Lambda Legal announces that its 2024 West Coast Liberty Awards will honor Dylan Mulvaney and George Takei. Lambda Legal presents this prestigious honor to those who have dedicated their time, talent, and voice to being fierce advocates in the LGBTQ+ and HIV rights movement. Hundreds of attendees and supporters will join Lambda Legal to honor these two incredible LGBTQ+ icons and activists at The Lot at Formosa in West Hollywood on Thursday, October 24.
Building on last year’s 50th-anniversary event, the awards mark a turn to the future as Lambda Legal prepares for the continued fight for equality for LGBTQ+ individuals and people living with HIV. The event highlights Lambda’s precedent-setting legal wins, ongoing litigation defending civil rights, and unrelenting preparation for an unstoppable future.
“Dylan Mulvaney and George Takei are incredible advocates for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings. “By sharing her transition and documenting what it’s like to be a trans woman in America, Dylan’s positivity has shown countless LGBTQ+ people the joy that can follow when you embrace who you truly are.”
“George is as amazing an activist as he is a person,” Jennings continued. “From using his platform to serve as a vocal spokesperson for LGBTQ+ rights to fighting for marriage equality, George is one of the country’s leading figures in the fight for social justice. His impact on LGBTQ+ rights will be felt for years to come.”
Mulvaney is a trans actress, comedian, and content creator who has increasingly become a public voice in support of transgender rights. After chronicling the early stages of her gender transition in the “Days of Girlhood” video series that garnered hundreds of millions of views, Mulvaney continues to shed light on the power of living authentically and speaks out against the threat of anti-trans legislation and bans on gender-affirming healthcare.
“I am honored to be recognized by Lambda Legal,” said Mulvaney. “As someone who has experienced anti-LGBTQ+ attacks firsthand, I understand how important it is today more than ever to fight for equality. That’s why being honored by Lambda Legal, an organization that is advocating every day to safeguard LGBTQ+ protections, is especially meaningful to me. I’ve always tried to be my authentic self, and I hope I can empower other members of the LGBTQ+ community to do the same.”
George Takei is a civil rights activist, social media superstar, Grammy-nominated recording artist, New York Times bestselling author, and pioneering actor whose career has spanned six decades. He has appeared in more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television roles, most famously as Hikaru Sulu in “Star Trek,” and has used his success as a platform to fight for social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and marriage equality. His advocacy is personal: During World War II, Takei spent his childhood unjustly imprisoned in United States incarceration camps along with 125,000 other Japanese Americans.
“To be honored by Lambda Legal is an incredible privilege,” said Takei. “I’ve been fortunate enough to support a number of different civil rights movements and causes and recognize that today, support for the LGBTQ+ community has never been more important. Thanks to Lambda Legal, the community can be defended against the hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that are constantly being introduced. I understand it can be a slow process, but progress is all around us, and we must continually commit ourselves to fight for equality for all.”
The 2024 event will be hosted by comedian and writer Dana Golberg and will feature a performance by chart-topping performance artist David Archuleta and remarks by Jennings.
The West Coast Liberty Awards is one of Lambda Legal’s premiere events each year, bringing together supporters, advocates, and allies from across the country to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the fight for justice and equality. Past recipients of the West Coast Liberty Awards include Sally Field, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Margaret Cho, Patrisse Cullors, Alan Cumming, Kathy Griffin, Bill Jones, Dolores Huerta, Sheila Kuehl, Judith Light, Gavin Newsom, Rosie O’Donnell, and Herb Ritts.
For more information about the 2024 West Coast Liberty Awards, including ticket information and sponsorship opportunities, please visit Lambda Legal’s website at www.lambdalegal.org/wcla. Press credentials are available.
Lambda Legal has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights for over 50 years as a national legal nonprofit organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV. Lambda Legal’s lawyers have won precedent-setting civil rights cases on everything from marriage equality to gender identity to employment, HIV, and health care discrimination. Through education, advocacy, and legal action, Lambda Legal strives to protect and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, advocating for a society that embraces diversity and inclusivity.