Seattle has hosted countless Pride celebrations over the years, but the inaugural Lifelong Pride Gala may have set a new standard for star power in the Pacific Northwest LGBTQ+ community.
As the only LGBTQ+ media outlet represented on the red carpet at the Lotte Hotel ahead of the gala, it was clear that this was a moment worth documenting. Seattle has never seen a Pride-related event quite like this one, bringing together nationally recognized LGBTQ+ advocates, entertainers, influencers, and local community leaders under one roof.
The evening honored actress and advocate Laverne Cox with the Lifelong Pride in Action Award and social media star Chris Olsen with the LGBTQ+ Changemaker of the Year Award. Hosted by fashion personality Brad Goreski, the event also featured performances by Macy Gray, Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters, and Miz Cracker.
For longtime members of Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community, the evening felt like a milestone moment. Rarely has the city hosted a Pride-related event that attracted such a high concentration of nationally recognized LGBTQ+ personalities, entertainers, and advocates while simultaneously highlighting the work of local organizations and community leaders.
One of the joys of covering the event was reconnecting with television personality Ross Mathews, who was thrilled to be back in Seattle.
“Come on! I’m so happy to be here,” Mathews said. “Happy Pride, Seattle. This is an extraordinarily friendly city, supportive city to our community. When I grew up, these kind of events and these kind of conversations weren’t happening here. They are now.”
Mathews also shared an update on a long-awaited project.
“I just pitched it, and we’re looking at offers on Tuesday,” he said of his upcoming book. “It takes about a year, but it is coming. My Rossipes book is finally coming. I figured out how I want to do it. I didn’t want to tell people, ‘Here’s the answer,’ because I know what it feels like to not know, to be lost in that. So I wanted to find a way to say, ‘This is how I did it. This is what I do. This is what I’m still struggling with.'”
While I didn’t have a chance to speak directly with honoree Chris Olsen, he spent considerable time chatting with fellow media members, including my neighbors from Seattle Refined and Andrew Hoge from 425 Magazine. His presence underscored the growing national attention being paid to LGBTQ+ creators and influencers who use their platforms to advocate for visibility, acceptance, and community.
Host Brad Goreski graciously posed for photos throughout the evening but, true to form, did not participate in many interviews. It was a familiar experience; I encountered much the same situation when covering him in 2014. While he kept the red-carpet interactions brief, his presence added another level of celebrity appeal to an already impressive guest list.
One of my favorite conversations of the evening was with Miz Cracker, who was equally excited about what the event represented for Seattle’s queer community.
“It really means something for the queer community in Seattle to have a big, fun celebration where we get to feel glamorous,” Cracker said. “Seattle is known for being outdoorsy and activist. And we deserve a little treat in addition to all of our hard work.”
The RuPaul’s Drag Race star was in town between stops of her latest one-woman show.
“I’m doing my one-woman show for Chicago Pride Fest. I’m doing it in Anchorage, Alaska, too. And I’m going to bother as many people with my one-person show as I possibly can,” she joked. “I spent like a total of 250 hours sewing the costumes. So people are going to see it whether they like it or not.”
When asked about Seattle memories, Cracker smiled and shared a brand-new one.
“I just made one today. I got to witness the flying fish at Pike Place Market.”
Another crowd favorite on the carpet was Jake Shears, frontman of the Scissor Sisters and one of the Pacific Northwest’s most celebrated musical exports. During our conversation, Shears spoke enthusiastically about his friendship with Bright Light Bright Light (Rod Thomas) and their shared creative circles.
“I love Rod. I think he’s a super, super talented individual,” Shears said.
Our conversation also turned to his acting role in Pillion, which pairs him with Alexander Skarsgård.
“I felt definitely like I was in over my head, but in a gorgeous way,” Shears admitted. “It gave me a massive respect for film actors. I still don’t know how they do it, but it was an amazing experience.”
As for working alongside Skarsgård?
“How could you say no to doing a sexy movie with Alexander Skarsgård? How could you say no? There’s no way.”
While Macy Gray did not make a red-carpet appearance, I was fortunate enough to witness part of her rehearsal inside The Sanctuary ballroom before guests took their seats. Even during rehearsal, her unmistakable voice filled the historic venue, offering a glimpse of the talent that would later take the stage.
The evening’s final major arrival was Laverne Cox, who received the Lifelong Pride in Action Award. Having interviewed Cox numerous times on the GLAAD Media Awards red carpet over the years, it was wonderful to see her in Seattle for such a significant community event. Unfortunately, with the program about to begin and attendees already seated inside, there was little time available for interviews before she was escorted into the gala.
The person perhaps most responsible for making the evening a reality was James Shackelford, CEO of Lifelong. Nearly a year into his tenure, Shackelford saw an opportunity to create something Seattle had never experienced before.
“When I joined as CEO almost a year ago and saw the incredible pride that comes out of this city, I said to myself and to the team, I think we can convene an event, a fundraiser, a moment in a way that Seattle doesn’t yet have,” Shackelford said. “That’s what we’ve been able to achieve tonight.”
For Shackelford, the gala was about much more than celebrity appearances and entertainment.
“This city is showing up for the community who needs access to health, access to food, and the work that we’ve done for 43 years,” he said.
He explained that while many people still associate Lifelong primarily with its historic HIV services, the organization’s work has expanded considerably over the decades.
“Our legacy program is HIV. We’ve been showing up for clients with HIV for 43 years. We continue to do that. We have case management, we have a dental program, we have a health insurance program,” Shackelford said. “We’ve also expanded that to serve clients living with other chronic conditions and disabilities.”
Beyond the national celebrities, one of the evening’s highlights was watching Seattle’s own LGBTQ+ leaders and personalities enjoy the spotlight. Familiar faces on the red carpet included Versace Doll and Entre Hermanos Executive Director Edgar Mack-Longoria, both of whom represent the strength, diversity, and resilience of the local community.
More than a glamorous evening, the Lifelong Pride Gala served as a powerful reminder of why Pride celebrations matter. Behind the designer gowns, celebrity guests, and standing ovations was a mission focused on ensuring that thousands of Washington residents have access to food, housing, healthcare, and support services.
If this inaugural event is any indication, Seattle’s Pride season has entered a new chapter. For one evening, national stars, hometown heroes, and community advocates shared the same stage—and the result was a celebration unlike anything Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community has seen before.
