Native Son Expands Black Queer Awards Gala Into Multi-Day Experience for 10 Year Anniversary

Native Son will celebrate its 10 year milestone with an inaugural curated weekend experience in New York City, alongside the annual 2026 Native Son Awards on Juneteenth.

Since its founding in 2016, Native Son has evolved into the distinguished organization that it is today. Under the leadership of acclaimed multimedia veteran and Native Son Founder and CEO Emil Wilbekin, the organization continues to shine a light on the Black queer changemakers shaping culture and community. 

As the organization’s signature fundraising and centerpiece event, the Native Son Awards brings together an inspiring community of influential creatives, business leaders, activists, and innovators. Themed A Legacy of Pride, the gala returns on Juneteenth at the scenic waterfront venue Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers. The milestone Native Son Awards will be produced by Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, creator, filmmaker Lena Waithe.

A Legacy of Pride will also include a special tribute honoring influential figures who are reshaping cultural norms across entertainment, music, storytelling, and beyond in real time. 

This year’s honorees are prolific Golden Globe, Emmy, and NAACP Image Award winning television & film director and producer Anthony Hemingway; genre-bending Grammy winning artist and trailblazer Durand Bernarr; and history making Emmy winner Tramell Tillam, the first Black man to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. 

For the first time, Native Son will expand beyond the Awards with a multi-day experience taking place on June 19-21, ushering in a fresh, exciting chapter for the organization. The weekend will feature a series of curated programs and initiatives, including the debut of Native Son House. 

The new addition will serve as a one of a kind gathering designed to animate the spirit and mission of Native Son while fostering genuine connection and dialogue across generations. Inspired by the rich Black queer history of ballroom houses, Native Son House is both a manifestation and reflection of the affirming refuge Native Son has cultivated over the years.

Held at The Maison Project, Native Son House will feature a range of curated conversations, live interviews, screenings, performances, wellness activations, workshops, marketplaces, and immersive experiences. The inaugural launch will also spotlight the growing partnership between Native Son and longtime sponsor Gilead, built upon a shared vision of empowering Black queer communities. 

“Gilead Sciences is proud to support platforms like the Native Son Awards that celebrate leadership, elevate culture, and amplify trusted voices across Black communities. “Through partnerships like this, we’re helping confront stigma, remove barriers to care, and advance healthier, more equitable futures,” said Rashad Burgess, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Gilead Sciences. 

Amid continued violent rhetoric, attacks on visibility and equity, and the amplification of misinformation targeting Black queer men, and the broader Black queer community at large, Native Son stands proudly in its commitment to creating bold spaces for advocacy, awareness, cultural engagement, and wellness. Through these actions, the Native Son Awards remains a vital affirmation of Black queer achievement, honoring those whose contributions actively shape the culture and society of today. 

“For ten years, Native Son has created a space for Black queer men to be seen in the fullness of who we are – as leaders, creatives, visionaries, and changemakers,” said Emil Wilbekin. 

“At a time when our communities continue to face growing attacks on visibility, equity, and inclusion, this anniversary is not only a celebration of how far we’ve come, but a declaration that our stories, our voices, and our futures matter. What began as a bold idea has evolved into a powerful movement grounded in connection, advocacy, culture, and community.”

The 2026 Native Son Gala Co-Chairs include Lena Waithe, Darnell Moore, Yashua Simmons, George M. Johnson, Kyle Hagler, Obio Jones and Jermelle Simone, and Andrew McCaskill and Marcus Johnson-McCaskill.