The Los Angeles LGBT Center has announced that talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, writer and producer Shonda Rhimes, artist Mark Bradford, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, and comedian Jermaine Fowler will join previously announced honorees Ariel Emanuel and Valerie Jarrett at the 48th Anniversary Gala Vanguard Awards brought to you by American Airlines on Saturday, Sept. 23, at The Beverly Hilton.
Bradford will present an award to Co-CEO of WME | IMG Ariel Emanuel, while presenter Rhimes will take the stage to honor Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor for the Obama Administration. Kimmel will host the evening that includes special appearances by O’Donnell and Fowler.
“It’s a great honor to receive this award from the Los Angeles LGBT Center, and not one I take lightly,” Emanuel said. “While this community has come a long way in a short time, there are still big obstacles to full equality—both here and across the country. I’m a proud supporter of this essential work, and I view this award as an obligation to use my role to fight for a better future for all.”
“I am incredibly honored to be recognized by the Los Angeles LGBT Center,” said Jarrett. “At a time when so much is at stake we must remember that our nation’s history is built on its citizens’ resilience and willingness to continue the fight. The Center remains an unstoppable force in the fight for full equality for members of the LGBT community.”
This year’s star-studded, Hollywood-meets-the-Beltway evening will bring together more than 1,000 leaders from the civic, corporate, entertainment, and philanthropic communities to celebrate the inspirational 2017 honorees for their unwavering support of the LGBT community and their dedication to creating positive change in the world. Guests will enjoy cocktails, dinner, and entertainment, along with a not-to-be-missed silent auction that includes high-end items, packages, and experiences.
Tickets are now on sale at lalgbtcenter.org/gala. For the latest event news and information, follow @lalgbtcenter on social media and join the conversation using #VanguardAwards.
Shonda Rhimes is the founder of Shondaland, which brings the world “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Scandal”, “How to Get Away with Murder” and the upcoming “For the People” and “Untitled Grey’s Anatomy Spinoff.” For her collective works, Rhimes is the recipient of many awards including a Golden Globe, the Peabody Award as well as lifetime achievement awards from the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild among others. She’s also a National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee. Rhimes serves as Creative Director for Dove’s #RealBeauty campaign. She partnered with Pilot Pen to award G2 Overachievers Grant to community heroes. In 2015, Rhimes released the instant New York Times best seller “Year of Yes” from Simon & Schuster. Her Masterclass.com course on TV writing is a top draw. In 2017, Rhimes launched Shondaland.com, a digital storytelling platform focused on life, not lifestyle.
Artist Mark Bradford was presented with the US State Department Medal of Arts in 2015 and in 2013 he was elected as a National Academician by the National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts in New York. Bradford is also a recipient of David C. Driskell Prize (2016); the McArthur Fellowship (2009); the Wexner Center Residency Award (2009) and the Bucksbaum Award, granted by The Whitney Museum of American Art (2006). In November 2017, Bradford will present ’Pickett’s Charge’, a monumental commissioned cyclorama of paintings at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
2017 Title Sponsor: American Airlines; Presenting Sponsor: The Beverly Hilton; Diamond Sponsor: Audi and Wells Fargo; Platinum Sponsors: Ariel Emanuel, HBO and WME | IMG; Gold Sponsors: 21st Century Fox, 3 Arts Entertainment, Amazon Studios, Anita May Rosenstein Foundation, AT&T, Berry McCabe, Belmont Village Senior Living, CBS, Chaz Dean, Citi Private Bank, Comcast NBCUniversal, Curt Shepard and Alan Hergott, Disney | ABC, FremantleMedia North America, Gilead, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hulu, June Street Architecture, LabCorp, LBI Entertainment, Media Rights Capital Studio, MGM Studios, Netflix, Pacific Federal, Paramount Pictures, Pauley Perrette, Perkins Coie LLP, Reed Smith LLP, Showtime Networks Inc, Sony Pictures Entertainment, STARZ Entertainment, TNT & TBS, U.S. Bank, Viacom, and Warner Bros. Entertainment; Silver Sponsors: Beckson Design Associates, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, JPMorgan Chase & Co, OUT@WB, and Ralphs; Official Vodka Sponsor: Tito’s Handmade Vodka; and Media Sponsors: Lesbian News, Pride.com, The Advocate, The Los Angeles Blade and Variety.
