The City of West Hollywood, alongside its LGBTQ+ Commission, will host the annual Rainbow Key Awards, a heartfelt tribute to individuals and groups who have left a lasting mark on the LGBTQ+ community. The ceremony, set for Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 6 p.m., will take place at the City Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. Following the awards, attendees can enjoy a reception and afterparty on the Respite Deck at the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center, right next to the West Hollywood Library.
This year’s event, which celebrates the 2024 honorees selected by the LGBTQ+ Commission, is free to attend. More details, including how to register, can be found at www.weho.org/rainbowkey or directly on Eventbrite. For those who can’t make it in person, the ceremony will be streamed live and available for replay on the City’s WeHoTV YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv.
The 2025 Rainbow Key Awards will spotlight an inspiring group of recipients:
- Jackie Beat, a drag icon with over 35 years of performances across the U.S. and Europe, known for her sharp wit, hilarious song parodies, and dedication to raising funds for HIV/AIDS charities and LGBTQ+ causes.
- Vivian Escalante**, aka Dapper Dyke, a passionate lesbian activist who founded Dykes on Bikes chapters in West Hollywood and Long Beach, boosting visibility and strength for the lesbian community.
- Dr. Rebecca Gitlin, a trailblazer in mental health, who became the first LGBTQ+ Services Specialist at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and now supervises clinical work at the Hollywood Mental Health Cooperative, ensuring inclusive, gender-affirming care.
- LZ Love, a renowned African American trans singer whose soulful blues and gospel performances have captivated audiences globally for decades, including appearances at West Hollywood’s Transgender Day of Remembrance and numerous Pride events.
- Brian Sonia-Wallace**, the creative mind behind Pride Poets, a group of LGBTQ+ poets who’ve penned thousands of free poems at West Hollywood Pride and beyond, and a former Poet Laureate who fostered community through poetry workshops and events.
Since 1993, the Rainbow Key Awards have recognized over 180 recipients—activists, artists, leaders, and organizations—for their remarkable contributions to the LGBTQ+ community in areas like the arts, humanitarian efforts, medicine, and more. Each year, the LGBTQ+ Commission opens the nomination process to the public to identify those making a difference.
West Hollywood, incorporated in 1984, has long been a powerhouse in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. With over 40 percent of its residents identifying as LGBTQ+, the city has shaped national conversations on equality and inclusion, standing as a leader in the fight for fairness for 40 years.
