Black Tie Dinner officials announced this morning (Friday, Oct. 30) that Broadway star and RuPaul’s Drag Race finalist Peppermint will receive the Black Tie Dinner Vanguard Award at the 45th annual dinner set for Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
The award winner also joins the talent lineup for this year’s Black Tie Dinner.
Peppermint is “a Broadway star, actress, singer and cultural commentator who made history as the first openly transgender woman to originate a principal role on Broadway in Head Over Heels.” Her screen credits include Survival of the Thickest, Fire Island and season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, where she finished as runner-up.
“From national conversations to community rallies, she champions transgender people’s rights and dignity, amplifies Black trans voices, and brings greater visibility to stories shaping LGBTQ+ lives,” noted a Black Tie Dinner press release announcing the award.
The Vanguard Award honors individuals who “have led movements advancing LGBTQ+ progress.” Former recipients include Rafael L. Silva and DJ “Shangela” Pierce.
Peppermint joins this year’s dinner lineup, which already includes Benito Skinner, creator of Overcompensating, as the 2026 Media Award recipient; Cece Cox, retiring this year after 16 years as CEO of Resource Center, as the 2026 Visibility Award recipient, DeeJay Johannessen, CEO of HELP Center for LGBTQ+ Health, as the 2026 Raymond Kuchling Humanitarian Award recipient, and speaker Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
The 45th Annual Black Tie Dinner, “themed ‘Renaissance,’ celebrates the strength, creativity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community while raising critical funds for organizations serving LGBTQ+ North Texans,” the press release noted.
This weekend is the final opportunity to secure tables and individual tickets before sales close on Monday, Nov. 2. Reserve now at BlackTie.org.
This year’s local beneficiaries are Abounding Prosperity, Inc., ASD — A Home for Life, Camp Haven, Cathedral of Hope Church of Christ, Celebration Community Church of Fort Worth, Dallas Hope Charities, Equality Texas, Legacy Cares, Northaven United Methodist Church, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Resource Center, Synergy Wesley Foundation, Tx Latino Pride, Truth Pregnancy Resource Center, Turtle Creek Chorale, Uptown Players, The Women’s Chorus of Dallas and Yule Sober Living.
National beneficiary is Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
— Tammye Nash