The Human Rights Campaign celebrated its annual National Dinner on Saturday, September 13 in Washington, D.C., drawing a sold-out crowd of more than 2,000 members and supporters. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Ally for Equality Award to acclaimed artist Amy Sherald.
Sherald, known for her vivid portraiture and outspoken advocacy, was recognized for centering LGBTQ+ lives in her art. Her painting “Trans Forming Liberty” reimagines Black transgender artist Arewà Basit as the Statue of Liberty, a piece HRC praised as both a demand for visibility and a call to expand the American dream.
In remarks at the dinner, HRC President Kelley Robinson said Sherald’s work embodies the strength and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Robinson described her as an artist whose vision confronts censorship and bigotry while affirming inclusion. “This night will be a moment to lift up the voices of our advocates, celebrate the beauty of our authentic selves, and unite around a future where our community’s dreams know no limits,” Robinson said.
Sherald spoke about art’s role in shaping social change. She said her work aims to present the full truth of American life, insisting that Transgender, Black and Brown people are essential to that story. “Attempts to erase our existence is not only futile, but a blatant disservice to the truth,” she told the audience. Sherald added that, as LGBTQ+ people face attacks on rights and representation, she hopes her portraits remind the country that queer and trans communities are woven into the nation’s fabric.
Born in Columbus, Georgia, Sherald has long used portraiture to highlight underrepresented communities. She became the first woman and the first Black artist to win the National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition in 2016. The following year, she was commissioned to paint former First Lady Michelle Obama, becoming one of the first Black artists to receive a presidential commission from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. In 2020, her portrait of Breonna Taylor appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, further cementing her reputation as an artist willing to confront social and political realities through her work.
Sherald also drew headlines this year when she withdrew her planned exhibition American Sublime from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Museum officials had considered excluding “Trans Forming Liberty” in response to anti-LGBTQ+ censorship attempts by the Trump administration. Sherald chose to pull the entire show rather than allow the painting to be silenced, underscoring her commitment to defending transgender representation.
The National Dinner, held at the Washington Hilton, remains one of HRC’s signature events. Each year it raises funds to support the organization’s work advancing LGBTQ+ equality across the country, while also serving as a rallying point for members and advocates.