This year’s PRISM Gala, Queer as Punk, is more than a celebration.
It's a history lesson, a party, and a rally for the future. Set during LGBTQ+ History Month, the gala honors the radical energy of the Riot Grrrl and feminist punk movements, reminding us that queer organizing has always been loud, unapologetic, and transformative.
“Punk symbolizes defiance, authenticity, and the refusal to conform,” said PRISM Outreach Director Avion Goordeen. “Saying ‘Queer as Punk’ means being unapologetically yourself — especially in a world that too often tries to make queer people, and young queer people most of all, shrink to fit into ‘acceptable boxes.’”
There will be entertainment, dinner, interactive exhibits, a silent auction, an awards ceremony, and an exclusive after-party. The gala takes place on Oct. 18 at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale from 6 to 11 p.m.
Additionally, PRISM will honor three local activists: Ky Walker (Youth Leadership Award), Laura Muñoz (Youth Allyship Award), and Sofia Hernandez (Volunteer Award).
Christian “CJ” Walden, PRISM’s Co-Founder and Gala Steering Committee member, said of these individuals they are “crucial community leaders who strengthen our community.”
Founded in 2019 by four Boca Raton high school students, PRISM began as a safe space for LGBTQ youth and has since grown into a South Florida nonprofit focused on education and advocacy. The group became PRISM FL, Inc. in 2020, expanding its reach during the pandemic to provide online resources and community support. In 2022, PRISM took on statewide advocacy—traveling to Tallahassee to oppose the “Don’t Say LGBTQ” bill and joining efforts for comprehensive sex education in Miami-Dade County. Now led by founder and Executive Director Maxx Fenning, PRISM continues to advance LGBTQ-inclusive education, youth leadership, and community empowerment across the region.
“Queer as Punk, happening during LGBTQ+ History Month, looks back to the Riot Grrrl and feminist punk movements and the generations of organizers who fought hard for change,” Walden said. “It's an evening designed to inform and inspire: immersive and interactive VR exhibits to explore, a seated dinner, live drag entertainment, a silent auction, and an awards ceremony – all in one night.”
And while the night promises glamour and grit, the purpose runs deeper. Proceeds will support PRISM’s programs for LGBTQ-inclusive and safe-sex education materials for South Florida youth, policy education and advocacy, and queer youth leadership and development.
“At PRISM, we equip LGBTQ+ youth with the knowledge, and resources they need to live healthy and thriving lives,” Goordeen said.
PRISM’s gala isn’t just another fundraiser — it’s a call to action wrapped in music, art, and defiance. By honoring the past and investing in the future, Queer as Punk reminds everyone that change doesn’t happen quietly, it happens together.
“We’re not asking for space — we’re taking space. Sometimes, it’s the loud, the messy, the creative, and the unfiltered that remind us what belonging and love really look like,” Goordeen said. “Come raise a fist — and a glass.”
Tickets are available at https://www.prismfl.org/gala.
