Birds ofParadise
The 2026 Gala benefiting Miss Major Middle, our genderful, tuition-free school opening in Brooklyn this Fall 2027.
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Program from 5:00 PM, afterparty until 2:00 AM
Luesther T. Mertz South Oxford Space
138 South Oxford St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Between Atlantic Avenue and Fulton Street
An ecosystem for one night
On October 3, 2026, join us for a fabulous evening in support of Miss Major Middle, our genderful, tuition-free school opening in Brooklyn in Fall 2027.
Tonight we are inspired by Birds of Paradise. We’re the flower, the birds, the surprises, big and loud and subtle and small. An ecosystem for the evening.
Miss Major Middle opens tuition-free because of a landmark partnership with NYC Public Schools and District 13. And yet our minimum operational cost is $25,000 per student per year. In a moment when genderful youth need us most, your presence and generosity tonight help us welcome as many students as possible through our doors.
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy was expelled from school for being who she is. She dreamed of creating a safe and spectacular school for our children. We honor her legacy with this reminder: liberation begins with care, and young people flourish when they are truly seen.
You can learn more about our mission and plans for the new school year on the Miss Major Middle website.
We’re all a part of each other.Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
Birds of Paradise
Colorful, vibrant, beautiful, exuberant, nuanced. Room to be still and quiet, and room to surprise and show your colors in moments of performance.
Dress code: Fancy, messy, playful, accessible, all welcome. Bright colors and characters are encouraged. If you feel like you’re the soil or the sky or something in between, we welcome that too.
A night of surprises
- A talent showcase of stars, both off and on Broadway
- Fabulous food offerings and sparkly drinks
- An iconic auction, including an original costume from Wicked
- Options to join the auction virtually
The night, hour by hour
We want everyone comfortable
- A quiet room in the basement with windows and comfortable seating, for neurodivergent friends and anyone who needs air
- An ASL interpreter in the main gala room upstairs
- An open-air garden area on the main floor for immunocompromised friends
- Gluten-free and vegan options for friends with dietary restrictions
- An elevator and an entryway ramp throughout the venue
More ways to join us
Can’t stay all night or joining from afar? The auction is open to virtual participants throughout the evening, and every ticket helps welcome another student through our doors.
Questions about accessibility or the evening? Reach us at admin@missmajormiddle.org.
Five people, five values
Each honoree is celebrated alongside one of MMM’s core values, the same values that anchor our Giving Circles.
An Arkansas-based advocate for HIV awareness and education, and for ending criminalization, whose organizing has trained a generation of trans women of color as national facilitators.
A trailblazing performer known for her role in FX's "Pose," and the first transgender woman to win a Golden Globe Award, advancing representation for transgender people in mainstream media.
A NYC costume designer and human rights leader whose advocacy centers Black trans people, and an Obie and Tony award winning designer for "Cats: The Jellicle Ball."
A mother of five and longtime LGBTQI ally whose activism has been recognized by GLAAD, The Advocate, and leaders across the movement.
An award winning writer and cultural strategist named a 2025 TIME Woman of the Year, whose work advances bodily autonomy and collective liberation.
Join us on October 3
Your ticket helps welcome another genderful student through Miss Major Middle’s doors this Fall 2027.
Get your tickets