New Friends New Life will host the Stand for Her Luncheon on September 24.
New Friends New Life’s Stand for Her Luncheon will take place on Sept. 24, at 11:30 a.m., according to a press release. The luncheon will bring together North Texas business, civic, and philanthropic leaders who can help make change.
The event will be hosted by actress, producer, and founder/CEO of PATTERN Beauty, Tracee Ellis Ross. Two mother-daughter teams will also co-chair the luncheon: Beth Theole and Brooke Russo, and Kathy Helm and Marci Kramer. Lottye and Bobby Lyle will be the honorary chairs of the event.
Founded in 1998, New Friends New Life is an organization dedicated to empowering the women and girls who are sexually exploited by trafficking. They also work to spread awareness in Texas, a state that has consistently ranked as the state with some of the highest numbers of trafficking cases in the US. In 2024, they served 250 teen girls, women, and children using holistic programs to support long-term stability and healing.
“Ross is a powerful voice for joy, self-acceptance, inclusivity, and equity,” reads the press release.
Famous for her many acting and producing projects, such as starring in the sitcom black•ish, Ross has been a speaker at many events, often focusing on identity and belonging. In April of 2018, she gave a TED Talk about the power of women’s wisdom and rage as the first black woman to open the conference.
“We are honored to welcome Tracee Ellis Ross to Dallas to headline our Stand for Her Luncheon,” said Bianca Davis, CEO of New Friends New Life. “Tracee’s journey reflects the power of resilience, self-discovery, and living authentically. Through her work as an actress and entrepreneur, she has encouraged countless women to embrace their worth and pursue lives filled with purpose and possibility. We are excited for our community to hear her inspiring message and celebrate the strength and potential of the women and girls we serve at New Friends New Life.”
A limited number of individual tickets will be released in August and will begin at $300. Underwriting sponsorship opportunities begin at $3,000. To reserve seats or sponsorships, visit www.newfriendsnewlife.
