Photos: Inside the 2026 Liberty Awards National Dinner with Annette Bening, Cherry Jones, & More

On Thursday, June 4, Lambda Legal hosted the 2026 Liberty Awards National Dinner at New York City's Glasshouse, honoring award-winning actress and activist Annette Bening and journalist Kara Swisher with their Liberty Awards. Check out photos from the event below.

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and policy work.

The Liberty Awards National Dinner is the organization’s signature annual gala, where nearly one thousand supporters from across the country gather to honor advocates, activists, and allies in our fight for justice and equality.

The evening was hosted by comedian Dana Goldberg with guests that included Cherry Jones, BD Wong, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani, Jen Welch, Chely Wright, Joanna Coles, Joe Fryer and Max Talisman. Bening's award was presented by CAA’s Kevin Huvane, her agent of over 35 years. Preet Bharara, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, presented Kara Swisher with her award.  

Throughout her career, Bening has been an advocate for arts education and has dedicated much of her time to various programs and organizations. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Entertainment Community Fund, the national human services organization that addresses the needs of those working in the performing arts. 

Kara Swisher is a top reporter on the tech beat and has been reporting on the industry since the early 1990s, having covered the early foundations of Amazon, Google, and Netflix. 

Past recipients of the Liberty Award include the Honorable Eric H. Holder, Tony Award-winning actor Billy Porter, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tony Kushner, and sports & civil rights legend Billie Jean King.

Photo Credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Lambda Legal