Human Rights Campaign Honors Six-Time Grammy Award-Winner Brandi Carlile with the Visibility Award at the 2022 Los Angeles Dinner, Featuring Guest Speaker Brian Michael Smith

by HRC Staff •

Today, the Human Rights Campaign announced that it will honor six-time Grammy Award-winner Brandi Carlile with the Visibility Award at the 2022 HRC Los Angeles Dinner. Brian Michael Smith will be a guest speaker. The dinner will take place at the JW Marriott L.A. Live on March 12.

The Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award recognizes LGBTQ+ individuals who are living open and honest lives at home, at work and in their greater community. These attributes align with HRC’s mission of creating a country that inspires and engages all Americans to work toward ending discrimination against LGBTQ+ citizens and realizing a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.


Brandi is a phenomenal musician, author and advocate who inspires us all. Brandi’s activism, humanity and openness are an inspiration to LGBTQ+ people and beyond, encouraging us all to accept ourselves and each other, and to work towards a day when we can all live life fully and out in the open. For these reasons and so many more, we are excited to honor Brandi Carlile with the 2022 HRC Visibility Award.

Joni Madison, HRC Interim President

It’s a profound honor to be receiving this acknowledgment from the HRC. Representation has always played such an important role in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today — as an artist, wife or mother — without my heroes paving the way and holding the door open for me.

Brandi Carlile, Musician, Author, Advocate

Set to take place at the JW Marriott L.A. Live on March 12 at 5:30 PM PT, the 2022 HRC Los Angeles Dinner brings together HRC’s most active members and supporters in the greater Los Angeles area to raise crucial funds in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Tickets and further information are available at hrc.org/LADinner.

Brandi Carlileis a six-time GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, performer, producer, author and activist, who is known as one of music's most respected voices. In the past year, in addition to having her memoir, Broken Horses, reach #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list, Carlile released her acclaimed #1 album, In These Silent Days. Carlile also recently received five nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards including Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance for the album's lead single, "Right On Time." Moreover, in recent years, Carlile has been recognized with Billboard’s Women In Music “Trailblazer Award,” CMT’s Next Women of Country “Impact Award" and received multiple recognitions from the Americana Music Association Honors & Awards including Artist of the Year for the past two years. On top of being a musician and writer, Carlile is also founder of the Looking Out Foundation, which has raised over $3 million for grassroots causes to date, and XOBC Cellars, her LGBTQ+/women-owned winery whose proceeds benefit the Foundation. Carlile lives in rural Washington state with her wife, Catherine, and two daughters, Evangeline and Elijah.

Brian Michael Smith is best known for his recurring role on OWN's “Queen Sugar” as well as his appearances on NBC's “Chicago P.D.,” HBO's “Girls” and Showtime’s “Homeland.” Smith, originally hailing from Michigan, is an LGBTQ+ advocate, coming out as transgender in 2017 after successfully working in the industry for five years.

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