Everyone knows that New York City brings the party to the party, we are the city that never sleeps, after all. But for the last 29 years, there is one spectacular event that sets the city on fire every June, calling all mothers, divas, and queens out for a night of twirling, posing, and showing all the way out—the Latex Ball.
The annual event, hosted by the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), is a fabulous gathering of local leaders, designers and creatives from the House and Ballroom communities who come together to face off in friendly competitions and awards with categories like Legendary Runway and the Labels division. The event also provides attendees with HIV/AIDS screenings and invaluable public health resources.
This year, ESSENCE Associate Video Producer Malik Cleveland and Senior Video Producer Melo Araujo attended their very first Latex Ball and honey, it was a mood and a moment. The pair embraced the ball theme of ‘Heavenly Bodies,’ took runway lessons from model Amoré and served face while learning how to cat walk from Kee De La Blanca from the Atlanta chapter of Mother Lauren De La Blanca. They even got a chance to see actor Billy Porter from the hit series Pose strut his stuff on the runway.
Check out more of their experience at this year’s ball and get yourself together so you don’t miss out on all the fabulousness next year!