Dr. Been was extremely honored to win the LaBeija Mentorship Award for dedication, support, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ individuals and initiatives on Haverford’s campus. The award was presented to her at Lavender Graduation.
In 1972, Crystal and Lottie LaBeija created the first Ballroom House, “The House of LaBeija”, a safe-haven for queer people of color and home with a family for those in search of community. In ballroom culture, “Houses” are kinship networks that are configured socially rather than biologically. In general, a “house” does not signify an actual building; rather, it represents the ways in which its members interact with each other as a family unit.
