The ACLU and NYCLU Host Annual LGBTQ+ Rights Benefit Reception at the Bowery Hotel

2026 Liberty Award to Honor the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA); Special Performance by RuPaul’s Drag Race Star Dawn

IMAGES HERE [CREDIT: BFA]

NEW YORK, NY — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) welcomed more than 300 leaders from the legal, advocacy, corporate, entertainment, sports, and cultural communities to The Bowery Hotel on June 2, 2026 for their annual LGBTQ+ Rights Benefit Reception, an evening celebrating the ongoing fight to protect and advance LGBTQ+ rights nationwide.

The event honored the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) with the 2026 Liberty Award, recognizing the players’ union for its leadership at the intersection of sports, advocacy, equality, and social justice. The evening also featured a high-energy performance by Dawn of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 16) and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (Season 11), bringing plenty of joy, celebration, and Pride to the room.

Notable attendees included transgender rights advocate Becky Pepper-Jackson, whose landmark legal case challenged restrictions on transgender youth participation in school sports; Erin Drake and representatives form the WNBPA, Vogue’s Christian Allaire and Justin Fernandez; fashion designer Garo Sparo;  Fran Tirado; DJ Memphy; Benton McClintock; celebrity photographer, Andrew Tess; Diego Downtown; among other leaders across advocacy, media, entertainment, business, and public life who gathered in support of LGBTQ+ rights and civil liberties.

The program featured powerful remarks from Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the NYCLU; Sruti Swaminathan, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Project; Becky Pepper-Jackson, ACLU client; and Rónán Tuggle, Digital Organizing Strategist at the NYCLU.

“The NYCLU and ACLU’s LGBTQ reception has always been about solidarity, celebration, and resistance, and we are proud to honor the WNBPA’s bold, inclusive spirit,” said NYCLU Executive Director, Donna Lieberman. “We need that now more than ever. The Trump regime is trying to erase trans identities, limit queer inclusion, and spread hate. We won’t allow it. The ACLU and NYCLU have long been in this fight, and we are only ramping up in the courts, the statehouse and town hall, and in the streets.”

“Drag has always been a critical art form of liberation and self-expression,” said Dawn, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 11. “As our opponents continue their attempts to erase our community, I’m proud to stand (and lip-synch!) with the ACLU and NYCLU.”

Accepting the Liberty Award on behalf of the WNBPA, Terri Carmichael Jackson, Executive Director, reflected on the significance of the recognition and the union’s continued commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in sports and beyond.

“The WNBPA is honored to receive the 2026 Liberty Award from the ACLU and NYCLU. As the first professional women’s sports labor union, we proudly represent trailblazing athletes who have never been afraid to challenge the status quo and advocate for equality, fairness, and opportunity on and off the court. During Pride Month and beyond, we will continue using our collective voice to push for progress and show the sports world and future generations that our unity is stronger than any effort to divide us.”

The annual benefit supports the ACLU and NYCLU’s critical work to protect and advance LGBTQ+ rights at a pivotal moment for civil liberties across the country. The evening brought together a powerful community of advocates, leaders, and supporters united in the fight for equality, dignity, and freedom for all.

###

ABOUT THE NYCLU
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) advances civil rights and civil liberties so that all New Yorkers can live with dignity, liberty, justice, and equality. Founded in 1951 as the state affiliate of the national ACLU, we marshal an expert mix of litigation, policy advocacy, field organizing, and strategic communications. Informed by the insights of our communities and coalitions and powered by our supporters, we work across complex issues to create more justice and liberty for more people.

ABOUT THE ACLU
For more than 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect the constitutional rights of all people. With a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters, the ACLU takes on the toughest civil liberties fights in pursuit of liberty and justice for all.

ABOUT THE WNBPA
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is the union for current women’s professional basketball players in the WNBA. The WNBPA is the first labor union for professional women athletes. It was created in 1998 to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court. The WNBPA handles the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, filing grievances on their behalf, and counseling players on benefits and post-WNBA career opportunities. 

The WNBPA also serves as a resource for current players, while they are competing internationally during the offseason. The WNBPA encourages players to participate in union activities – including executive leadership roles, team representative positions, and global community outreach initiatives.