Beverly Johnson is not only one of the original supermodels of the 1970s, but also has the distinction of being the first black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue.
Now, some five decades later, the longtime cover girl showed off her fashion sense when she lent her support to the Human Rights Campaign’s 2024 Los Angeles Dinner on Saturday night.
It appears the Buffalo, New York, native didn’t make it out with her new husband Brian Maillian, whom she secretly married in Las Vegas last October, but she did spend a lot of time talking and laughing with Aaron Walton, CEO and co-founder of Walton. Isaacson (WI), a full-service advertising agency, with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and New York.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, was honored to welcome U.S. First Lady Dr. to have Jill Biden deliver the keynote speech at her annual event at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
Dr. Biden’s daughter Ashley Biden, whom she shares with United States President Joe Biden, was also on hand to show support for the nonprofit.
Supermodel Beverly Johnson, 71, was among the star-studded guests who showed their support for the 2024 Human Rights Campaign Dinner in Los Angeles on Saturday night
Upon arrival, Johnson strutted her stuff for the cameras along the red carpet in a black wrap-front minidress.
The sleeveless number shows off her still-amazing 6-foot figure, while she also wears a pair of matching black pumps.
To complete her overall look, the author of True Beauty: Secrets of Radiant Beauty for Women of Every Age and Color had her raven locks styled long and flowing down her chest and close to her waist in the back.
While mingling with some of the other VIP guests, Johnson was photographed chatting with Walton, who was decked out in a cool red suit with a black design and a white shirt and tie and designer Ike Isenhour in a black suit with a White shirt. .
Besides Dr. Biden and her daughter included Human Rights Campaign Chairman Kelley Robinson, Luke Lowrey, Damian Terriquez, Dana Goldberg, Ashlyn Harris, John Hartman, Aura Mayar, Nolan McNamee and Jaime Cunningham. , Nicole Maines, Aura Mayar, Nolan McNamee, Madison Werner, Justin Mikita and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
Some others in attendance included Hannah Einbinder, Antonio Villaraigosa, Ashlee Marie Preston, Colton Underwood, Jordan C. Brown, Rebecca Wisocky, Mark Indelicato and Jessie Paege.
The trailblazing supermodel, actress and author secretly tied the knot with longtime love Brian Maillian in an October ceremony in Las Vegas, she revealed during a radio interview with Sirius XM’s “Sway in the Morning,” as reported by USA today.
During the conversation, she explained how Maillian asked her what she wanted for her birthday, so she sat up in bed and asked him to make her his wife.
“I said, ‘I know what I want for my birthday.’ He said, ‘what?’ I said: I want to get married. He said, ‘Okay.’ And I said, ‘did he say OK?'” Johnson recalled how the proposal went down.
She stepped out in a black wrap mini dress, matching pumps, and her hair flowed long to her waist
Johnson spent time talking with Aaron Walton, CEO and co-founder of Walton Isaacson (WI), a full-service advertising agency, with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and New York
It turns out that some of her closest friends helped organize all the details of their wedding, including finding the chapel.
“Just finding the love of my life at this point in my life was amazing,” she said People. ‘This is my first time dating someone so close to my age! We know the same songs, and we’ve been through a lot of the same things.’
Johnson had previously been married twice before, to real estate agent Billy Potter in 1971, whom she divorced in 1974, and businessman and music producer Danny Sims in 1977. They would divorce in 1979, but not before welcoming their daughter Anansa Sims, 45 .
During her modeling career, Johnson appeared on more than 500 magazine covers, including the August 1974 issue of American Vogue, when she became the magazine’s first African-American cover model for the American edition.
Her appearance on the cover changed the ideal of beauty in American fashion, and by 1975 every major American fashion designer began using African-American models.
Designer Ike Isenhour joined Johnson and Walton at the HRC event, which helps fund the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization.
US First Lady Dr. Jill Biden delivered the keynote address
The Buffalo, New York native revealed she secretly tied the knot with longtime love Brian Maillian during an October ceremony in Las Vegas during a radio interview with Sirius XM’s ‘Sway in the Morning; the couple is seen in January 2024
By empowering and mobilizing people at the grassroots level, HRC Los Angeles aims to “create impactful change and provide advocacy for HRC’s mission and work on the ground,” the report said. website.
The organization consists of a dedicated team of volunteers who use their experience and talents to develop a more affirming, inclusive, and equitable community.
In addition to educating the public about the issues affecting LGBTQ+ people and their families, HRC Los Angeles works to engage LGBTQ+ people and allies in the fight for equality, raising money to fund HRC’s work, building strong build relationships with local companies and like-minded people. organizations, and push voters to elect pro-equality candidates to office.
When Kelley Robinson was named the new president of the Human Rights Campaign in September 2022, she became the first Black queer woman to lead the organization.