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:
- creating a safe space for case management and support services;
- bringing people together for shared social experiences;
- educational activities, awareness building, and youth empowerment;
- arts, culture and humanities programming; and
- 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
Photos by Megan McGory-Gleason
Meet Our 2022 Honorees
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