Anne Steele

This image features 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force Special Performer, Anne Steele. The image features a woman wearing a white shirt and black tulle skirt, striking a pose for a photo. She is smiling brightly. Anne is positioned in the center of the image, occupying a significant portion of the frame. At the bottom of the image, white text says "Anne Steele Special Performance" displayed against a blue background. It is positioned towards the center of the image. Towards the bottom right corner of the image, there is text presented in a gradient style, consisting of the words "National LGBTQ Task Force Gala" and "50th Anniversary of the National LGBTQ Task Force." These texts are displayed on a colorful background, with the colors changing from left to right.

Anne Steele is a multi-award-winning singer/songwriter and recording artist from New York City. She is a seasoned performer who has sold out concerts and dazzled audiences in NYC for over 20 years. She released her most recent original album, Made Out Of Stars, in 2019 and toured extensively to sold out audiences across the U.S. and Europe. Anne has been a headliner with Atlantis Events, RSVP Vacations, R Family Vacations, Source Journeys and Olivia Travel, touring the high seas for over 18 years.  She has also has toured internationally and has shared the stage with Cyndi Lauper, Sandra Bernhard, Boy George, Liza Minnelli and many more.

Robbie Elias

This image features 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force Special Performer Robbie Elias. Robbie Elias is shown wearing a brown suit with an ascot and a leopard print coat hanging off his shoulder. He is standing in the center of the image, exuding confidence. He seems ready to entertain the audience. In the background, there is a disco ball hanging from a string against a blue background. The disco ball reflects light and adds a festive atmosphere to the scene. At the bottom of the image, white text says "Robbie Elias Special Performance" displayed against a blue background. It is positioned towards the center of the image. Towards the bottom right corner of the image, there is text presented in a gradient style, consisting of the words "National LGBTQ Task Force Gala" and "50th Anniversary of the National LGBTQ Task Force." These texts are displayed on a colorful background, with the colors changing from left to right.

Through the span of his career, Miami-born singer/songwriter Robbie Elias has been a staple behind the scenes of the Latin pop world: writing songs, singing background vocals and touring with the likes of Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Daddy Yankee, Natti Natasha, Guaynaa, Alejandro Sanz and more. With his knack for pop hooks like his sleeper hit, LGBTQ anthem “Can I Be Me”, and innate songwriting sensibility, Robbie defies all stereotypes and blends his Latin roots with soulful R&B melodies. Songs like “Si Yo Fuera Tu Hombre” do just that while creating a crisp pop sound that is all his own. Recently, Elias released his song “True”, a nostalgic 90’s dance EDM record, his first in that genre, once again proving his versatility as an artist.

Tango Libertad

This image features 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force Special Performers Colette and Katerina of Tango Libertad. The image showcases Colette and Katerina of Tango Libertad on a stage, dancing. One of the women is wearing a brown dress, and they both seem to be enjoying themselves. At the bottom of the image, white text says "Tango Libertad Special Performance" displayed against a blue background. It is positioned towards the center of the image. Towards the bottom right corner of the image, there is text presented in a gradient style, consisting of the words "National LGBTQ Task Force Gala" and "50th Anniversary of the National LGBTQ Task Force." These texts are displayed on a colorful background, with the colors changing from left to right.

Tango Libertad is a collaboration between Colette and Katerina. Their shared love of tango brought them together, and their passion for liberation fuels their creativity.

Colette is a former U.S. tango champion and a globally recognized performer and instructor. She’s graced dance floors from Buenos Aires to Japan, leaving an indelible mark with every step. Katerina longed to learn tango as a leader but postponed her dream for many years until she read the famous Edie Windsor quote, “Don’t postpone joy.” This quote inspired Katerina to search for an instructor who would embrace the idea of a female leader, and luckily, she found Madame Colette! Together, they dance not just as two souls intertwined by tango but as partners championing liberty in every step and embrace. Follow their story at @tangolibertad.

2023 Task Force Gala Team

Executive Committee

Jeff Oliverio, Co-Chair
Craig Jarrett, Co-Chair
Stephen Dominy, Volunteer Relations Director
Raul Griffith, Production Consultant
Patrick Groenendaal, Auction Design Director
Garo Kiledjian, After Party Director
Chris Ladas, Associated Events Director
Melissa Robles, Production Director
Eric Scheiner, Fundraising Director
Lindsey Shook, Special Advisor
Luke Sorber, Executive Secretary

Event Committee Members

Doug Ames
Zach Barker
Beau Beasley
Sebastian Blanco
Hector Castaneda
Naomi Celaire-Hettema
Hannahbelle Cooke
Matt Dzwonkiewicz
Maxx Fenning
Daniel Gibson
Gary Hawkins
Don Hayden
Stephen Hilson
Jerard Kelley
Alex Kleppe
Tony Mendoza
Robbie Millwee
Chris Monge
Clove Morgan
Cristian Sanchez
Pranshu Shrivastava
Sebastian Siciliano
Jolyse Stultz
Jorge Zambrano

Staff

Jake Arnell, Institutional & Corporate Giving Manager
Michael Bath, Events Director
Jacky Goh, Chief Development Officer
Ryan Hurst, Senior Major Gifts Officer
Kierra Johnson, Executive Director
Brian Marone, Events Manager
Kimberly Otero, Special Events Coordinator