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Out for Good Gala Shatters Records, Honors LGBTQ+ Visionaries and Innovators

On Saturday, October 5, the Montrose Center held its 11th annual Out for Good Gala, in celebration of National Coming Out Day. The event honored Greg Jeu of OutSmart Magazine with the 2024 LGBTQ+ Visionary Award for his celebration of and impact on Houston’s LGBTQ+ communities for more than 30 years. We also launched a new award at the event, the LGBTQ+ Innovator Award. The inaugural recipient was Ian L. Haddock of The Normal Anomaly Initiative, Inc., in recognition of the tremendous impact he’s made and the innovative approaches he brings to his work. The event broke Center fundraising records, raising $400K for the Montrose Center’s services. One of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive LGBTQ+ centers, the Montrose Center has been empowering LGBTQ+ Houston since 1978. 
 
We are thrilled to have met our fundraising goal of $400K for the event. Will you help us get to our reach goal of $425K for services benefiting LGBTQ+ Houston? 


More than 700 guests attended October 5’s gala – a new Center record! – which took place at the landmark Marriott Marquis Houston. Guests were encouraged to embrace the black and white theme, and they did not disappoint in their fabulous looks– just take a look at the three different photo galleries below! 

The night was filled with dazzling performances from Pride Chorus Houston, the beautiful A’Mya Jackson Ross, and Houston Ballet’s “it couple,” Zoe Lucich and Gian Carlo Perez. At the after party, glamorous DJ Fanci, drag favorite Persephone, and the boundary-pushing Eddie Divas kept the party going until late into the night.  

Unforgettable photo moments, including a first-in-the-city ball pit photo experience, were owed to Flashbar Photo Booth for providing stunning decor was provided by Kirksey Gregg Productions. Huge thanks to CORT Furniture for creating intimate lounge areas for our guests. 

Speakers included event chairs Kathy Anderson of Eklektik Interiors, Corey S. Scranton of Barcelona Wine Bar, and Harper Watters of the Houston Ballet, host Ernie Manouse of Houston Public Media, past Out for Good honoree and Former Mayor Annise Parker, board president Gary Wood, chief executive officer Avery Belyeu, and Jordan J. Edwards of The Normal Anomaly Initiative.  

Supporters of the event included local officials: past honoree Judge Phyllis Frye, Senator Molly Cook, State Representative Ann Johnson, State Representative Lauren Ashley Simmons, Justice Meagan Hassan, Justice Charles Spain, Judge Jim Evans, Houston City Council Member Mario Castillo, Houston City Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Houston City Council Member Julian Ramirez, and Commissioner Leslie Briones. Other past honorees in attendance include Dalton DeHart, Linda Morales, and Dina Jacobs.  

Our amazing sponsors covered the costs of the event so that our guests’ donations fund direct client services. Extra thanks go out to the night’s top sponsors: Brian Dupnick and Paul & Leon Guillory.  

Huge thanks to all our sponsors!

Quartz Sponsors 
Brian Dupnick 
Paul & Leon Guillory 
 
Sequin Sponsors 
Jeff Bishop 
Caleb Burson & Timothy Gug 
ConocoPhillips 
CORT 
Ferguson Law Firm 
H-E-B 
Mark Sparks 
Richard Werner & Tony Bravo 
 
Glitter Sponsors 
AARP Texas 
Bud Light 
Charles Caliva & Kim Gustavsson 
Concierge Travel 
Cruise 
Chris Delphin 
Corey E. Devine & Alex Foulkes Grafton 
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital 
Richard Jiménez & Adán Medrano 
Tara M. Kelly & Rhonda Sigman 
MD Anderson Cancer Center 
Nancy Sims, LLC 
OutReach United 
OutSmart Magazine 
Brian Prunty & Brian Williams 
Regions Bank 
Chris Robertson 
Frances & Susan Smith-Snider 
Gary Wood & Bryant Johnson-Wood 
Woodside Energy 
 
Table Sponsors 
Dr. Janice Alberghene & Senator David Watters 
Allies in Hope 
Amegy Bank 
Kathy Anderson 
Avery Belyeu 
Michael Broderick & Dustin Meuth 
Bunnies on the Bayou 
Tina Burgos & Lisa Waskom 
Clark Caperton & Alex Zuniga 
Karen & Bunny Carlson 
Alden Clark & Doug Parker 
Jerry Conry & Franki Navarro 
Bryan & Joan Cotton 
Jeff Falk 
Marvin Fuentes & Juan Fernando Lerma 
BJ Gill & Robby Guthart 
Gonzalez Olivieri, LLC 
Douglas B. Harris & Deasa Turner 
Jeremy Fain LUXE Properties, Inc. 
The Proud Family of Greg Jeu 
K&N Appliance Gallery 
Poonam Kapoor & Kendall Toarmina 
Chad Libertus 
Jani Lopez 
Kelly Nicholls & Amber Berchiatti 
The Normal Anomaly Initiative, Inc. 
Mary Patton 
David Ramirez 
Jane & Alex Robinson 
Corey S. Scranton 
Michael Sirimaturos & Matt McKenzie 
Southwest Airlines 
James Taylor 
Robert J. Wallace & Andrew J. McCleary 
Julia & Jason Wang 
Harper Watters 
 
Media Partners 
OutSmart Magazine 
Houston CityBook 
Queer Voices 

 VIP Underwriter Tickets 
Bob Burress & Tom Seymour 
Mike Freeman 
Scott Ulrich & Ernest Trevino 

Event Partners
Flashbar Photo Booth
Kirksey Gregg Productions

We have already met our fundraising goal of $400K for the event. Will you help us get to our reach goal of $425K for services benefiting LGBTQ+ Houston? 


Want to learn more about the event or how you can get more involved? Don’t hesitate to contact us at development@montrosecenter.org.  

Photo Gallery

Thank you to everyone who attended. Please enjoy these photos of our FABULOUS guests!

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Ball Pit Photo Gallery

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Photo Booth Gallery

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