This year the event is on Thursday, October 16th at 6-9PM in Brooklyn. The exact location will be emailed to attendees. For day of questions, please reach out to gala@maketheroadny.org.
Accessibility Information
The location is wheelchair accessible. The main entrance has one step, staff can guide you to the nearby accessible entrance.
All stalls are private and gender-neutral.
There will be simultaneous language interpretation into Spanish (via ear-piece) during the program.
Upon request to gala@maketheroadny.org, limited accessibility seating and print-outs of the program talking points will be made available.
If there are other accessibility accommodations that you need, you can reach out to us at gala@maketheroadny.org.
The gala is by invitation only and all guests must purchase tickets ahead of time. Tickets will not be available at the door.
COVID Safety
We respectfully request that all guests take a Covid-19 rapid test within 24 hours of the event. We’ll have additional rapid tests on site at registration. If you are not feeling well or test positive, please stay home for the health and safety of our community.
Masking is not required but welcome. Additional rapid-tests, hand sanitizer, and face masks will be available at registration.
About The Event
Make the Road New York’s annual Dignity, Community, and Power Awards Gala celebrates our organization and honors leaders who fight to achieve dignity and justice for immigrant and working-class communities.
Join us to celebrate our communities and honorees, and look ahead to the future we can, and must, collectively create. We’ll hear from our honorees & leaders in our movements, and reflect on our accomplishments over the past year. Come gather for a night of joyful celebration, music, and delicious food and drinks.
As our most important fundraiser of the year, the Gala raises truly critical general operating support and gives us the opportunity to bring our community together. Thank you for your support.
Gala Artist and Design Concept
Abigail Miller is a graphic designer who works with movement organizations and nonprofits working for racial, economic and social justice. At the heart of her work is a commitment to sharing the power of art and design and demystifying technical expertise. Abigail was thrilled to work on the design concept for the 2024 Gala, inspired by the beauty and energy of the soon-to-be-revealed mosaic and mural at Make the Road’s new Queens Community Center, and local wildflowers and medicinal plants. Abigail lives in Brooklyn with her partner and cat.
This year’s gala design is inspired by the mosaic in our new Queens Community Center, opened in April 2025. The mosaic is a permanent tile installation on the great steps in the auditorium, visible from the street. At Make the Road NY, we understand and use art as a form of, and tool for, protest, expression, and healing. For the Queens Center, we established a task force of art curators, artists experienced in public art, as well as our community to create art that embodies Make the Road NY. The task force facilitated the selection of talented local artists to create the two original artworks in the auditorium; a mosaic by Street Theory / Marka 27, and mural by Parlante Visual. Artists developed the designs informed by community members; including symbols like butterflies and megaphones, renderings of our protests, and slogans including “Here to Stay.” Stop by the Queens Center to see the artwork for yourself!