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Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Photo:Hunter Abrams,Samantha Nandez/BFA

It isnt enough to just resist, we must constantly be taking steps to make actual change and have an impact on peoples lives. That line, from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center executive director Glennda Testones speech last night, resonated. Testone was addressing a room full of activists, donors, and friends who had gathered for The Centers annual dinner at Cipriani Wall Street. The crowd included Edie Windsor, Huma Abedin , Lana Wachowski , and Arianna Huffington, many of whom bid on art donated from the likes of Richard Prince and Hanna Liden on Paddle8 and Katy Perry tour tickets, which fundraised, along with donations, more than $1.75 million for the organization last night. That money will go to implementing the actual change Testone spoke of.

Then, there was Hillary Clinton , who arrived in a yellow jacket to accept The Centers Trailblazer Award. Being with all of you is a little bit like a very stylish family reunion, began Clinton, warming up the crowd with a few lighthearted jokes about missing Bette Midlers Hello, Dolly! debut and her long friendship with Marc Jacobs , who received The Centers Visionary Award last night, before getting to more serious topics. As reports of bias-related violence and discrimination have gone up in the months since [I visited The Center last spring], so has the need for The Centers services, especially among young people of color, immigrants, and the transgender community. And weve learned something important: That the progress that we fought for, that many of you were on the front lines of, and that weve celebrated and maybe even taken for granted may not be as secure as we once expected . . . . And it is not just here in our country that were seeing clouds gathering on the horizon. In recent weeks weve heard terrifying accounts from Chechnya of gay and bisexual men being taken form their homes and families, tortured, and even killed. When government authorities were confronted with these reports their response was chilling. They said you cannot arrest or repress people who do not exist. The United States government, yes, this government, should demand an end to the persecution of innocent people across the world.

Clinton continued, I will say again what I said in 2011: Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights . . . I think we have to face the fact that we might not ever be able to count on this administration to lead on LGBT issues. Here a guest screamed out 2020! Without missing a beat the former secretary of state responded, Just remember 2018 the mid-term elections! We can never stop fighting. We need to dedicate these next years, the next two years, the next four years, and beyond to supporting people and organizations that are advocating for the best of American values around the world, here at home, and we also have to win elections to make it clear where our country stands.

She ended her speech on a hopeful note, saying Lets not forget, even now were seeing glimmers of hope in the courts and an outpouring of grassroots activism across our country, and riffing on her recent sightings in the woods of Chappaqua with a laugh. Now Ive had new mantra these few weeks, the kind of thing that does pop into your head when youre out in the woods, but I really believe its a good way to remind ourselves, when you feel a little down, when a good friend or loved one says quit yelling at the television set, just remember we need to resist, insist, persist, and enlist and make sure our voices and our goals are heard. Were going to keep fighting together side by side for equal rights and were going to make sure that nobody turns the clock back on what we have achieved as Americans. That is a promise and with your help lets make sure we keep it.

Other honorees included Jan Siegmund, corporate vice president and chief financial officer of ADP, who received the Corporate Impact Award, and Carmelyn P. Malalis, chair and commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, who received its Community Impact Award. By 11:00-ish the hoards of stylish guests has poured out into Wall Street, turning the sleepy area into the spot to be seenand to try to get a Lyft fromon a Thursday night.

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Hillary Clinton Champions Gay Rights at The Center's Award Dinner - Vogue.com