In commemoration of Black History Month, the Los Angeles LGBT Center will host The Future is Black: Renaissance on Saturday, February 4, from 5–10 p.m. at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Hollywood, honoring the Grammy-nominated musician Big Freedia. The free event will include an award presentation, panel discussions, an interactive portrait studio, and a “mini-ball” after-party, and will be hosted by Tre’vell Anderson and jarrett hill of the podcast FANTI.

Platinum recording artist and Grammy-nominated musician Big Freedia will be on-hand to accept the Center’s Bayard Rustin Award for her prominence as an fearless advocate and face of the LGBTQ+ community. She will also sit down for a keynote conversation exploring her journey through the entertainment industry, her advocacy, and the role she played in the groundbreaking album by Beyoncé, Renaissance. 

“The Future Is Black is a celebration that honors Black queer love, joy, and liberation,” said Gerald Garth, the DE&I Director for the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “We are thrilled to welcome Big Freedia to the Center, and to celebrate with our community.”

Following Freedia’s award, audience members can expect to be entertained with an hour of conversation straight from the FANTI podcast hosts Tre’vell Anderson and jarrett hill. The event will also showcase a panel called America Has a Problem, which will survey the city’s progress in the years since the protests and civil unrest of 2020. Panelists will include Capri Maddox, who was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti to address issues of systemic racism and bias as the city’s first-ever Executive Director of the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights & Equity Department (LA Civil Rights).

The event will close out with a mini-ball reception headlined by DJ Kidd and Lone Amorphous.

Sat, February 4, 2023, 4:30 PM – 11:00 PM PST

Village At Ed Gould Plaza 1125 North McCadden Place Los Angeles, CA 90038