Celebrities, Activists, and Athletes Come Together for GLAAD and the NFL’s 3rd Annual Night of Pride!

With Super Bowl LVIII right around the corner, it’s time for GLAAD and the NFL’s annual “A Night of Pride” celebration! For the third year in a row, LGBTQ and allied celebrities, activists, and athletes gathered to promote inclusivity in sports and spotlight how far the football world has come in terms of LGBTQ acceptance.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 07: Lance Bass speaks onstage during “A Night of Pride” with GLAAD and the NFL presented by Smirnoff at Caesars Palace on February 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for GLAAD)

The event took place at the famous Caesar’s Palace in Super Bowl LVIII’s host city of Las Vegas on Wednesday, February 7th. The evening was hosted by former *NSYNC member Lance Bass and included a live performance by singer-songwriter VINCINT.

A Night of Pride with GLAAD and the NFL Presented by Smirnoff | GLAAD — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 07: VINCINT performs onstage during “A Night of Pride” with GLAAD and the NFL presented by Smirnoff at Caesars Palace on February 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for GLAAD)

In addition to this exciting performance, there was a panel discussion moderated by out journalist LZ Granderson on how inclusion in sports advances acceptance for LGBTQ people. The panel featured veteran pass rusher Carl Nassib, the NFL’s first openly gay player to play in a regular-season game, along with trailblazer and NFL replay assistant Desiree Abrams and Kevin Maxen, the first out male NFL coach.

unnamed 2 | GLAAD — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 07: (L-R) Jonathan Beane, NFL SVP of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, President & CEO of GLAAD Sarah Kate Ellis, Carl Nassib, Kevin Maxen, Lance Bass, LZ Granderson and Des Abrams attend “A Night of Pride” with GLAAD and the NFL presented by Smirnoff at Caesars Palace on February 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for GLAAD)

Other guests in attendance included NFL Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Jonathan Beane as well as LGBTQ leaders, voices, and allies including model Brooks Marks, Jeffrey Rohrer (Cowboys LB, Ret.), Paramount’s Chief Global Inclusion Officer Marva Smalls, former NFL player and artist R.K. Russell, NFL Correspondent Ryan Mitchell, filmmaker Sav Rogers, chairperson of CBS Sports Sean McManus, actor Zeke Smith, alongside GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis among others.

The event also included GLAAD’s 2024 cohort of the Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI), a 3-year pathway program with varying media focuses designed to specifically pipeline and elevate Black LGBTQ creatives and Black queer storytelling across entertainment, in Hollywood and media at-large. This year’s 2024 cohort, focuses on Black LGBTQ independent music artists which include: 2 AM Ricky, Albanus Thierry, Asiahn, Damez, SHAH, Suni MF, Victor Jackson, and Neverending Nina.

For more about the program, created by GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media Department and supported by Gilead Sciences, see here.

The event, sponsored by Smirnoff, with additional partners Starter and Google, kicks off the GLAAD Media Awards season honoring those in media who have shown exemplary achievement for fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the LGBTQ community, with the 35th GLAAD Media Awards set to take place on March 14 in Los Angeles and May 11 in New York City.

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