Inside the 2025 Native Son Awards: A Stylish Reclamation of Black Queer Legacy

Frank Gehry’s sculptural IAC Building along Manhattan’s west side was aglow Wednesday night as the 2025 Native Son Awards—presented by Gilead Sciences—returned for their eighth edition. The evening radiated style, substance, and the undeniable presence of Black queer brilliance.

Founded by media visionary Emil Wilbekin, Native Son is both counter-narrative and celebration—a platform amplifying the voices and contributions of Black gay and queer men so often overlooked or co-opted. “This moment means that Black men can be seen, heard, respected,” Wilbekin told Vogue. “Not living behind the curtain, but in the forefront. I want us to fling the doors open… be free, be clear, be liberated, and celebrate our Black joy.” And fling they did.

More than a celebration, the evening was a declaration of pride, of community, of legacy. Guests from across fashion, music, stage, activism, and pop culture gathered in a stylish display of individuality. Attendees arrived in looks ranging from Christopher John Rogers and Thom Browne to Frankie Shop, ANONLYCHILD, and Bianca Saunders. Artist and honoree Derrick Adams drew admiring glances in rhinestone-encrusted Margiela tabi cowboy boots.

“Welcome to the Native Son Awards, and welcome home,” Wilbekin declared in his opening remarks. And that’s precisely how it felt—a reunion of chosen family. At one table, Brandon Blackwood, Edvin Thompson, and Antoine Gregory of Black Fashion Fair held court. Nearby, newly engaged actors and social media stars Obio Jones and Jermelle Simon mingled, all smiles. The room pulsed with dancing, toasts, and joy—unapologetic and radiant.

Returning host Don Lemon presided over the evening, which honored six changemakers: Colman Domingo, costume designer Paul Tazewell, multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams, choreographer Sean Bankhead, National Black Justice Collective executive director Dr. David J. Johns, and pioneering HIV/AIDS activist Phill Wilson.

“It means I have this stamp of approval—not only from my community, but from legacy,” Domingo told Vogue. “To say I’m a Native Son carries weight and meaning. I’m standing on the shoulders of James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin... the legacy.”

Tributes ran deep: Cynthia Erivo delivered a poetic homage to Tazewell; Kimberly Drew honored Adams; and Bankhead shared a moving moment with his mother as she presented him with his award. In a full-circle surprise, Anna Wintour presented Domingo’s award—just weeks after he had presented hers at the Gordon Parks Foundation Gala.

Tazewell, fresh off his Tony win for Death Becomes Her, reflected: “It’s all about my identity… to be surrounded by people who understand what my experience has been, after 35 years in this industry—it’s amazing and wonderful to have Native Son be part of that celebration,” he told Vogue.

The night crescendoed with performances by Grammy-nominated artist Durand Bernarr and Deon Jones, while an impromptu auction led by Lemon raised over $150,000 in support of Native Son’s work. DJ Bill Coleman closed out the evening with an after-party that felt more like a victory lap—dancing, release, exaltation.

“We’re just getting started,” Wilbekin teased. Next year marks a decade of Native Son. If this year is any indication, the future is fabulous, expansive—and deeply rooted in community.