Equality Florida looks to go full fashionista as it returns to the Mahaffey Theater for the 2016 Greater St. Petersburg Gala May 7.
Famed designer Michael Vollbracht will be onboard crafting fashion and floral elements for the gala to bring the evening’s theme “Magic, Fantasy and Dreams” to life.
Vollbracht rose to fame working as the head designer for Bill Blass Limited and designing several years for Bloomingdale’s. Vollbracht’s popular Face Bag design appears on the legendary department store’s bags.
“Michael Vollbracht is such a great designer, and has always supported charitable causes both here in Tampa Bay and in New York, and has done so much to fight for and support the LGBT community,” says Equality Florida Development Officer Todd Richardson. “Plus he’s a super nice guy and he is going to be bringing some beautiful designs to the gala.”
Vollbracht will have an array of models wearing popular, celebrity dresses throughout the event.
“They will be introduced and will make their way down the staircase and throughout the crowd as visual ‘goodwill ambassadors’ during the evening,” Richardson says. “These are the actual dresses, too, not replicas.”
Some of the designs being modeled will include Elizabeth Taylor’s famous “cat coat,” a dress worn by Oprah and a design known as the Rainbow Dress which has been worn by celebrities Eva Longoria and Beyoncé.
The evening’s event will also see two community members receiving Equality Florida’s Voice of Equality Award.
The 2016 recipients are president of the Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Ashley Brundage and Metro Wellness and Community Centers former director of LGBT services Chris Rudisill.
“Chris and Ashley are what I like to call connecters,” Richardson says. “They connect people within the community and outside of the community as well.”
Rudisill, who is now the national executive director of Stonewall National Museum & Archive in Fort Lauderdale, will make the trip back to St. Petersburg to accept the award.
“When Chris came to St. Pete, he and his partner started volunteering right away at events and with organizations,” Richardson says. “When Chris joined Metro in St. Petersburg he ask me if all the organizations ever got together to talk and discuss issues, and I said no not really. So we started having lunches and we learned a great deal about one another and our organizations.”
Brundage, fresh off her recent promotion at PNC Bank, will also be in attendance to accept the award.
“Ashley has done more for raising transgender visibility in the area more than almost anyone I know,” Richardson says. “She is so smart and with her work at PNC Bank, has just done tremendous things for the community.”
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman will be the recipient of Equality Florida’s Straight Ally for Equality Award. Kriseman has been a vocal supporter for LGBT equality since beginning his political career and was awarded two WAVE Awards by the Watermark readers.
“Can I just say the Mayor Kriseman is legitimately one of the coolest politicians I have ever met?” Richardson says. “He cares so much about doing the right thing and he stands with us in our fight for full equality. He stood with our community long before he was our mayor.”
Armed with just his Twitter account Mayor Kriseman has taken on those who oppose LGBT equality from Donald Trump to the state of North Carolina.
The evening will conclude with a “State of the State” address by Equality Florida CEO Nadine Smith.
Along with awards, speeches and fashion; the Greater St. Petersburg Gala will also feature a silent auction, food courtesy of Locale Market/Farm Table restaurant, open bar and live music.
Tickets for the event, which is presented by PNC Bank, can be purchased at EQFL.org/GreaterStPeteGala.
