So much appreciative networking filled the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza dining room for the Victory Fund’s second annual Los Angeles Champagne Brunch on Sunday, that it took a minute to realize that three of California’s top elected officials were in attendence: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, State Sen. President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins. The honorees included Prop 8 plaintiffs Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami, actress Amy Landecker and producers Andrea Sperling and Rhys Ernst from the ground-breaking and renewed Amazon series, TRANSPARENT and Michael W. Kempner, President and CEO of the global PR agency MWW, which has a dedicated LGBT unit lead by Stephen Macias. Fox’s Red Band Society star Wilson Cruz and local political stars—L.A. City Controller Ron Galperin and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia also spoke to a warm reception.
But for all the political star power, the two who really stole the afternoon were Executive Director Chuck Wolfe, who is leaving after 12 years, and Ben Panico, the David Bohnett Victory Congressional Fellow who staffs the Equality Caucus on LGBT issues.
Last month, Wolfe announced that he was leaving the Victory Fund, in part due to health conditions. “After nearly 12 years leading Victory, and countless Election Days, I’m both ready and excited to do something different — though I can’t imagine doing something more rewarding, or working with people whom I respect and admire more,” Wolfe wrote in a memo to the Victory Campaign Board obtained by the Washington Blade. The work has “been an absolute labor of love for me.”
At the brunch, Wolfe revealed that he’d had triple-by-pass heart surgery so he was only drinking orange juice, not champagne. But that didn’t stop speakers who took the stage to raise a glass in his honor. Wolfe seemed humbled by the praise—but saved a hint of raw emotion when he spoke of the important role Panico is playing on Capitol Hill.
Panico, in fact, moved the audience of about 350 when he talked about the struggle of “choosing success over happiness” and then laughed thanking the David Bohnett Foundation. “Without you, I would be unemployed and living with my parents.” His congressional internship has given him a platform to write memos for LGBT Caucus members and most importantly, that “I show up everyday.”
It is that last note that caused the always professional Chuck Wolfe to choke up explaining that Panico is the only trans person members of Congress and their staff know. In a moment of silence as Wolfe paused two seconds to get his composure, the scope of that impact and the courage of that everyday gesture hit everyone like an ice bucket of appreciation.
I will have more on the Victory Fund brunch in a day or two (I’m on deadline for the Election Guide for Frontiers magazine). But I wanted to highlight this moment and hopefully tease you to wait for some really inspiring speeches.
Meanwhile, here’s a Fusion news story about Ben Panico so you can get to know him better: