In the canon of 21st Century pop music, few hold a special place quite like Kesha. The same could be said of her advocacy for LGBTQIA+ community over her storied career. To honor that legacy, The Center is set to honor her at their upcoming Center Dinner on April 10.
The Center, AKA the NYC LGBT Community Center, is set to host its annual Center Dinner, which raises critical funds for the community, needed more than ever in this increasingly dangerous political climate. Among the honorees is Kesha, who will be presented with the award by PAPER. She is recognized for her contributions to the LGBTQIA+ community throughout her career, whether with anthemic songs like “We R Who We R,” speaking out in defense of challenges to our rights, her work with the Human Rights Commission and more.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of her late singles “Joyride” and “Delusional,” with anticipation mounting for her follow up to the 2023 album Gag Order, a breakthrough critical success named “Album of the Year” by The Arts Desk.
At the Center Dinner, Kesha will be honored next to Susie Scher, Senior Advisor of Global Banking & Markets at Goldman Sachs, and Ruth Jacks, Executive Vice President and Head of Wells Fargo’s Commercial Banking Diverse Segments team. The dinner will be held at Cipriani Wall Street, with tickets and sponsorship available now at gaycenter.org.
The Center, which was established in 1983 amid the devastation of the AIDS Crisis, has provided life-saving treatments, support and advocacy for over 40 years. Since then, it has become integral to the fabric of New York’s constantly changing LGBTQIA+ community, growing to meet its needs and adapting to ever-shifting political headwinds. Beyond its recovery and wellness programs, The Center also provides economic initiatives, family support programs, arts and cultural programming, and more.
Photography: Brendan Walter