Founding AFER board member Dustin Lance Black earlier this month was honored at HRC’s gala dinner in Seattle, Wash. The evening featured a moving tribute of Lance’s work advocating against bullying and for LGBT equality, including his work with AFER to achieve marriage equality.

But the night was not just about glitz and glamor. As Lance points out on his blog:

I’m proud to share that we raised approximately $300,000 that night, including a $50,000 match from HRC. This is one of the largest amounts raised during a ‘raise the paddle’ in HRC history. The $300,000 brings HRC’s total commitment to marriage efforts in Washington State to $1 million. And all of the money we raised will remain in Washington State, going toward the fight to secure marriage there once and for all.

This November voters in  Washington will decide the fate of marriage equality in the state when they consider Referendum 74.

Check out the video above to watch Lance’s tribute and his full speech.