FUN HOME Star Performs at NLGJA's 2016 NY 'Headlines & Headliners' Benefit Tonight

NLGJA, The Association of LGBT Journalists, is honored to announce that Gio Benitez, ABC News correspondent, LZ Granderson, ESPN Senior Writer and ABC News contributor, will share hosting duties at its 21st Headlines & Headliners benefit in New York tonight, March 31.

More than 350 guests, including top talent and executives from the news and entertainment industries, are expected to attend the star-studded benefit, which has become one of New York City's must-attend media events. This year, the benefit will even feature a live performance by a cast member of the Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home, based on the best-selling graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel.

"We are extremely proud and lucky to have both Gio Benitez and LZ Granderson hosting this year's benefit," said NLGJA President Jen Christensen. "These are two outstanding journalists who have really made an impact in areas that align with our mission by giving a candid voice to the LGBT community. They have brought, and continue to bring their unique perspectives to issues that people really care about."

Benitez and Granderson will present NLGJA's 11th Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship and the sixth Kay Longcope Scholarship. NLGJA will also award two national scholarships to undergraduate or graduate students who plan a career in journalism and who are committed to furthering the organization's mission.

Gio Benitez, an award-winning reporter, is an ABC News correspondent in New York. He has covered a wide range of stories for the network and reports for all programs and platforms including "Good Morning America", "World News with David Muir", "Nightline", and "20/20". Prior to joining ABC in 2013, Benitez reported for WFOR in Miami, a CBS-affiliate TV station. Benitez has received two regional Emmy Awards and is an eight-time nominee, including one for his notable investigative series on alleged police brutality, resulting in two Miami officers being stripped of their guns and badges.

LZ Granderson is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. He has been at ESPN since 2005, where ha has worked in such roles as NBA and tennis editor; host and co-producer of a variety of digital shows including Sports Center, Outside the Lines, and First Take; and a member of their on-air tennis coverage team. He is also an ABC News contributor and has worked as a CNN contributor and lecturer at Northwestern University. Granderson has been recognized by the Online News Association and the National Association of Black Journalists, and his work has been honored by The Human Rights Campaign. A celebrated voice on sports, race and gay rights, Granderson was named Journalist of the Year by NLGJA in 2011.

Headlines & Headliners is chaired by CNN executive producer Javier Morgado. For more information and tickets, visit www.nlgja.org/headlines-headliners.

NLGJA is an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students working from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues. NLGJA opposes all forms of workplace bias and provides professional development to its members. For more information on the Association of LGBT Journalists, visit the organization's website at www.nlgja.org.