A Luncheon That’s All in The Family (Place) In Dallas Honors Trailblazers

The Family Place Honored Trailblazers and Icons at the 28^th Annual Luncheon Featuring Celebrated Actor and Director Justin Baldoni

By Cynthia Smoot  Photography by Tamytha Cameron, Celeste Cass and Francesca Nelo

THE SETTING: The2024 Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon Co-chairs Lauren Black, Nakita Johnson, Clarisa Lindenmeyer and Lauren McKinnon, alongside Honorary Chairs Lindsay and George Billingsley and The Family Place CEO Tiffany Tate, welcomed more than 800 attendees to the 28^th annual luncheon benefiting The Family Place at the Hilton Anatole Dallas. Guests arrived and mingled at a pre-luncheon reception outside the Chantilly Ballroom. In the nearby Wedgwood ballroom, top donors and sponsors attended a VIP reception, which included a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with luncheon speaker Justin Baldoni, a celebrated actor, director of the blockbuster film It Ends With Us, and esteemed author and advocate for undefining masculinity.

THE VIBE: After guests took their seats for the program in the Chantilly Ballroom, The Family Place CEO Tiffany Tate began by welcoming everyone to the 2024 Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon. She then announced a new award, the Paige Flink Icon Award, given to someone who embodies the spirit, heart, and relentless drive of retired CEO Paige Flink. After a brief video introducing the award, Flink took the stage to announce the first-year recipient of the Paige Flink Icon Award – Jamie Williams.

A brief video then began highlighting the inspiring work of the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Dr. Opal Lee, this year’s recipient of the Texas Trailblazer Award, which recognizes those exceptional individuals who have achieved remarkable success and opened doors of opportunity for countless others. As the video concluded, Tate returned to the podium to welcome Dr. Opal Lee to the stage. It was then time for the much-anticipated conversation with Justin Baldoni and moderator Natalie Nanasi, Director of the SMU Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women and Associate Professor of Law.

Notables in attendance included Senator Royce and Carol West;  Lindsay Jacaman; Kristin Hallam; Kit Sawers; Sharon Young; Catalina Gonzalez Jorba; Annika Cail; Ana and Jim Yoder; Vinette and Mike Montgomery; Sally Pretorius Hodge;  Katie Flowers Samler; Kit Sawers; Calvert Collins- Bratton; Chuck Steelman;  Regina Bruce; Lisa Singleton; Venise Stewart; Gayle Sands; Ashlee Kleinert; Samantha Wortley; Stephanie Seay; and Priya Murphy.  

THE NON-PROFIT: The Family Place is the largest provider of family violence services in Texas, serving over 44,000 people in 2023. Programs include a 24-hour hotline, three emergency shelters, including the state’s only shelter for men and their children, a transitional housing program with 25 apartments, three counseling centers, two medical clinics, a dental clinic, a job readiness program, violence prevention education programs for schools, court-ordered supervised visitation, court-ordered counseling for abusers, and legal services. All survivor services are free and provided in Spanish and English.