The eclipse on April 8 marked New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ “biggest celebration of creative change makers to date!” As the purple carpet was rolled out in Cipriani South Street in NYC, professors, students, alum and more gathered to acknowledge honorees actor Corey Stoll, singer/songwriter Madison Love and film director Ang Lee at the 2024 Tisch Gala.
NEW YORK, NY – Each year, the New York Junior League hosts a fundraising gala for its community programs and volunteer training, allowing it to continue advancing its exceptional impact in the NYC community.
Credit: Andrew Werner
The New York Junior League is one of New York City’s oldest and largest nonprofit volunteer organizations, run by 2,300+ women volunteers, focusing on uplifting women through community impact and leadership opportunities.
Credit: Andrew Werner
For this year’s gala, the organization set their sights on Cipriani South Street as their venue, with the theme of “Glamour in Gotham: Celebrating New York City’s Historic Past And Vibrant Future”. The fundraising gala, colloquially known as ‘Winter Ball’, is a black-tie event that begins with an extravagant dinner and culminates with dessert and dancing.
Credit: Andrew Werner
As is customary for fundraising galas, the NYJL conducted a live and silent auction, offering attendees the opportunity to go home with experiences such as a stay at the Canyon Ranch Wellness Resort, day access to the Stamford Yacht Club, or even a private shopping experience at Alice + Olivia. Last year, the event raised over $600,000. This year’s total surpassed that by more than $100,000.
At this year’s gala, the NYJL honored several Outstanding Sustainers and Volunteers, the highest honors attainable from the organization. These awards are typically reserved only for exceptional women who embody the core values of the NYJL and demonstrate a dedication to giving back to the greater NYC community.
Credit: Andrew Werner
The committee presented awards to two Outstanding Sustainers (A. Gale Kroeger and Elizabeth Timberan) and five Outstanding Volunteers (Mona Kelly Lopez, Moriah K. Lutz-Tveite, Susan Timmons Marks, Elizabeth Ann Beller Staryak, and Megan Zuckerman) for their efforts. In the words of NYJL President Serra Eken, “These seven women embody the New York Junior League’s humanitarian spirit and their compassion and commitment to serving their community keeps us at the forefront of meeting the needs of women, children, and families in New York.”
Quoted directly from a press release: Since 1901, the New York Junior League (NYJL) has responded to New York City’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges. Powered by more than 2,300 women volunteers, the NYJL works with more than 60 community-based organizations to advance children’s social-emotional learning and to provide life skills programs to youth and adults who are navigating periods of difficult transition. Bringing their diverse experiences and talents, trained NYJL volunteers engage women and children in health, education, and arts workshops specially customized to their needs. The NYJL also advocates with state and city government for women- and children-centered policies and develops volunteers’ leadership skills for service in the NYJL and on other nonprofit boards, all while cultivating a community that reinforces women’s personal relationships and collective power as drivers of positive change.
Credit: Andrew Werner
Credit: Andrew Werner
The nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) hosted their annual Greater New York Dinner at The Hilton Midtown in Manhattan, New York. The dinner served not only as a fundraiser for the nonprofit but an evening for over 1,000 LGBTQ+ advocates and supporters from across the country to gather and celebrate the mission of Human Rights Campaign.
Honorees of the night were LGBTQ+ icons Academy Award-nominated actor, playwright and producer Colman Domingo, the recipient of HRC’s Equality Award, actress and transgender advocate Trace Lysette who received the HRC’s Trailblazer award, and former Macy’s Inc. Chairman & CEO Jeff Gennette, recipient of the HRC‘s Corporate Visibility Award. Other notable attendees included Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Queer as Folk actor Johnny Sibilly, drag queens Blacc Cherry and Peppermint, and comedian Dana Goldberg.
After a night of impassioned and inspirational speeches from HRC president Kelley Robinson, Senator Chuck Schumer amongst others, the night concluded with an after-party outside of the Hilton’s grand-ballroom, including a drag show hosted by Janelle No5.
Continue below to view exclusive interview clips taken from the HRC’s blue carpet, featuring HRC president Kelley Robinson, actor Aaron Goldberg, drag queen Blacc Cherry, comedian Dana Goldberg, and honorees Colman Domingo and Trace Lysette.
A very merry evening full of laughter and giving, just in time for the holiday season!
The Noel Shoe Museum Gala celebrated and fundraised for the first and only footwear museum in the United States, set to open soon in New York.
Equality Now, an organization dedicated to advocating for the human rights of women and girls across the world, held their annual gala on Wednesday night at Gustavino’s. Under a backdrop of the glittering Queensboro bridge at sunset, poet Rupi Kaur won the 2023 Changemaker award and delivered an inspiring call-to-action speech.
Held on International Day of the Girl, the Make Equality Reality Gala celebrates the progress made toward a more gender equal world and all who fight for that future. To date, Equality Now has changed over 70 laws around the world. Since 1992, they have been fighting to achieve legal equality, end sexual exploitation and violence, and end culturally normalized harmful practices towards women and girls. The organization’s Director, Mona Sinha, told us the organization means a lot to her because “as a young girl growing up in India, [she] saw the discrimination firsthand,” and thinks that “the law is the foundation to securing women’s rights.” She joined Equality Now because she’s “more interested in systemic change that is binding and secure” than something that only lasts for a year or two. Tonight’s event is a way for Equality Now to “showcase their work in a positive, happy way, because it is very challenging work.
Rupi Kaur, who won the 2023 Changemaker award (given last year to the icon Gloria Steinem), is a poet whose work has transformed the lives of women and given voice to many who were previously unable to share their experiences. Her book, Milk and Honey, is among the top 10 banned books in the United States due to its discussion of sexual harm. She knows more than anyone how powerful our voices are, and how they “threaten those who are more than happy to take away those powers.”
She engaged the room with her intelligence and charm, encouraging art for resistance despite censorship as a “beautiful act of rebellion against a world that undermines us at every turn.” Despite oppression worldwide, she assured everyone that “young girls will always find a way to survive; their resilience is unparalleled” and told us that “we as a community must find a way to empower them through all walks of life.” Director Sinha celebrated Kaur as a “real changemaker, because she has really changed the hearts and minds of the next generation in a way that is so meaningful and will really impact the future.”
Gloria Steinem told the crowd to keep fighting for progress and for the Equal Rights Amendment, and lauded 10-year-old Teela Samra for her passionate speech calling for gender equality.
The night was a beautiful celebratory way to “show the world that we can win, and we can change lives, and we can make a difference in a time when the world is pretty dark.” Equality Now inspired its guests and its wins this year, and continues to make a difference worldwide. Learn more about the incredible work Equality Now is doing here. 
NEW YORK, NY – Fall, the season when New Yorkers admire the changing of the leaves, exchange their summer clothes for wool overcoats and down jackets, and assemble inside for gala season.
The NYSCF Gala and Science Fair event shed more light on the field of stem cell research with an open science fair, scientist educators, and a gala where members and honorees shared their stories with the Foundation.
The Knockturnal attended The 30th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, California. The event was organized by Nancy Davis, an advocate for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the founder of both the organization and the Center Without Walls. The gala aimed to raise funds for the Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls program, which brings together top MS research centers to collaborate on groundbreaking research for treating and finding a cure for MS.