Don Lemon Calls for Moral Clarity and Collective Courage at HRC New York Dinner
The arc of justice does not bend on its own.
Veteran journalist Don Lemon delivered an affirming and deeply personal address at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual New York Dinner on Saturday, February 7, 2026, urging the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to meet the current political climate with “unapologetic truth‑telling and unshakeable solidarity.”
Don Lemon Speech at the HRC New York Dinner
Journalist Don Lemon made a surprise appearance at the Human Rights Campaign’s 2026 Greater New York dinner and delivered an emotional speech about the attacks on journalistic freedom and the need for solidarity in these perilous times.
Speaking to a packed ballroom of activists, elected officials, and community leaders, Lemon framed the moment as one that demands both vigilance and hope. “We are living through a time when honesty is treated as provocation,” he said, “and when simply existing as yourself is treated as a political act.”
Lemon, who has long been outspoken on issues of civil rights and democratic norms, used the platform to highlight what he described as a coordinated effort to roll back LGBTQ+ protections across the country. He pointed to state‑level legislation targeting transgender youth, book bans, and escalating rhetoric against queer communities as evidence of a broader attempt to “erase hard‑won progress.”
But the speech was not solely a warning. Lemon emphasized the power of collective action, crediting decades of LGBTQ+ organizing for reshaping public opinion and expanding legal protections. “Every right we have was fought for by people who refused to be silent,” he said. “And every right we keep will be because we refuse to go backward.”
He also spoke candidly about the role of the media in moments of democratic strain, arguing that journalists have a responsibility to confront misinformation and amplify marginalized voices. “Silence is not neutrality,” he said. “Silence is complicity.”
The audience responded with repeated standing ovations, particularly when Lemon addressed the importance of intersectional advocacy. He called on attendees to recognize the overlapping struggles faced by Black, brown, immigrant, and transgender communities, noting that “liberation that leaves people behind is not liberation at all.”
HRC leaders praised Lemon’s remarks as a needed call to action ahead of a pivotal election year. The organization has intensified its voter‑engagement efforts amid rising concerns about civil rights protections and political extremism.
Lemon closed his speech with a message of resilience: “The arc of justice does not bend on its own. It bends because people like you pull it with everything you’ve got.”
As attendees filed out of the ballroom, many described the speech as both sobering and galvanizing—an affirmation that the fight for equality remains unfinished, but far from unwinnable.
