In honor of PRIDE Month, be part of “Take PRIDE!” 2026 at Galleria Fort Lauderdale, a History Fort Lauderdale benefit cocktail reception and exhibition honoring LGBTQ+ community advocates. The special event, hosted by previous “Take PRIDE!” honoree FayWhat?!, will kick off Wilton Manors Stonewall PRIDE Parade & Street Festival and pay tribute to some of South Florida’s most impactful LGBTQ+ leaders. Attendees will also receive a sneak preview of the exhibition “Coming Out of the Shadows” that will run from May 29 – June 30 at Galleria Fort Lauderdale (2414 East Sunrise Blvd).
This year’s “Take PRIDE!” honorees who have made significant contributions to the South Florida community are Chris Caputo, commissioner and vice mayor of the City of Wilton Manors; Dennis Dean, executive director of ArtsUnited; Robert Griffin and Durell Watkins, the bishops of Sunshine Cathedral; Ronnie Larsen, actor, director, playwright, and producer; Rafaelé Narváez, co-founder and director of health programs for Latinos Salud; Jason Parsley, owner and publisher of Out South Florida; William C. Schultz, police chief, City of Fort Lauderdale; Nicole Stodard, artistic director of Thinking Cap Theatre; and Tatiana Williams, founder and executive director of TransInclusive Group, Inc.
The “Take PRIDE!” 2026 exhibit “Coming Out of the Shadows” will feature photos and ephemera that tell the stories of the tumultuous political climate of 1960s pre-Stonewall Fort Lauderdale. The exhibit, a collaboration with Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library and Florida International University, is curated by Fred Fejes, professor emeritus of multimedia studies at Florida Atlantic University and Julio Capo, Jr., an author and associate professor of history at Florida International University. The exhibition will be free and open to the public during mall hours.
Previous “Take PRIDE!” honorees have included Dean Trantalis, Richard Gray, Sebrina María Alfonso, Craig Stevens, Rod Stafford Hagwood, Tiffany Arieagus, Gary Keating, John Castelli, Andy Rogow, David Jobin, Erika Norell, Jacqueline Lorber, Josie Smith Malave, Mark Gilbert, Misty Eyez, Shawn Palacious (Kitty Meow) and Steven Evans, Ph.D.
“Take PRIDE!” is presented by Galleria Fort Lauderdale with support from HotSpots Media Group/Happening Out Television Network, OUT SFL, Hunters Nightclubs, Gulf Stream Distillery, Ethos Greek Bistro, and GPR | Goodman Public Relations.
Tickets for the May 28 “Take PRIDE!” reception are $50 and are available at www.historyfortlauderdale.org. Guests will enjoy a preview of the exhibit, surprise performances, cocktails and light bites.
For more information about Galleria Fort Lauderdale or for a complete list of retailers, call (954) 564-1015 or visit www.galleriamall-fl.com.