On Thursday, April 25th, GLAAD co-hosted the ninth annual ‘Bytes & Bylines’ reception, kicking off the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner week of festivities in Washington, D.C.
The event, which was held at the Residence of Ireland, is the only LGBTQ-focused annual gathering of tech, media and political leaders in the nation’s capital across a week of events and parties where Hollywood meets politics, ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, affectionately dubbed by may DC insiders as, the “nerd prom.”
The night was co-hosted by entrepreneurs, mediaites, and politicos Susanna Quinn, Eric Kuhn, Stephanie Cutler, GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, Adrienne Elrod, Karen Finney and Adam Rathe, with the Ambassador of Ireland, H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason. Producer, activist and former GLAAD Media Award nominee, Zeke Thomas, served as the event’s DJ.
“Representation at GLAAD events like Bytes and Bylines has never been more critical than it is today,” Thomas said. “I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors continuing to fight for equal rights and freedom for all.”
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: Sarah Kate Ellis with Dr. Anthony Fauci and DaShawn Usher, who leads GLAAD’s Communities of Color Team (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for GLAAD)
“For nearly a decade Bytes & Bylines have kicked off the WHCD weekend by bringing together the leaders in technology, media and politics to mix and mingle,” said Bytes & Bylines co-hosts. “We are thrilled to be back at the home of the Irish Ambassador to continue this celebration of journalism.”
As the first country globally to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote, the Embassy of Ireland is proud to host the annual Bytes & Bylines reception, in the spirit of accelerating acceptance for LGBTQ people and issues in the United States.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) Eric Kuhn, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Sarah Kate Ellis and TJ Ducklo attend the 9th Annual Bytes & Bylines White House Correspondents’ Dinner Reception with GLAAD, Precision and Town & Country at the Residence of the Irish Ambassador on April 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for GLAAD)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 25: (L-R) ABC News’ Devin Dwyer, Alberto Orso, Justin Gomez, Sam Sweeney post with GLAAD’s Tony Morrison at the 9th Annual Bytes & Bylines White House Correspondents’ Dinner Reception with GLAAD, Precision and Town & Country at the Residence of the Irish Ambassador on April 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for GLAAD)
This year’s attendees included: Alixie Peek, Ali Rubin, Annalise Myre, Andrew Zucker, Ashley Parker, Avery Miller, Cristina Alesci, Dennis Cheng, Daniel Koh, David Mcintosh, Elizabeth Thorp, Heather Podesta, Jackie Kucinich, Jackie Rooney, Jamie Dorros, Jocely Quinn, Kevin Chaffee, Laurence Milstein, Liz, Johnson, Luke Bozich, Mike Bender, Matt Dornic, Marc Paskin, Mary Alberg, Kristin Cecchi, Missy Owens, Monica Medina, Nicole Elkins, Phil Rucker, Rachel Leviton, Renee Jones, Rickie Niceta, Sara Fisher, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Zach Malamed, actor and activist WIlson Cruz, Air Mail’s Harrison Vail, ABC News’ Alok Patel, Christiane Cordero, Devin Dwyer. Karen Travers and Rachel Scott, CBS News’ Cecilia Vega, Major Garrett, Ed O’Keefe, and Bill Owens, CNN’s Jeff Zeleny and Sam Feist, MSNBC’s Dan Arnall and Kyle Griffin, Dr. Anthony Fauci, NBC’s Kristen Welker, WNBA Legend Alana Beard, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Guzman. Vocalist Tona Brown, FOX News correspondents Jennifer Griffin and Madeleine Rivera, Fox 5 DC’s Kenneth Moton, Scripps News’ Chris Nguyen, creator V. Spehar, Independent transgender journalist Erin Reed, White House Director of Legislative Affairs, Shuwanza Goff, and many more.
The event was officially sponsored by GLAAD, Precision Strategies and Town & Country.