You're invited to attend FAB 2023 on Saturday, October 7 from 6:00-9:00 PM at the Hershey Lodge! We have a lot to celebrate this year. Join us as we recognize the 30th Anniversary of Common Roads, celebrate the Center’s new home, and honor leaders in our communities who are making an impact!
We hope that you will join us for an inspiring and fabulous evening! Joy is resistance, and as we continue to strive towards our vision of inspiring LGBTQ+ people across identities for collective liberation, we know how important it is to pause to celebrate what we’ve accomplished, honor those who have made a special impact, and foster the connections that make us resilient.
Awardees
Our FAB 2023 awardees are contributing to our LGBTQ+ communities in many meaningful ways, and we are so pleased to honor them and their impactful community-building work.
Legacy Award
Barry Loveland (he/him)
This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and personal dedication over a significant period of time in furthering the work of LGBTQ+ communities in Central PA.
Barry Loveland (he/him) has been an openly gay activist for over 45 years, co-founder of the first on-campus LGBT student support group at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1978, where he graduated with a B.S. in Building Sciences. He also has a M.S. in Historic Preservation Planning from Eastern Michigan University. He worked for three years at the Alabama Historical Commission, and co-founded the first three LGBT organizations in Montgomery, AL.
Barry moved to Harrisburg in 1983 and began a 32 year career at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, retiring in 2015. He was president for several years of Dignity/Central PA (an organization of LGBT Catholics and their friends), president of the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg for several years, co-founder of the first Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival of Central PA in 1992, and co-founder in 1993 of the Bi-GLYAH youth group now known as Common Roads.
Barry is the co-founder and chair of the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project since 2012 and co-author of the book Out in Central Pennsylvania: The History of an LGBTQ Community. He is also the founder of the PA LGBT History Network and the PA LGBTQ+ History Prize at National History Day in PA. More recently, he served on the LGBT Center’s Capital Campaign Committee and helped start a task force at the LGBT Center to explore developing affordable elder and multi-generational housing and services for the LGBTQ+ community in Harrisburg. He and his husband Thom Kulp have been together for 38 years and were married in 2013.
Local Spotlight Award
Tesla Taliaferro (he/they)
This award recognizes an individual, group, or organization whose work is significantly contributing to building connected, engaged, and resilient LGBTQ+ communities in Central PA.
Tesla Taliaferro (he/they) is an active and dedicated LGBTQIA+ advocate and an openly transgender/gender fluid, queer, and polyamorous person. They are one of the founders of the Rainbow Rose Center, which serves York County’s LGBTQIA+ Community. Currently, Tesla is on his second and final term as board president. They have previously served as the secretary of PFLAG York and as the former chair of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of York’s Social Justice Committee. He has also contributed award-winning articles for The Central Voice, Central PA’s LGBT+ news source. They live in Harrisburg with his fiancé and near his life partner and their many menageries of pets.
Creatives for Change Award
Lou Kirkland (they/she)
This award recognizes an individual, group, or organization who is cultivating community through artistic expression, providing unique opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to create and participate in art in a healing, joyful, and impactful way.
Lou Kirkland (they/she) is a self-portraitist and poet. As part of The Garden Collective, an LGBTQ+ art studio/community space in Harrisburg, they take appointments for portrait photography and help coordinate events. As a Black femme who grew up struggling with race-related self-image, Lou chooses to work exclusively with Black and brown people, providing quality portrait sessions at accessible cost.
Schedule of Events
FAB 2023 will take place on Saturday, October 7 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM at the Hershey Lodge. VIP guests are invited to arrive at 5:00 PM for the VIP Reception.
5:00 PM - VIP Reception: VIP guests enjoy sparkling wine/juice, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar & drag performances from the one and only Sundae Best!
6:00 PM - Regular Reception: All guests enjoy hors d'oeuvres, cash bar & Sundae Best!
6:30 PM - Welcome & Dinner: Enjoy a special ensemble performance by Sundae Best and a brief welcome from the Board Co-Chair as you find your table, with dinner served immediately following - enjoy dinner and conversation at your tables!
7:30 PM - FAB 2023 Program: Sit back, relax, and enjoy our recognition of the 30th Anniversary of Common Roads, celebration of the Center's new home, and presentation of the FAB 2023 awards - with, of course, an opportunity to give to the Center! Sundae Best will emceeing and entertaining us throughout the program again this year, and concluding with a grand finale performance!
9:00 PM - Celebration: Enjoy dancing and cash bar!
This is a formal event, but it is not black tie. Please wear whatever makes you feel fabulous! :)
Tickets
We offer a sliding scale of in-person ticket options to attend FAB 2023 at the Hershey Lodge! The suggested donation for a Regular Ticket is $100, and the suggested donation for a VIP Ticket is $150. We are also offering Choose-Your-Own-Price options starting at $75. Choose what you’re able to give, and help us reach our fundraising goal to further our work of inspiring LGBTQ+ people across identities for collective liberation!
Tables of 10 are also available for purchase at a discounted rate - $1,300 for a Table of 10 VIP Guests, and $850 for a Table of 10 Regular Guests.
VIP guests will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with our esteemed awardees and other VIP guests during the VIP Reception, enjoy additional drag performances, and more!
If you would like to attend but the cost is a barrier, we do have some sponsored tickets available - so please contact us at info@centralpalgbtcenter.org, and we will work with you individually.
