Latrice Royale and Dyllón Burnside to head Task Force Gala

The National LGBTQ Task Force welcomes iconic drag performer and actor Latrice Royale and award-winning actor, singer, and filmmaker Dyllón Burnside as emcees of the 2023 National LGBTQ Task Force 50th anniversary fundraising Gala.

The celebration takes place on Saturday, October 14, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The Gala serves as the premier annual celebration of South Florida’s LGBTQ community and welcomes all community members and allies to join in the celebration. Guests can purchase tickets at the link here.

Latrice Royale was named RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 4 “Miss Congeniality” and is one of the most notable drag performers of our time. In addition to multiple guest appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and Celebrity Family Feud, Latrice has had two successful runs on London’s West End Stage in DeathDrop, a Las Vegas residency at the Flamingo Hotel, and a guest-starring role on Netflix’s AJ & the Queen. Most recently, her remarkable autobiographical one-queen-show, Here’s to Life, sold out in major cities worldwide.

Dyllón Burnside is best known for his role as Ricky in the FX series Pose, in which he co-starred with Dominique Jackson, recipient of the National LGBTQ Task Force’s 2023 National Leadership Award. Burnside first captivated audiences with his Broadway debut in 2014’s Holler if Ya Hear Me and subsequently appeared in Thoughts of a Colored Man, NBC’s Peter Pan Live!, and the HBO series High Maintenance and the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. His passion for equality and advocacy led him to host Prideland, a one-hour documentary and a short-form digital series for PBS exploring the lives of LGBTQ+ people living in the southern region of the United States. He recently established the Burnside Artists Retreat (BAR), a space in a beautiful and inspiring natural environment where Black men can deepen their personal and artistic practices, unlock pathways to manifest their creative visions and achieve measurable successes.

“Latrice and Dyllón join the Task Force at a pivotal time, when the queer community stands stronger and prouder than ever, but facing relentless opposition. They both graciously agreed to share their queer joy and amplify the Task Force’s work for liberation through their spirit and passion. We need voices like theirs to continue to bring hope and inspire our LGBTQ community in Florida,” said Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force.

In this milestone 50th anniversary year, the Gala’s theme, “Forever Strong. Unapologetically Queer,” speaks to the organization’s determination in uplifting the LGBTQ community and creating spaces for queer people to be their full, authentic selves. For half a century, the Task Force has advocated for equality and change for the LGBTQ community with major initiatives in Florida, where the organization has a permanent office. Faced with an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ laws, the Task Force remains steadfast in its decision to remain in the state and to create a safer, more inclusive environment for Florida’s diverse queer community and work in collaboration with allied progressive organizations.

For more information about the National LGBTQ Task Force and to purchase Gala tickets please visit the organization’s newly redesigned website at: https://www.thetaskforce.org/task-force-gala/