Unapologetically Still Here - Pride Drag Event

We are incredibly excited to announce that we will once more be hosting a drag event to continue to provide a space for LGBTQ+ and ally legal professionals to enjoy LGBTQ+ culture and network. This year’s event will take place on June 20, 2024, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Tabbris in Charlotte (1300 South Blvd)! The theme for this year will be UNAPOLOGETICALLY STILL HERE. We truly hope you are able to join us!

As you might recall, last year was the first year we put this event together in direct response to the North Carolina Bar Association (“NCBA”) canceling its Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee’s networking event, which included drag and trivia. NCBA leadership has not taken accountability for the pain they inflicted on the LGBTQ+ community and has yet to issue an apology. Therefore, we have decided to host the event on the evening of the first day of their annual meeting in hopes that their leadership hears our message. PMBA, with the support of many members of our community and supporters like you, stepped up and showed the NCBA that drag can be part of legal professional events and that the LGBTQ+ community will not be erased nor pushed into hiding. We raised over $60,000 last year, which went towards our Lavender Law Scholarship, which allowed us to send six students, one student from each law school in North Carolina, to the National LGBT Bar Association’s Conference and Career Fair (“Lavender Law”). Because of the overwhelming support, we have enough funds to send six more students to this year’s Lavender Law! We believe investing in our future leaders is essential so they have the tools to fight the issues our LGBTQ+ community will face.

Established in April 2020, PMBA aims at promoting and stimulating the practice and professional expertise of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and sexual/gender diverse legal professionals and providing opportunities for legal professionals in our communities to meet and network. We have held CLE courses and networking events for our members and continue to grow in these times of adversity.

Our ticket sales and sponsorships this year will be used to continue operating and hosting more in-person events and support much-needed programming. Our Board of Directors is committed to making sure that the funds received are allocated to allow for strategic growth while also supporting the current programming we do. Your support is essential now more than ever as the LGBTQ+ community continues to be under attack and diversity programs are being cut across law firms and companies.

If you'd like to sponsor the event, please reach out to us at lgbtqbarnc@gmail.com. We look forward to celebrating Pride with you this year!