WASHINGTON – LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is proud to announce Denver City Councilmember Shontel Lewis as the 2024 Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award recipient. Named after Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the trailblazing first openly LGBTQ+ U.S. senator, this award recognizes a rising star in U.S. politics who has dedicated their career to fighting for LGBTQ+ equality. The award will be presented at LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference this December in Washington, D.C.
Lewis’s story is one of resilience and victory. Raised in Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood, she has dedicated her career to advocating for her community—her background includes nonprofit and civic leadership focused on supporting youth, families, and individuals experiencing homelessness. She was elected to the Denver City Council in 2023.
“Shontel is one of our most outstanding leaders, proudly serving Denver with dedication and love for her community. As an openly Black, queer womxn, her personal experiences shape the effective, practical solutions she brings to the city council,” says LGBTQ+ Victory Institute President & CEO Evan Low. “She has worked to enhance the lives of youth and families in public schools, to improve transportation, and to prioritize the needs of her community’s most marginalized members. At LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, we proudly support elected officials like Shontel, whose work truly impacts those who elected them. We are excited to present Shontel with this year’s Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award and look forward to her ongoing service to Denver. We appreciate her commitment to LGBTQ+ representation and public service.”
Past recipients of the Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award include Kentucky State Senator Keturah Herron, Virginia Delegate Danica Roem, Florida State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, North Carolina State Representative Deb Butler, and Peruvian Congressman Alberto de Beláunde. This year, the nominees for the Tammy Baldwin Trailblazer Award included MN Rep. Leigh Finke, AZ Rep. Lorena Austin, Houston City Councilmember Mario Castillo, IL Rep. Mike Simmons, and OR Rep. Ben Bowman.
The International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference is an annual global event bringing together LGBTQ+ politicians, political surrogates, and human rights advocates in Washington, DC. This year’s conference will take place December 4-6, 2025. To learn more or to register for media credentials, visit lgbtqleaders.com.
About LGBTQ+ Victory Institute
Through leadership development, trainings and convenings, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute works to achieve and sustain global equality by increasing the number, expanding the diversity of and ensuring the success of out LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials at all levels of government. Learn more at victoryinstitute.org.
About International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference
The International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference is an annual gathering hosted by LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. The event features multiple signature plenary sessions, more than a dozen workshops and breakout sessions, and an annual Elected Officials summit – a day-long event for LGBTQ+ elected officials. Each year at the conference, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute awards its Global Trailblazer Award, the Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award, and inducts new leaders into the LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame.
