speech for large-scale, fundraising event —written and presented at Damien Center’s annual gala, Grande Masquerade
CHALLENGE:
Each year, Damien Center’s hosts Grande Masquerade, its annual black-tie gala with around 1,000 of the city’s most dedicated donors supporting HIV/AIDS advocacy and equitable health care for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, with a theme of Hollywood glamour, the program was full. In addition to regular updates from CEO over guests’ dinner, the program was to feature entertainment, award presentations and a tribute to Coby Palmer. Over the years, guests have shared with staff and board, that the program can run long. I was given the task of providing a final update on fundraising dollars and give an extra boost. Additionally, with this being my first year in the role, this would also serve as my introduction to many of the guests.
SOLUTION:
I needed to be brief, bold, and authentically me. And most importantly, rally the audience one final time to give.
In the end, the event raised almost $400k–a record amount for the event. A transcription of my speech is below.
From the earliest days of HIV, our community—and incredible folks like Coby Palmer—made it clear that our lives are worth fighting for. We organized. We raised money. We fought. And we’ve made incredible progress together. The beautiful faces filling this room are proof of that progress.
I’m proud to share that tonight, we have raised a total of $395,000–the most we’ve ever raised for this event. Thank you!
Please continue giving where you’ve been bidding on silent auction items or by scanning the QR code on the back of your program.
In this room tonight, we all have a different perspective and relationship to the HIV epidemic. We all have different life experiences and identities that influence our ability to access quality care.
And every single one of us in this room tonight has a story, a reason, a person—that makes the work of Damien incredibly personal.
Born in the early 80’s, one of my first memories is seeing the AIDS crisis unfold on TV. These young men on the nightly news dying alone in hospitals, protesting in the streets, I knew—even as a little kid—that these were my people.
And with Ryan White’s story, I heard my young blue-collar, well-intentioned parents—blinded by misinformation and stigma—discuss their fears about sending their kids to school, terrified that we could contract HIV from the playground or the school bathrooms. By the time I was 10, I was certain I was gay. And according to everything the world was telling me—I was destined to die from AIDS. Being gay was a death sentence.
Fast forward, a few decades—I’m here. Married to the best man in the world with an incredible daughter.
I–like so many of you I’m sure—have a life I never thought possible. Because of organizations like Damien Center. Because of people who fought for a future that they never got see. Because of people who kept fighting—people like you—we now have access to care and prevention. We are alive.
And because of the folks like the Indy Bag Ladies. We now have the ability to not just survive—but THRIVE.
Years ago, I was introduced to the Bag Ladies through the Bus Tours during Halloween. My first year on the bus, I sat next to a queen named Miss Hollywood–the 1990 reigning Bag Lady Queen. She was done up in full Marilyn Monroe. She shared hilarious stories of shenanigans from past years’ bus tours and parties and heartbreaking stories of losing friends. We shared lots of laughs and tears. And like Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.
I will forever be grateful for Miss Hollywood and for those like Coby who created a space and community where those stories could be shared, relived, and celebrated.
I ask you all tonight to share your stories. And treasure the stories that are shared with you.
I’m incredibly proud to be part of a community and legacy—and organization—committed to addressing inequities, supporting one another when we need it, and finding joy and celebrating our incredible capacity to love. We have come so far.
But our progress is still too fragile and so young. It is hard fought and worthy of celebrating–and we are certainly doing that tonight. But we must not grow complacent in our progress that we forget those still fighting for their lives.
People experiencing poverty need us to keep fighting until they have access to the life-saving medicine that we may take for granted.
People of color need us to keep fighting until their barriers to health care are erased and they share the same life expectancy as their White neighbors.
Our trans community needs us to keep fighting.
Lives depend on it.
At Damien, we will not stop until everyone in our community has equitable access to quality and affirming care that recognizes and understands who they are without judgement, without stigma. And we will not stop until we end the HIV epidemic for everyone in our community. With your support tonight, together, we can do this.
THANK YOU.
Benjamin Snyder 