It’s almost Spirit Day! Every year on Spirit Day, GLAAD joins people and organizations across the world take a stand against bullying and show their support for LGBTQ youth. Since the inaugural #SpiritDay in 2010, GLAAD has organized hundreds of celebrities, media outlets, brands, landmarks, sports leagues, faith groups, school districts, organizations, colleges and universities in what has become the most visible anti-LGBTQ bullying campaign and united show of support for LGBTQ youth by going purple.
To kick off the Spirit Day season; actor, performer, activist and member of GLAAD’s Board of Directors, Frankie Grande, curated and hosted “A Night of Broadway (but make it Queer!)” #SpiritDay Gala, presented by McDonald’s, gathered some of Broadway’s brightest stars to shine a light on LGBTQ youth and take a stand against bullying.
The live music event took place at The Box in New York City and included performances by Tony Award nominees Orfeh and Lilli Cooper, Rupaul’s Drag Race alum Salina Estitties, Nina West, and GLAAD board member Peppermint, Broadway’s Antwayn Hopper, Emma Hunton, and Courtney Reed, Troy Iwata of The Daily Show, rapper Jade Jones, and the cast of Bucks County Playhouse’s The Rocky Horror Story. Watch the “A Night of Broadway” #SpiritDay Gala featurette here:
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More social video vignettes are set to debut all week on GLAAD’s YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, leading up to #SpiritDay on October 17th.
Tomorrow morning, October 17th, GLAAD President & CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis with GLAAD’s staff and members of its Board of Directors, alongside LGBTQ movement leaders focused on supporting LGBTQ youth, will ring the Nasdaq Stock Market Opening Bell in Times Square in celebration of #SpiritDay. A live stream of the Nasdaq Opening Bell will be available here.
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Participating in this year’s Spirit Day is a wide range of companies, networks, nonprofit organizations, celebrities, and more.
Networks:
CNBC will be participating in #SpiritDay, turning its logo both on broadcast and across digital purple, with on-air talent around the U.S., Europe and Asia wearing purple in support of LGBTQ youth.
iHeartMedia will support #SpiritDay for an eighth year by running national PSA spots across its radio network leading up to #SpiritDay and featuring social and editorial online coverage.
Other national news networks, shows, outlets and distributors confirmed to participate in #SpiritDay this year will include: Access Hollywood, Access Daily, CBS, “Despierta América” (TelevisaUnivision), E! News, “Hoy Día” (Telemundo), “FBI: Most Wanted,” iHeartMedia, NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth, OUT@NBC, PRIDE ABC News, “Primer Impacto” (TelevisaUnivision), “The View,” among others will join in celebrating #SpiritDay 2024.
Celebrities and Creators:
Amy Schneider, Billy Eichner, The Blessed Madonna, Bryan Ruby, Chris Housman, Chris Mosier, Corey O’Brien, Forest Claudette, Francesca Noel, Julie Williams, Kathy Hilton, Katie Kadan, Liza Colon-Zayas, Loren Allred, Luxx Noir London, Marcia Gay Harden, Malika Andrews, Margaret Cho, Marisa Bode, Marlilu Henner, Megan Hilty, Paolo Presta, Paul Feig, Rebecca Zamolo, Rett, Madison, Roxy Sternberg, Sophia Scott, Sterling K. Brown, Tramell Tillman, Ty Herndon, VINCINT, Xunami Muse, among others will participate in #SpiritDay 2024.
Faith Leaders, Global Organizations and Nonprofits:
Interfaith Alliance, Communion Play, ELCA – Southeastern Synod, The Naming Project, Yass, Jesus! Wartburg Theological Seminary among others will participate in #SpiritDay 2024.
Landmarks:
The Terminal Tower in Cleveland, Cleveland’s Signature Skyscraper, The Bank of America Plaza in Dallas, and the Nasdaq Marketsite Times Square, among others will go purple for #SpiritDay 2024 in support of LGBTQ youth.
Additionally, the Kansas City, Missouri City Skyline will be lit purple Thursday evening for Spirit Day. From City Hall to the Historic Kansas City Power and Light Building to Kansas City’s very own Union Station, all of Kansas City’s downtown historic buildings will light the night sky purple to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ youth across the region and country on #SpiritDay.
Sponsors:
#SpiritDay Community Sponsors this year include: Hyundai, Kirkland & Ellis, the NFL, the NBA, the WNBA, the New York City Department Education, the New York City Council. This year’s “A Night of Broadway,” #SpiritDay Gala hosted by Frankie Grande at The Box in New City was presented by McDonald’s.
Learn more about Spirit Day here and click here to access the 2024 #SpiritDay Resource Guide.