Voices 2025

This year’s gala will be a true HOUSE Party—a celebration rooted in the history and legacy of Ruth Ellis herself.

In the 1940s, Ruth Ellis and her lifelong partner, Babe, opened their Detroit home to the community. Their house became affectionately known as “The Gay Spot,” a place where LGBTQ+ people—especially Black queer folks who were excluded from gay bars and mainstream spaces—could gather, dance, and exist freely. Ruth’s house parties weren’t just about music and laughter; they were about survival, connection, and belonging. When the music faded and the guests went home, Ruth and Babe often extended their hospitality even further, offering shelter to those who were unhoused and supporting young people in pursuing their education.

These gatherings, stretching into the 1970s, were more than parties—they were acts of love, defiance, and community-building at a time when safe spaces were rare and discrimination was rampant.

This year, we return to those roots. We honor Ruth’s vision by creating a modern-day House Party centered on community, joy, and resistance. Just as Ruth Ellis Center amplifies the voices of LGBTQ+ young people today, our gala will spotlight local queer artists who use their art to magnify their truth and resilience.

We are living in uncertain times, not unlike those Ruth lived through, where people continue to be persecuted for their sexual orientation, gender identity, and the color of their skin. Yet, like Ruth, we remain committed to joy, to care, to art, and to each other. These are not just expressions—they are acts of resistance. They declare that we are unafraid, that we are not alone, and that we will not yield.

To bring this homage to life, the evening will embrace House music, born in the 1980s from the creativity of Black and queer communities who, once again, were shut out of mainstream establishments. We will also nod to the tradition of Rent Parties of the 1920s, where Black communities raised money to stay in their homes by transforming hardship into celebration. Both traditions remind us that art, music, and gathering have always been tools of resilience, survival, and joy.

So we return to HOUSE—to Ruth’s house, to the art and music of our people, to the spirit of community that sustains us. Together, we celebrate joy as resistance, community as sanctuary, and history as our guide forward.

September 19th at The Gem Theater

Honor local artists. Resist through joy.

General Admission Tickets - $150.00

• Doors Open - 7pm
• Strolling Dinner
• Premium Open Bar
• Theatre Style Seating - Balcony

VIP Admission Tickets - $250.00

• Exclusive VIP Reception - 6pm to 8pm
• Strolling Dinner
• Premium Open Bar
• Cabaret Style Seating - Main Floor
• Watercolor Portraits by Victoria Bayagich
  • 5-minute minimum per portrait
  • Framed 5x7" watercolor portraits on high-quality paper
  • Timelapse videos of each painting available for digital download
• Exclusive Afterglow - 10pm to 11pm