The evening observed the nonprofit's fifteenth anniversary, honored LGBTQ+ advocates and featured performances by The House of Miyake-Mugler and Charvoni
NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Last Friday, Destination Tomorrow, a national LGBTQ+ nonprofit, hosted its first annual benefit gala, "The Angie Awards," highlighting the legacy of Trans and Queer activists within the New York Ballroom community. The gala also celebrated Destination Tomorrow's fifteen years of service to the nation's LGBTQ+ community.
The organization bestowed several Angie Awards, named in honor of "Bangie Angie," a legendary mother in the city's ballroom community. Destination Tomorrow honored "Bangie Angie," whose family accepted the award on her behalf posthumously; Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson; Guillermo Chacon, the president of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network; Angelica Ross, the celebrated actor and LGBTQ+ advocate best known her roles in FX's Pose and American Horror Story; Junior LaBeija, a member of the iconic House of LeBeija and cast member of "Cats: The Jellicle Ball"; and Google for the inspiring work, Ballroom in Focus, a collaborative effort between Destination Tomorrow and Ballroom Throwbacks. The nonprofit also gave a surprise award to New York Attorney General Leticia James, which was presented by Destination Tomorrow's founder and CEO, Sean Ebony Coleman. The event was hosted by board member and actress Dominique Jackson and featured performances by ballroom legends The House of Miyake-Mugler and singer Charvoni. Special guests included documentarian, Cesar Williams, and Elisa Crespo, the executive director of the Stonewall Development Foundation.
The benefit gala was a celebration of LGBTQ+ community members who advocate for and support one another despite prevailing challenges at the social and political levels across the nation. Earlier this year, Destination Tomorrow expanded its centers to Washington D.C. in order to better advocate for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming individuals while offering critical gender-affirming care in the nation's capital.
"We are so excited to be hosting our annual benefit gala," said Coleman. "Destination Tomorrow has been around for over fifteen years, fighting for and taking care of our LGBTQ+ siblings across New York, Atlanta, and now, D.C. This gala is a celebration of our success as well as a call to action for partners and community members to continue their support of LGBTQ+ people."
Since opening its first location in 2009, Destination Tomorrow has served more than 80,000 individuals in the Bronx, Atlanta and D.C., providing comprehensive care tailored to the diverse needs of the community. Each location has implemented successful programs designed to address pressing issues, including a local food pantry to combat food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the "SWITCH" program offering housing to Transgender and Gender Nonconforming individuals who are former or current sex workers 25 or over and free testing during the Monkeypox virus outbreak. The organization aims to continue to expand its reach to more individuals, bringing its unique brand of grassroots engagement, socially inclusive care, and political activism across the country.
To learn more about Destination Tomorrow, please contact Kyle McIntyre at 646-639-1379.
About Sean Ebony Coleman and Destination Tomorrow
Sean Ebony Coleman is the founder and CEO of Destination Tomorrow, a national LGBTQ+ organization with centers located in the South Bronx, Atlanta and, most recently, Washington D.C. serving the community through educational, financial, housing, health, and personal support programs. The grassroots organization puts an emphasis on providing support to vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community that takes them off the path of requiring emergency care, focusing on economic, social, and mental empowerment on a holistic level. As a nationally recognized leader in the Transgender community and the first African American of Transgender experience to operate an LGBTQ+ center in the state of New York, Sean plays a key role in advocating for policies that directly impact the lives of millions of LGBTQ+ individuals. Through Gilead Science's TRANScend Community Impact Fund, Sean is the only Black Transgender grant maker in the country, providing crucial funding to Transgender and Gender Nonconforming-led grassroots organizations nationally. Sean is also the founder and managing partner of Sean Ebony Coleman Consulting, where he has worked with companies including Unilever, Lululemon and Equinox on campaigns and DEI strategies to support the LGBTQ+ community.
Media Contact
Kyle McIntyre, The TASC Group, 1 646-639-1379, [email protected]
SOURCE Sean Ebony Coleman and Destination Tomorrow
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