{"id":292722,"date":"2026-06-02T04:43:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T04:43:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/292722\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T04:43:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T04:43:33","slug":"photos-lgbt-center-orlando-hosts-14th-annual-diversity-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/292722\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTOS: LGBT+ Center Orlando hosts 14th annual Diversity Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

Miss Center Orlando Altesse Aurum performs at the Diversity Awards. (Photo by Bellanee Plaza)<\/p>\n

ORLANDO | Hundreds of people gathered in a rainbow-lit room at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel May 29 for the\u00a0 LGBT+ Center Orlando<\/a>\u2018s 14th annual Diversity Awards.<\/p>\n

The ceremony celebrated local trailblazers, champions and changemakers. This year, Amelia Burgos from Equality Florida was recognized with the Emerging Leader Award, Jeff Hayward from Heart of Florida United Way was recognized with the LGBT Ally Award and Furality and Ginger Minj,<\/a> winner of \u201cRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race\u201d All Stars Season 10, were recognized as a Trailblazer.<\/p>\n

Brandon Martin sang the National Anthem to open the ceremony. Martin is a multi-genre vocalist, composer\/arranger, conductor and music educator. Orlando Mayor\u00a0Buddy Dyer attended and welcomed the audience and Orange County Mayor\u00a0Jerry Demings\u00a0could not attend but sent a video message.\u00a0Miss Center Orlando Altress Aurum performed an opening number wearing her reigning crown. <\/p>\n

Burgos serves as the Orlando Development Officer for Equality Florida and her mission is to foster empathy through visibility. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis award reflects all of that more than it reflects just me and I\u2019m really grateful for every single person who\u2019s been part of that,\u201d Burgos shared with the audience. \u201cI don\u2019t really see myself as a leader in the traditional sense. I just show up, do the work, care deeply about the people around me, and try to keep learning as I go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moderne in Mills was recognized with the Small Business Award and Orlando Fringe was recognized as a Champion of Equality.<\/p>\n

Tempestt Halstead, Artistic Director of the Orlando Fringe, said this year, more than 50% of the audience and more than 70% of the artists participating in the festival identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had artists tell us Fringe was the first place they ever felt safe enough to be able to tell their story out about,\u201d Halstead said. \u201cArts have always been one of the first places where people imagine a more compassionate world, where queer voices, disabled voices, Black voices, immigrant voices and experimental voices\u2026 That is what equity looks like to us, not perfection, not performative statements, but the ongoing commitment to make room for people who historically been told there was no room for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toward the end of the ceremony, attendees were asked to consider making a donation through\u00a0Give Butter. With a goal of $14,000, The Center raised $14,736 in the day. Some donations came from Brittani Acuff, A Walk For Change and Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet.<\/p>\n

The last person to be recognized was Nancy Rosado with the LGBT+ Lifetime Achievement award. Rosado is a Pulse Memorial committee member, a retired NYPD sergeant and a Clinical Social Worker. In the aftermath of the mass shooting at Pulse, Rosado, a retired NYPD sergeant and social worker, provided services for survivors and victims\u2019 families.<\/p>\n

Rosado would hold group therapies with the mothers of the victims as she worked with UCF Restores. The sessions included a Hispanic therapist and were held in a church. She says the support groups were meaningful as it helped the mothers move through their grief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really grateful for this honor,\u201d Rosado said. \u201cYou\u2019ve all quietly supported me over the years in mental health, to the LGBTQ community, to the Hispanic community. Those are my two communities and this is what I\u2019ve worked the hardest at.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watermark Out News was on hand to help celebrate. View our photos below.<\/p>\n

Photos by Bellanee Plaza and Kay Yingling.<\/p>\n

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