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Every year at the Dorothy Awards, the New Haven Pride Center honors incredible LGBTQ+ Nutmeggers creating positive change for Connecticut’s LGBTQ+ community.

The Dorothy Awards serve as a unique opportunity to recognize those making a difference in the community while at the same raising funds for the New Haven Pride Center. The Center relies on the Dorothy Awards as a major source of its funding. Since its creation, the event has grown into a state tradition, attracting more than 200 guests every year and raising thousands of dollars towards the Center’s annual operating expenses. Thanks to the ongoing success of the Dorothy Awards, the Center is beginning to build towards achieving some of its longer-term goals, including acquiring a permanent home for the Center

What Your Attendance Makes Possible

All proceeds of the Dorothy Awards support the Center’s five focus areas:

  1. creating a safe space for case management and support services;
  2. bringing people together for shared social experiences;
  3. educational activitiesawareness building, and youth empowerment;
  4. arts, culture and humanities programming; and
  5. advocacy for the community.

Additionally, every year a portion of the Dorothy Awards also support the New Haven Pride Center’s Scholarship Fund, which gives out up to $7,500 in scholarships to LGBTQ+ youth every year. 

Saturday March, 12, 2022
Dinner 5:30p
Awards Ceremony 7:30p

John Lyman Center
for the Performing Arts

Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street
New Haven, Connecticut

Photos from the 19th Annual Dorothy Awards
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Photos by Megan McGory-Gleason

Meet Our 2022 Honorees

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Meet Our Entertainment

Kiki Lucia
Host

Roxxxy Andrews
RuPaul’s Drag Race Alum

Carrie Ashton
Lesbian Music Icon

Marc Esposito
CT Jazz Legend

Bubblicious
Founder of New Haven Drag Scene

Laiylah A.W. Laiylah
CT Drag Legend

Rory Roux Lay
Mx. PRIDE New Haven 2020

Crystal Starz
CT Drag Legend

Mia E Z’Lay
Miss PRIDE New Haven 2018

Midnight
CT Drag Legend

Giganta Smalls
Chez Legend

Natalia Fiercé
Mx. Chez Est 2021

Astra S’Lay
Winner Chez Legends 7

Amethyst
Winner Chez Legends 8

Tiana Maxim
Mx. PRIDE New Haven 2021

Miss Frank
Empress 22 of Connecticut

Loosey LaDuca
Chez Legend

Frankie M. Cyanide
CT Drag Legend

Paxx Headroom
CT Drag Legend

Perry Winkle
CT Drag Legend

Mz October May Lay
Miss Gay New Haven 2019

Barbara Joan Streetsand
Legendary Drag Impersonator

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Past Honorees

2022

Kamora Le’Ella Harrington
Dr. A.J. Eckert
John & Luis Pepe
Jaime Myers-McPhail

2021

Ahmad Abojaradeh
Dr. Gary Blick, M.D.
Rep. Raven Matherne
Sy Fraiser, Sun Queen, Dawnise Traore, and ala ochumare

2020

Suzanne Kachmar
Ricky Mestre
Nadine Ruff, MSW
Gretchen Raffa
OutCT
Joe Grabarz

2019

Kirill Staklo
Juancarlos Soto
Bernard Lanche & David Kleman
Yale Cabaret

2018

Dr. A.C. Demidont
State Sen Beth Bye
State Rep Jeff Currey
Sonia Salazar
GLSEN Connecticut

2017

Dandy Lions
Paul Kuehn & George Appleby
Triangle Community Center

2016

Fleurette King
Selma Miriam
Dolores Dégagé Hopkins & Sassie Saltimboca*
CT Trans Advocacy Coalition

2015

Anne Beon
Frank DeMayo
Trevor Reynolds & Michael Morgan
True Colors*

2014

Betty Gallo
Joe Mannetti
Christine O’Leary
APNH: A Place to Nourish Your Health (formerly AIDS Project New Haven)

2013

Irwin Krieger
Carolyn & Leslie Gabel-Brett
Sweetheart Invitational

2012

Mayor Pedro Segarra
Diana Richter
Robin Banks
Out Film CT

2011

Rev. Marilyn Bowens
Tony Ferraiolo
Robb Bartolomeo
Northeast Ursamen

2010

Micheal Morand
Dena Castricone
Leif Mitchell
Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut

2009

Rev. John MacIver Gage
Fran Rzeznik & Zinka Benton
Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus

2008

Vincent Farricelli & Robert Modena
Patricia Nicolari
Another Octave

2007

Linda Estabrook
Curtis Miller & Peter Goodman
Jerimarie Liesegang*

2006

David Knapp
Anne Stanback
Maureen Murphy
Michael Lawlor

2005

Bobbi Blake & Cyd Slotorhoff
John Anderson
Robin Passariello McHaelan

2004

Ellen Gabrielle*
Joseph Goodwin & George Coyle
Stephanie Philips

* Indicates honorees who are no longer with us
** Indicates Rising Star Honorees. 

Past Rising Star Honorees

The Rising Star Award was created to recognize the new generation of activists and organizers leading the community in the next pink wave of policy changes, community building, and advocacy.

2022: Dave Cruz-Bustamante
2021: Alyssa Marie Cajigas Rivera Ortiz
2020: Mel Cordner
2019: Roslyn Cecilia Sotero
2018: Dominic Warshaw
2017: Rose Wong*
2016: Seth Wallace

* Indicates honorees who are no longer with us