Looking Back on the 2022 (Un)Gala

Lighthouse Foundation hosted our second annual Winter (Un)Gala December 9, 2022, to celebrate our successes of the year the people who made it possible.

Though galas aren’t uncommon for nonprofits, Lighthouse Foundation’s (Un)Gala strives to be different. Lighthouse Foundation works to provide spaces for Black LGBTQ+ folx to celebrate our resilience and cultivate Black Joy. For two years now, our (Un)Gala has proven to be just that – a time for community, commemoration, and dreaming of what’s to come.

Every Lighthouse Foundation event–including our (Un)Gala – is free to the public, underscoring our organization’s core commitment to accessibility. LF Executive Director Jamie Frazier often shares, “When I first moved to Chicago, I couldn’t attend LGBTQ+ Galas because I didn’t have the money or the clothes. Those interested in Lighthouse Foundation’s programming will never face those barriers. Our events will always be financially accessible, inclusive, and welcoming.”

2022’s (Un)Gala featured the musical talents of Lighthouse Foundation's Black LGBTQ+ music collective, Voices of Light, who kept guests dancing all night long, whether to classic Christmas songs or the stylings of the Queen herself, Beyoncé. And a performance from The Hippies.

Thank you to everyone who attended 2022’s (Un)Gala; we look forward to hosting even more impactful programming during 2023.