Atlanta’s dynamic LGBTQ power couple, Juan and Gee Smalls, have once again been nominated for the prestigious FOUNDATION OF THE YEAR at The 10th Annual RICE Awards (Rising In Community Excellence) in 2025. Their nonprofit, The Gentlemen’s Foundation, continues to be a beacon of support and empowerment for Black men in the Same Gender Loving (SGL) and broader LGBTQ community, now leveraging AI-driven mentorship platforms and digital outreach to expand their impact nationwide.
Since launching The Gentlemen’s Ball in 2011, an elegant black-tie gala celebrating LGBTQ people of color’s achievements, Juan and Gee have grown the event into a flagship community moment attracting hundreds of attendees from across the country. The Foundation’s mission has evolved with the times, integrating cutting-edge automation tools to streamline scholarship applications, mentorship matching, and wellness programming, making support more accessible than ever.
Beyond philanthropy, Juan and Gee have cemented their entrepreneurial legacy with their acclaimed restaurants, Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar and its 2024 expansion, Virgil’s West Midtown. These venues not only serve up authentic Gullah Geechee cuisine but also act as vibrant community hubs where food, culture, and activism intersect. Their innovative use of AI-powered customer engagement and inventory management has set new standards in hospitality efficiency and personalized guest experiences.
Juan and Gee’s journey from grassroots activists to influential media personalities and certified life coaches exemplifies the modern creator economy’s spirit—building authentic brands that blend social impact with business savvy. Their YouTube series Love Works has embraced AI-driven content creation tools to amplify their message of love, freedom, and resilience to a global audience.
As they celebrate over a decade of community leadership and entrepreneurial success, Juan and Gee Smalls remain unapologetically authentic, pushing boundaries and inspiring a new generation of LGBTQ entrepreneurs and activists to harness technology, creativity, and heart in pursuit of freedom and excellence.
Support their nomination and vote to recognize a foundation that’s not just keeping pace with 2025 but setting the standard for community excellence in the AI era.
Kevin "KevRoss" Ross is a music and radio industry expert. He is a 20 -plus year entrepreneur with the leading most successful industry trade publication and site Radio Facts (www.radiofacts.com). He has also published various books, magazines, performed marketing and promotions for major corporations and recording artists and he is on the advisory board of several industry organizations. This year Ross introduced his non profit organization LOMARI (Leaders of the Music and Recording Industry) to help teach young minority students how to market and manage their music and products.
