If you don’t already have a reason to attend this year’s Black Tie Dinner – the nation’s largest LGBTQ fundraiser dinner of its kind – now you do. The hotties (with golden hearts and fabulous works on our community’s behalf) are coming to town!
The gala has announced that Olympic Silver Medalist, actor and LGBTQ activist Gus Kenworthy will receive the Elizabeth Birch Equality Award. Additionally, actor Raphael Silva will receive Black Tie Dinner’s Vanguard Award. Both Kenworthy and Silva will be on hand at the 41st Annual Black Tie Dinner, presented by PNC Bank, September 24, 2022, at the Sheraton Dallas in Downtown Dallas.
Kenworthy won a silver medal for Team USA at the inaugural slopestyle at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. In 2015, he came out on the cover of ESPN Magazine and became the first openly gay professional athlete in any action sport. At the 2018 Olympics, Kenworthy made history by becoming the first openly gay man (alongside Adam Rippon) to compete for the U.S. in a Winter Olympics. During those Games in Pyeongchang, Gus kissed his then boyfriend on live television, which was a significant moment for the visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes and sport communities alike.
Actor and activist Rafael Silva will receive the Vanguard Award, which is presented to an individual blazing a trail on behalf of the LGBTQ community. Silva is at the forefront of intersectional representation as a Latinx immigrant and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. He hails from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, immigrating to the United States when he was only 13 years old and now currently stars as Carlos Reyes on Ryan Murphy’s hit FOX series “9-1-1 LONE STAR” opposite Ronen Rubinstein.
“We are excited to welcome and honor Gus Kenworthy and Rafael Silva to our 41st Black Tie Dinner. Both of these LGBTQ advocates and trailblazers are committed to the advancement of access, inclusion and diversity of our community here in North Texas and across the country”, said Terry D. Loftis, Senior Co-Chair.
Kenworthy and Silva will join previously announced program guests including actor Colman Domingo who will receive the Media Award, Visibility Award recipient actor Ryan O’Connell and Black Tie’s Kuchling Humanitarian Award recipient Robert Emery.
To date, Black Tie Dinner has raised and distributed more than $27 million dollars to support numerous deserving organizations serving the needs of the LGBTQ community locally and HRC Foundation.
To keep up with the latest news of Black Tie Dinner or for more information, be sure to visit BlackTie.org.
