Beverly Center and The Advocate, along with LGBTQ celebrities and notable allies, honored four of The Advocate’s official Champions of PRIDE: Parkland survivor and advocate Emma Gonzales, ballroom icon and trans actress Cece Suazo, Chief Executive Officer of Extraordinary Families Sarah Boone, and founder of the of the first black, gay disco in LA Jewels Thais-Williams during a private reception at Beverly Center’s Farmhouse. Host Laverne Cox had the honor of flipping the switch to light Beverly Center’s exterior in PRIDE’s signature rainbow coloring. This was the first time the building has ever been lit, and it will be lit every evening throughout June as a symbol of the shopping center’s ongoing support of the LGBTQ community. During the lighting, Laverne Cox addressed the crowd, delivering a heartfelt and inclusive speech that got the crowd excited for the rest of the program. Emma Gonzales, one of the Champions of PRIDE, was unfortunately, unable to attend the evening’s celebrations due to her high school graduation, but sent a heartfelt message of thanks to the crowd via video. At the reception, guests enjoyed the stylish tunes of Newbody and were treated to a special performance from Ada Vox, which caused the crowd to erupt into cheers and demand an encore. A one-of-a-kind mural created by Lovewall artist J. Goldcrown served as the photo backdrop for the evening and will live at Beverly Center throughout the month of June.