Actors Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley walk the red carpet at The Trevor ProjecLIVE. Photo: Getty Images
Haters gonna hate, but as Modern Family actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson makes clear in this video, there was nothing but love at TrevorLIVE in Los Angeles earlier this month.
The stars were shining brightly as celebs from the worlds of film, television and music walked the red carpet at The Trevor Project gala event, held on Dec. 7 at the Hollywood Palladium. The Trevor Project is the nation’s leading provider of crisis-intervention and suicide-prevention services for LGBTQ youth, and it’s a group we keep close to our heart as a community partner.
TrevorLIVE was kicked off in true Hollywood style as a parade of glamorous entertainment figures like Katherine Heigl, Lisa Kudrow, James Marsden and Molly Ringwald made their entrances amid flashing cameras and clamoring fans. Even California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom — who doesn’t exactly lack for movie-star looks himself — made an appearance. The evening’s honorees included NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt, who was presented the Trevor Hero Award for his ongoing support of the LGBTQ community; Yahoo, which was given the 20/20 Visionary Award for its empowering messages on behalf of LGBTQ young people; and Skylar Kergil, a transgender artist, musician and YouTube personality.
The Trevor ProjectLIVE honoree Skylar Kergil. Photo: Getty Images
And as dedicated Trevor Project supporters and the organization’s first-ever national hotel sponsor, we had the amazing opportunity to present an award of our own. Senior VP of Hotel Operations Barry Pollard and Senior Director of Guest Marketing Maggie Lang were on hand to bestow the 2014 Kimpton Ambassador Award to Rebecca Chekouras, a local Trevor Ambassador who has been crucial to TTP’s Bay Area success. Trevor Ambassadors are active in seven cities around the country, from DC to San Diego, expanding the The Trevor Project’s reach every day. And in true, committed volunteer fashion, Rebecca was unable to attend the festivities to accept her award because she was back in San Francisco preparing for another Trevor Project fund-raising event.
Kimpton’s own Barry Pollard, center, and Maggie Lang, right, presented the Kimpton Ambassador Award at The Trevor ProjectLIVE.
The evening’s entertainment included a live Internet auction presided over by Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation), Alex Borstein (Family Guy), and Billy Eichner (Funny or Die’s Billy on the Street), highlighted by one donor text requesting Adam and Billy kiss. They happily obliged. There were also musical numbers, with Glee’s Darren Criss and Mia Pfirrman belting Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally,” and of course Jesse Tyler Ferguson putting his own stamp on a Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off.”
But TrevorLIVE’s true highlights were the emotional, heartfelt speeches from the honorees. As Robert Greenblatt noted, there are young people out there who have run out of hope because they don’t feel they can ever be who they are. But as Skylar said in his inspirational speech that evening: “Everyone has a story to tell, and there’s always someone out there who’s waiting to hear it.”
So what’s your story?
(Want to help contribute to The Trevor Project? You can make a donation — and get a discounted rate — every time you stay with us by using the TRPR code when you book.)
