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Walk the Red Carpet with Point Foundation Honoree Laura Benanti
Nov 3, 2022
Celebrities and 400 guests experienced an inspiring evening at The Plaza last night, in support of Point Foundation (Point), the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit. The annual Point Honors New York event raises funds for Point's higher education scholarships, as well as mentoring and leadership programs.
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Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World. We're at the Point Foundation's annual gala, which celebrates the accomplishments of LGBTQ students
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And this year they are honoring one of Broadway and television's favorite leading ladies, Tony Award winner Laura Benanti and Ronan Farrow
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And we caught up with them on the red carpet. How exciting is tonight
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The best. It's the best tonight. I know Maggie has said for years, she was like, the Point Foundation evening is like one of the best nights of the year
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And Andrew and I were like, well, now this year we get to come. So that's really exciting
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It is. I know. It took Laura Benanti being honored to get all three of the KBs in the crowd
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Give me your history with the Point Foundation. So the Point Foundation has been incredible
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They have supported me through my master's program and my master of fine arts program
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And I am a two-time Point Scholar. and they have basically, you know
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done all of my postgraduate work So they are amazing and I can speak highly enough of what they do for all of their scholars and alums as well How would you decide who gets an honor
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It's pretty it's it's pretty tough we have about 2,000 young people that apply
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for approximately 20 to 25 open slots per year and so we are supporting 98
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young people this year but we have about 20 to 25 that roll off year to year so
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That's what we're expecting. So it's tough. We look at leadership. We look at a need, of course
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And we look for somebody that's going to make an impact in the world. Tell me what this honor means to you, Laura
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It means the most to me probably of any honor I could possibly receive
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In that this is a group of people that I have championed my whole life since I was a little girl
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and I'm so gratified to see how an organization like the Point Foundation
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that supports young people and supports people not only with their money
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but also as like a family Sorry I sound crazy So for me that is just unbelievably meaningful I wouldn miss it for the world I literally am like dragging myself out of bed to be here
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How excited are you to be here this evening? I have to tell you, it's my third time coming to the Point Foundation Gala
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I actually hosted it in Los Angeles a few months ago. Best crowds, best audience
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They love to laugh, they love to drink, and they love to eat. And if you name three better qualities than anyone, I'll raise you
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I mean, really, it's so great. and the foundation is wonderful and they raise money for one of the best causes I think and we
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can't forget about these causes because there's so much going on right now everyone wants your
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money and it's like but this is actually for the betterment of this country and we need that
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right now so as you're standing here tonight getting ready to go in there and host this evening
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what's going through your mind oh my gosh I just want to make people laugh and I want to set the
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mood for the night that it is a fun night and we're here to feel good about each other fellow
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So men, men and women and everyone in between, but also to have a good time and to enjoy the chicken
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Because the last year the chicken here falling off the bone delicious Can wait to have it again So what does this event mean to you and why you want to be a part of this I was asked to volunteer my services many many years ago
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and this is the only organization that I do for the Voice of God work that I do
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because I truly believe that everybody should have a chance for education. I love this community
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I support the community. I love the work that the Point Foundation is doing, and education
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mentorship is of the highest concern to every citizen and i support it tremendously you've
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always been out there for the lgbtq right always how could i not i grew up since i can remember
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since i had an awareness i knew that i was gay and um i never thought that there was anything
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wrong with it other people tried to make me feel that way but deep down it was like there's nothing
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wrong with me i'm a child of god he made me in his image if you're christian that's what you
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believe so you know I've always been out and I'm always going to be listen I'm a gay black man
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come on if anyone if anyone knows discrimination and bias I do so it's important for me to be out
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there and proud and focused and supporting the LGBT community
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