We Speak Events
Celebration 4 A Cause (C4AC) Charity Event!

On Wednesday December 20, 2017 Celebration 4 A Cause: Where Music Meets Fashion For A Cure held a fashion show at the Atlanta City Hall. The purpose of the event was to bring more awareness to cancer, especially within the American American community where the impact is so great. C4AC is a service driven event that was hosted by singer and songwriter Keri Hilson and also featured performances and appearances from Keke Wyatt, Bando Jones, Noochie, and Akbar V just to name a few. Creative Director Clay West, in association with Zone 4 Records and non-profit organization Foundation F.O.C.U.S teamed up to make the event nothing short of memorable for this special time of the year.
Foundation F.O.C.U.S concentrates on its mission to instill a desire for education, interpersonal skills, networking and marketability within our youth. They definitely displayed their mission well with how brilliantly they helped execute this benefit.
The foundation collected clothes, coats, and toiletries for the homeless this holiday season while guests were also able to view some fresh and inventive fashions. The fashion show was followed up with presentations from Bravo TV’s reality star and fashion designer Lisa Nicole Cloud, Carlos Wayne, Ryan Lamar, Reco Chapel, Grayscale, Ann Couture Designs and more. Guests were able to enjoy themselves with a multitude of sweets and other snacks as well as an open bar courtesy of D’ussè.
The event was energy filled and the holiday spirit truly resonated throughout the entire venue which was accredited to the giant Christmas tree that the runway circled around. The turnout was even better, friends and family of the models filled the audience and cheered for their loved ones. You could feel the love and support just pouring into them. It was also nice to see so many Atlanta locals come to show their support for the cause as well. I don’t know about anyone else but this benefit definitely got me in the holiday spirit!
Happy Holidays Everyone!
We Speak Entertainment
BET MEDIA GROUP HONORED BLACK LGBTQ+ TRAILBLAZER WITH A POWERFUL NIGHT OF CELEBRATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
FROM BOB THE DRAG QUEEN’S GROUNDBREAKING RECOGNITION TO HOPE GISELLES’S INSPIRING REMARKS– THE 3RD ANNUAL BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE HIGHLIGHTED THE BRILLIANCE AND IMPACT OF BLACK LGBTQ+ LEADERS

(New York, NY)– May 28, 2025 – The 3rd Annual BET Black + Iconic Soirée made its Washington, D.C debut with inspiring evening celebrating the past, present, and future of black LGBTQ+ excellence. The 2025 theme, “Excellence Ascending,” paid tribute to cultural change makers leading with authenticity, courage and purpose.
Hosted by entertainment journalist and Access Hollywood anchor Scott Evans, the Soirée gathered trailblazers across activism, arts, business, and media for a powerful evening of storytelling , performance, and legacy-building.
Highlights from the BET Black + Iconic Soriée Included:
- Ashlee Davis, J.D. received the Executive Realness Award for her trailblazing work in civil rights leadership, including her legacy of impact across government and corporate sectors.
- Hope Giselle, a powerful advocate and author was named Emerging leader for her unrelenting work championing visibility and inclusion for Black trans communities.
- Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, was honored as Active Advocate for her decades of leadership advancing reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
- Ashlee Marie Preston, a nationally recognized activist and media strategist, accepted the Creative Visionary Award, saluted for using her voice to shift narratives and build intergenerational coalitions.
- Bob the Drag Queen, Emmy-winning entertainer and global icon, received the Culture Trailblazer Award, closing the evening with a heartfelt speech about identity, freedom, legacy.
- The Center for Black Equity and the Take Resource Center each received $5,000 through the BET Thrive Fund Recognition, honored for their work advancing Black LGBTQ+ wellness, equity and community organizing.
The night also featured a soul-stirring medley performance by Broadway powerhouse Avery Wilson, fresh off stage from The Wiz revival. Presenters included Eva Marcille (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Carter The Body (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Bryan Terrell Clark (Diarra from Detroit, BET+), and Arrington Foster (The Family Business, BET+), each bringing star power and heartfelt tributes to the evening’s honorees.
“From the very beginning, we knew this couldn’t be just another event,” said Tiyale Hayes, EVP of Insights and Multiplatform Analytics and Co-Lead of Social Impact at BET, During his opening remarks. “It had to an intentional space to uplift stories too often silenced and celebrate contributions that have shaped the world in powerful ways.”
The evening also spotlighted Gilead Sciences, a long standing partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Gilead’s Rashad Burgess, Vice President of U.S. Advocacy and Health Equity, emphasized and the importance of equitable healthcare access, visibility, and long-term impact for Black LGBTQ+ communities.
Additionally, the event welcomed Truth Initiative as a new partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Dr. Kendrick Dartis, Vice president of Outreach and Engagement, addressed the urgent issue of tobacco use in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and emphasized the need for culturally relevant cessation support. He also announced a $5,000 BET Thrive Fund donation, sponsored by Truth Initiative, to Us Helping Us– a D.C.- based non profit dedicated to advancing health equity.
BET Black + Iconic Soirée stands as defining moment in the 45th anniversary year of the media group– underscoring its mission to center Black culture, honor its LGBTQ+ communities, and drive meaningful, measurable impact.
Join the conversation using #BlackAndIconic and relieve the nights most powerful moments on BET’s official social channels. The Televised premiere date and time will be announced at a later date.
ABOUT BET MEDIA GROUP
The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ:PARAA;PARA), is the worlds largest media company dedicated too entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture. Connecting Back audiences through a portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios, and VH1, the BET Media Group is thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international. For more information about BET, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For more BET news announcements visit bet pressroom.com.
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