It was a who-is-who and who-did-what at the 2nd Annual Breaking the Silence Awards 2017, hosted by I Love Me Foundation in the city of Santa Monica on Sunday, September 24. The slew of celebrity names included Kelly Osbourne, Miss Jay Alexander, Laith Ashley, Leeza Gibbons, Benjamin Patterson, Hayden Byerly, and Perez Hilton, to name a few.
The Breaking the Silence Awards was held at the luxury beachfront property at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel. The Sunday afternoon luncheon raised thousands of dollars for the Foundation. Honorees included former West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land, Williams’ Institute Founding Executive Director, Brad Sears, Pulse Shooting Massacre Survivor Angel Colons, Celebrity DJ Zeke Thomas, and OUT Magazine Managing Editor R. Kurt Osenlund, were honored at the luncheon. The event also featured live performances by Frank Ocean, Laith Ashley, Chris Woods and Sophie Beem.
“We all have a reason to break the silence,” said Robert Harrell, executive producer of the Breaking the Silence Awards. “Breaking the Silence is a sustained movement that impacts millions of lives. We honor the personal stories that motivate individuals to speak up, and that highlight the urgent need to provide inclusive and affirmative services to LGBT survivors of sexual trauma who so desperately need them.”
Additional guests included Senator Ben Allen, Prop 8 Plantiff Couple- Paul Katami & Jeff Zarrillo, TV Personality Laura Govan, Trans Activist Jacob Tobia, LA Times Queer Journalist, Tre’vell Anderson, KTLA News Producer, Marcus Wilson-Smith & husband Chris Wilson-Smith, TEDx speaker Kristy Spagoon and filmmaker/producer Nneka Onuorah.
The luncheon’s live auction, led by comedian Sampson McCormick, featured an array of exotic destination getaways to Costa de Sol, Spain, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, and Los Cabos, Mexico.
For more information on Breaking the Silence Awards, visit www.btsawards.com.
To learn about the I Love Me Foundation, visit www.i-loveme.org.
