BET celebrated the LGBTQ+ community through its first Black & Iconic Soiree, a weekend event honoring the queer community’s impact. The ceremony, which took place at Flourish in Atlanta, Ga., over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, recognized and brought awareness to the LGBTQ+ community. Pose actor Dyllón Burnside hosted the event.
According to a news release, BET is dedicated to recognizing the Black and LGBTQ+ community’s contributions to society. The soiree honored several individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, including Mariah Moore, who received the Active Advocate Award, and Pamela Stewart, who received the Executive Realness Award. The company also made its first donation of $20,000 to Groundswell’s Black Trans Fund as part of its BET Thrive Fund.
Paige, the executive cice president and chief marketing officer at BET, helped organize the soiree, while Hayes, the senior vice president of brand strategy and marketing, spearheaded it. Tiyale said in the release, “As a proud member of the community, I am ecstatic to kick off this first-of-its-kind event for BET Networks. Tonight’s Soiree is Our Love Letter.”
