Tony Winner Levi Kreis to Headline DIVERSITY HONORS Benefit for Harvey Milk Foundation

Levi Kreis, Tony award-winning actor/singer will make a special appearance at Diversity Honors, the highly touted fundraiser for the Harvey Milk Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2016 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.

His much anticipated performance will be part of an inspiring presentation recognizing those who are transforming lives by living authentically and advancing inclusiveness as a kick off to Harvey Milk Day events across the nation.

The impressive roster of honorees will be Peter Clark, publisher of Hotspots Media Group; Enbar Cohen, City of Aventura Commissioner; Rae Franks, lawyer and LGBT advocate; Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools and Judge David Young, plus the annual Milk Foundation Milan Rosza Award will recognize Ryland Whittington.

Levi Kreis is one of the most honest communicators you will find. In theater circles, Kreis is known for originating the role of Jerry Lee Lewis in Broadway's Tony nominated musical Million Dollar Quartet. The role won Levi the 2010 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, a 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award and a 2010 Drama League nomination. Other notable stage credits include the Tony nominated revival of Violet starring Sutton Foster, Smokey Joe's Cafe, and the national tour of Rent. Kreis' interest in new works has drawn him to a few theatrical developments such as One Red Flower with Emmy Award Winning director Paris Barclay and Mozart L 'Opéra Rock with Tony nominated director Lonny Price. These works have appeared at The Kennedy Center, The Village Theater, The Goodman Theater and the North Shore Music Theater.

In film, Levi is best known for his role as Fenton, Adam's brother (Matthew McConaughey) in Bill Paxton's directorial debut Frailty (2001). Levi began his acting career with film and has recently returned to the screen with roles in The Divide (2016), The Storyteller (in pre-production) and A Very Sordid Wedding (in pre-production).

Kreis is a singer-songwriter whose piano-pop recordings have been featured in key moments on network television shows including The Vampire Diaries, Sons of Anarchy, So You Think You Can Dance, Mob Wives, The Apprentice, Days Of Our Lives, Young And The Restless, and several films. With four albums to date and a 2009 Out Music Award for "Stained Glass Window," the theme song for the Del Shores film Southern Baptist Sissies, Kreis has built a loyal following that continues to expand his reach. Levi is currently working on his fifth album.

"We are extremely proud to host this annual event in support of two established organizations such as the Harvey Milk Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park," said Susan Renneisen, VP Community Affairs & Special Events, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino." Levi Kreis will add an amazing dimension to this inspiring event which will honor men and women who exemplify the best examples of authenticity, leadership and courage in our community."

Guests at Diversity Honors will start the evening with a lively cocktail reception including the North American premiere of the Levi's X Harvey Milk Foundation Pride 2016 Collection. A seated three-course dinner will be followed by a memorable awards presentation hosted by Omar Lewis, WSVN weekend morning news anchor, with Stuart Milk's 2016 "State of the Global Equality" address.

Sponsors of Diversity Honors 2016 include Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino as presenting sponsor, Levi's, Mark Griffis, DMK, Goodman Public Relations, Stoli Vodka, Alpine Jaguar, Miami Foundation, Vitas Healthcare, Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, JetBlue, SunTrust, Fast Printz and Lightship Media. Media sponsors are Florida Agenda, Gold Coast Magazine, Hotspots Magazine, Mark's List, Next, South Florida Gay News and WSVN.

Tickets are $175 per person and available at www.DiversityHonors.com.

The Harvey Milk Foundation is a global non-profit NGO that promotes Harvey Milk's inspiring legacy through human rights education and global outreach. In 1977, Harvey Milk (1930-1978) became the first openly LGBT elected official to a major office in the United States. He was assassinated in San Francisco's City Hall 11 months later. The all-volunteer run foundation was founded by Harvey's nephew, Stuart Milk, and Anne Kronenberg, Harvey's campaign manager and political aide. Today, the Harvey Milk Foundation provides on-the-ground support and award-winning programing to struggling and emerging LGBT communities on 5 continents with over four dozen dedicated volunteer leaders and long term partnerships in 31 nations. For more information, visit www.milkfoundation.org.

For more than 20 years, The Pride Center has provided a welcoming, safe space - an inclusive home - that celebrates, nurtures and empowers the LGBT communities and our friends and neighbors in South Florida. The Pride Center's programs and services meet the distinct socio-economic, health, spiritual, and safety needs of the LGBT community. It hosts more than 60 regular meeting groups each month and more than 35,000 adults and youth attend activities at the Center, each year. Outreach activities over the past year directly impacted 50,000 residents and visitors to South Florida. The Pride Center is a major site for HIV testing and prevention, education and counseling and offers holistic and comprehensive support programs for persons living with HIV/AIDS, including the nationally acclaimed PALS Project. For more information, visit www.pridecenterflorida.org.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, located minutes from Fort Lauderdale's world-famous beach, features a AAA Four Diamond resort with 469 luxury rooms and suites, award-winning restaurants, high-energy nightlife, a lagoon-style pool and Beach Club, a Hard Rock-inspired spa, and premium meeting and convention space. As South Florida's premier entertainment destination, Seminole Hard Rock hosts top-name acts at its 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live concert arena and offers more than 100 table games, 2,000 of the most popular slots and a stand-alone poker room. Fine dining options include Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, the resort's signature steakhouse, and Kuro, a luxe and socially vibrant restaurant offering new-style Japanese cuisine. The resort also features contemporary and casual eateries, including Blue Plate, the hotel's 24-hour diner-inspired restaurant; Constant Grind, a gourmet coffee and pastry shop; and the ever-famous Hard Rock Cafe - Hollywood, part of Hard Rock's 155 globally recognized rock 'n' roll restaurants.

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