Scenes from The 16th Annual Chick Lit Luncheon in Dallas, Featuring Tyra Banks

The Supermodel/Entrepreneur's Speech Was Joyful and Empowering

BY Megan Ziots // 10.06.22

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Elizabeth Dacus, Brooke Bailey (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Ya’Lisha Gatewood, Benaye Chambers, Nikita Thomas, Sydney Moultrie (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Mel Horne, Brandi Chalmers, Kelli Little, Samantha Wortley (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Lisa Ogle, Cathy James (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Sally Dutter, Monica Austin, Connie O’Neill (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Roxanne Carne, Vicki Keltner (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Katie Sauce, Jennifer Sartaowski, Kirsten Gappelberg (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Lisa Shirley, Marjon Henderson (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Dixie Oneacre, Mary Lee Miller, Aven Rountree and Ann Kight (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Gepetra Lewis, Gracie Gurella (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Leslie Perkins, Kira Sewell, Danisha King (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Karie Cato, Stephanie Parkinson, Kristi McAllister, Ida Gleaton, Kristen Merrill, Courtney Gorman (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Angie Kadesky, Elizabeth Gosselin, Tricia George (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Roxanne Carne, Yasmin Francis (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Erin Finegold White, Katie Edwards (Photo by Nate Rehlander)

Community Partners of Dallas president and CEO Paige
McDaniel, Crawford Brock (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Deve Sanford, Rhonda Sargent Chambers (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Carla Lindley, Becky Lacour (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Chick Lit Luncheon co-chair Errika Flood-Moultrie, honorary chair Cynt Marshall, Chick Lit co-chair Renita Joyce Smith (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Tyra Banks with VIP reception guests (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Chick Lit Luncheon co-chair Errika Flood-Moultrie, emcee Kellie Rasberry, and Chick Lit co-chair Renita Joyce Smith. (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Adrienne Saunders, Sandra Cathey, Amanda Kelly (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Jordan Linden, Marta Rincon, Cotis Foster, Morgan Burch (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

C'mone Wingo, Claire Catrino (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Nickki St. George, Susie Straubmeuller, Alex Ballengee James Ballengee (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Tucker Enthoven, Lisa Singleton (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

De’Aundre Williams, Brian Millage (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Tanya Davis, Erika Burton, Elizabeth Ward Creel, Annie Fernandez, Courtney Derderian (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Emberli Pridham, Krista Riner, Savanna Riner (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Sandy Moore, Allison Murphy, Sarah Jones (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Tina Christensen, Heather Briggs, Rana Chehabi (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Bob and Lara Tafel, Chick Lit Luncheon presenting sponsors (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Meredith Verska, Ashley Lyon and Sunie Solomon (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Debbie Oates, Christie Carter (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Honorary chair Cynt Marshall and Community Partners of Dallas president and CEO Paige McDaniel (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Tyra Banks and Kellie Rasberry (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Kellye Stephens, Kim Stephens-Olusanya, Sherri Gilbert (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

Corie Green, Alison Bailey, Suzi Nadeau (Photo by Celeste Cass)

Tyra Banks with VIP reception guests (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

The 16th annual Chick Lit Luncheon, presented by Dr. Robert and Lara Tafel, took place on Friday, September 30, 2022, at the Hilton Anatole. The annual event raises money for Community Partners of Dallas — an organization that supports abused and neglected children in the area. Each luncheon has featured a starry guest speaker, from Andy Cohen to Goldie Hawn. This year’s talent: Emmy Award-winner Tyra Banks.

The festivities began the night before on Thursday, September 29, with a special cocktail reception for sponsors hosted by Stanley Korshak. Partygoers mingled downstairs before gathering on the second floor for a special presentation. Honorary chair Cynt Marshall shared an excerpt from her new memoir “You’ve Been Chosen: Thriving Through the Unexpected,” while also sharing her personal story about adopting her son. Afterward, Stanley Korshak personal stylist Sonya Woods Rose talked fall fashion, highlighting the latest trends and must-have pieces.

On Friday morning, guests arrived for a pre-luncheon reception in the Chantilly Ballroom foyer, with top sponsors gathering in the nearby Wedgwood Ballroom, which included a preview Q&A with Tyra Banks and Community Partners of Dallas president and CEO Paige McDaniel. Banks taught the crowd how to “smize” (her signature expression), discussed her love of writing, and then posed for a group photo with attendees.

346ChikLitDallas22 — Tyra Banks and Kellie Rasberry (Photo by Tamytha Cameron)

During the luncheon, the current Dancing with the Stars host and executive producer spoke in person during a live Q&A with The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show radio host Kellie Rasberry. The two discussed Bank’s rise to modeling stardom, her time attending Harvard University’s Executive Education Program, Bank’s ice cream business aptly named Smize Cream, and her most recent book titled “Perfect Is Boring.”

Banks has also been named multiple times in TIME‘s 100 Most Influential People. The multihyphenate spoke candidly about the bold step she took to gain this recognition in 2007 — a swimsuit appearance on her talk show The Tyra Banks Show, where she re-donned a one-piece that had spurred tabloids to comment negatively on her weight. The entrepreneur was a joy to listen to.

Chaired by Errika Flood-Moultrie and Renita Joyce Smith with Cynt Marshall as honorary chair, the Chick Lit Luncheon was a success with over 1,300 attendees. Personally, my favorite part was when Banks broke into “Be A Star,” a song from Disney’s Life-Size, when Rasberry asked her what her favorite movie she has been in was.