Human Rights Campaign Announces Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as Keynote Speaker for the 2026 National Dinner

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization – announced Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as the keynote speaker at this year’s National Dinner in Washington, D.C. Governor Whitmer is a staunch ally and proud mother of a LGBTQ+ child whose pro-equality leadership has led to critical civil rights protections for Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community. 

The 2026 HRC National dinner will be a night of celebration and community building, taking place on Saturday, September 26th at the Washington Hilton. 

“Governor Gretchen Whitmer exemplifies the kind of allyship our community needs in this moment. She is a proud parent of an LGBTQ+ child and a governor whose leadership and commitment to equality have advanced crucial civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ people in Michigan,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. “We are thrilled to have her join us at this year’s National Dinner and look forward to hearing how we can take  Michigan’s lessons to create safe and welcoming spaces across the country.” 

“I'm a proud mom of a gay daughter, so it is personal when politicians try to tell people who they can be or who they can love,” said Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “In Michigan, we didn't just talk about equality, we wrote it into law. We expanded Elliott-Larsen so no one can be fired or evicted for who they are. None of that happened by accident, and none of it is guaranteed. That's why I'm proud to stand with HRC to organize, turn out, and win this November, because every right we've won is on the ballot.”

Governor Whitmer has a strong history of pro-equality leadership, including signing legislation that expanded the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ Michiganders. She has signed executive directives to strengthen protections against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in state employment and to prohibit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services from using state or federal funds for so-called “conversion therapy” practices on youth. Governor Whitmer was also the first governor to fly the Pride flag on a Michigan state building in 2019. 

In addition, the Human Rights Campaign announced last week that it will honor changemakers and LGBTQ+ allies and icons Marcia Gay Harden, André De Shields and Junior LaBeija at the event. Harden will receive the Ally for Equality award, presented by actress and ally Camryn Manheim, for being an outspoken ally for the LGBTQ+ community and using her platform to advocate for equality.  DeShields and LaBeija will each be receiving HRC’s Legendary Visibility Award for their deeply impactful work expanding visibility on critical LGBTQ+ issues, permanently shaping the culture and legacy of the LGBTQ+ community. 

The event will also include HRC’s National Dinner Chairs Gurpreet Brar, Shawn Skelly, Michelle Hurst and Vincenzo Volpe. HRC President Kelley Robinson will deliver remarks on the fight ahead for LGBTQ+ equality, and comedian and Out 100 honoree Dana Goldberg will host a live auction. 

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 4 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action—working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.