Photo Coverage: PFLAG Annual Gala

On Monday, October 9, at the 26th Annual Awards Dinner of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of New York City, the legendary singer-actress Barbara Cook and stage and screen star Rosario Dawson were honored with Celebrity Leadership Awards for their contributions to the "Stay Close" campaign.

Launched in 2002, the "Stay Close" campaign features straight celebrities with their gay relatives. The message: Stay Close to your loved ones because relationships are too precious to lose. Barbara Cook appears in a heart-warming photo with her son, Adam LeGrant. Rosario Dawson appears with her uncle, Frank Jump. "PFLAG's unique voices of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and other relatives and friends of LGBT people works to guide families, educators, and others on a journey out of myth, fear and misunderstanding into truth, understanding and acceptance. With one in four families including someone who is LGBT, PFLAG is committed to help building a society that embraces everyone and oppresses no one," state press notes.

Other honorees at the October 9 event included media giant Time Warner for Corporate Leadership in its contributions to the "Stay Close" campaign, and the American Fertility Association for Community Leadership. Brenda Strong of "Desperate Housewives" presented the award to the American Fertility Association's Executive Director, Pamela Madsen.

Kyan Douglas, Global L'Oreal spokesperson and Emmy award winning beauty expert of NBC/Bravo's "Queer Eye," emceed the event and Ted Allen from "Queer Eye" hosted the VIP reception.

www.pflagnyc.org or www.stayclose.org for more information.

Photos by Lisa Ross

Drew Tagliabue (Board Member and soon-to-be Executive Director of PFLAG NYC), Scott Stringer (Manhattan Borough President), Phyllis Steinberg (PFLAG NYC President), Christine Quinn (City Council Speaker) and Ted Allen


Suzanne Ramos (Vice-president PFLAG NYC and Cofounder "Stay Close" ), Adam LeGrant, and Barbara Cook, who received the 2006 PFLAG NYC Celebrity Leadership Award

Rosario Dawson (who appears on the PFLAG "Stay Close" campaign poster with her uncle Frank Jump) and Anthony Rapp

Frank Jump and Jason Lewis

Frank Jump and Jason Lewis

Anthony Rapp and Kyan Douglas

Frank Jump and Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson

Barbara Cook (who appears on the PFLAG "Stay Close" campaign poster with her son Adam LeGrant))

Barbara Cook with her son Adam LeGrant

Adam LeGrant and Kyan Douglas

Kyan Douglas and Christopher Vance (Development Director with the PFLAG National Office)

Kyan Douglas and Brenda Strong of "Desperate Housewives," who presented the 2006 PFLAG NYC Community Leadership to the American Fertility Association which was accepted by their Executive Director, Pamela Madsen

Pamela Madsen and Brenda Strong