2020 Black Tie Dinner co-chairs Brad Pritchett, left, and Jeremy Hawpe
Black Tie beneficiaries, theme in first-ever digital kickoff
From Staff Reports
Black Tie Dinner on Thursday night, April 30, officially announced the 17 beneficiaries and the theme for 2020 during the organization’s very first digital kickoff event.
Jeremy Hawpe, 2020 BTD co-chair, said these 17 nonprofits beneficiaries, which will share the proceeds from the Black Tie Dinner’s 39th annual gala in October, are a “diverse and incredibly hard-working group of organizations, whose work in our community is more important now than ever during these unprecedented times.
“Selecting our beneficiaries is one of the most vital decisions our board makes every year, but it is also rewarding because of the remarkable work these organizations are doing in our community,” Hawpe added.
Returning local beneficiaries of Black Tie Dinner for 2020 are AIDS Outreach Center, AIDS Services of Dallas, Big Brother Big Sisters, Cathedral of Hope, Celebration Community Church, Equality Texas, Lambda Legal, Legacy Counseling Center, Northaven United Methodist Church, Planned Parenthood, Promise House, Resource Center, Turtle Creek Chorale and Uptown Players.
New local beneficiaries are the Health Education Learning Project and Coalition for Aging LGBT. And Black Tie Dinner’s national beneficiary is the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
In addition to announcing its beneficiaries during its first-ever digital kickoff event, Black Tie Dinner also officially unveiled the theme for its 2020 dinner — “MOMENTUM: Our Future Is Calling.”
CO-chair Brand Pritchett said the board “chose this year’s theme for numerous reasons. First, we wanted to acknowledge the importance of continuing the positive momentum of defending the rights of the LGBTQ community especially in the uncertain times we are in. As we continue to push for equal rights and equal dignity for the LGBTQ community, we are excited to continue the progress through supporting our beneficiaries.”
The 2020 Black Tie Dinner, the nation’s largest LGBTQ fundraiser dinner of its kind, is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Sheraton Dallas hotel. As of now, officials said, the dinner is scheduled to continue as planned. But, they added, the scope, size and specifics of this year’s dinner will be based on the guidance of local and state authorities, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. And that means that dinner plans are subject to change, “as the health and safety of guests are of utmost importance,” dinner officials said.
For more information about the beneficiaries, the BTD organization and the 2020 dinner, visit blacktie.org.