Dear Ambush Nation,
Voting in the 31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards is still underway and we are on pace to break all records. Votes have been pouring in from all over the Gulf South in support of the honorable nominees of the 2019 GAA’s. Voting will continue until midnight on July 9th so be sure to go online and cast your vote for your favorite nominees at GayAppreciationAwards.com.
Once the votes are counted, we will be announcing the Top 5 in each category. The winners will be announced at the 31st Annual GAA Gala on Saturday, July 20th at Oz. We are very excited about this year’s event and hope to see each of you at the Gala. As is tradition, the Top 5 show clubs will be asked to provide the entertainment for the Gala. Tickets are $10 for the event and half of the proceeds will be donated to Southern Decadence 2019.
GAA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
With much excitement, Ambush and the GAA Board of Directors are pleased to announce that the recipient of this year’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award is Larry Bagneris, Jr. Bagneris has dedicated his life’s work to promoting equal rights for all starting with his participation in demonstrations protesting segregation in New Orleans at the age of 16. He has recently retired after serving several Mayoral administrations in New Orleans as the Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission. He has been a champion for equal rights for the LGBTQ community and is one of the founders of the Houston Gay Pride Parade. We are very excited to present Larry Bagneris, Jr. with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s GAA Gala.
ELECTION SEASON IS HERE
Last week marked the first debates for the twenty plus Democrats running for President of the United States. Each hopes to win their party’s nomination and take on President Trump in the fall of 2020. Before we get to 2020, however, we have a full slate of elections here in Louisiana this coming fall. Every statewide elected official and every member of the Louisiana Legislature are on the ballot in October 2019. Qualifying for those elections takes place in early August and the primary election is on Saturday, October 12. The deadline to register to vote in the election by mail or in person is September 11 and the deadline to register via the GeauxVote online registrations system is September 21. If you are not registered to vote, I would strongly encourage you to do so. I would also encourage each and every one of you to take the time to get to know the candidates and their positions, especially positions that are important to you and the LGBTQ community.
As we have done in the past, Ambush will make endorsements in key races. We will also keep you informed on candidates’ positions on the issues that matter most to the LGBTQ community. At a time when many of our rights are under attack from the current Presidential administration, it is important to help elect allies of the LGBTQ community who can expand LGBTQ rights on the state level. It is a sad and tragic state of affairs that in 2019 many states, Louisiana among them, have no protections for LGBTQ people against discrimination in the workplace, housing or public accomodations. Together we can work to change that and it starts in 2019 with you! Make sure you and your friends are registered to vote and cast your ballot for candidates who support equal rights for all!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
As you know, Southern Decadence takes place over Labor Day Weekend with the highlight being the Parade on Sunday. But there is more to Decadence than just the events during the holiday weekend. There are many events and fundraisers throughout the summer to keep you busy and entertained. You can find a complete listing of events in Ambush but here are some of the many highlights that you don’t want to miss!
31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards at Oz. Join members of the LGBTQ community as we honor many individuals, businesses and nonprofits who support the community and go above & beyond to advocate for equal rights for all.
Nearly Naked Pool Party – yes, you read that right! What exactly does “nearly naked: mean? I’m not sure but there is an easy way to find out! The event takes place on July 27th from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. The cost of admission is $25 and tickets can be purchased online at SD2019.ticketleap.com/nearly-na-ked-pool-party/
One of my personal favorites is always the Former Southern Decadence Grand Marshals Drag Show. This year the event is on Friday, August 30th at The Golden Lantern at 8 pm. This is a show you don’t want to miss!
