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LA Pride Celebration

Huge LA Pride bursting with color, fun, families and trans visibility (photos!)

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6 years ago

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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department could not provide a guesstimate of how many people participated in the LA Pride parade Sunday, perching from balconies, lining the sidewalks and marching down Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. The LASD spokesperson said the helicopter was being used for a car chase and apparently WeHo station isn’t exactly proficient with drones.

But to the casual observer, the parade appeared to be biggest, most colorful, the most crowded with welcomed corporate marchers and the most enjoyed by all types of families. Two outstanding themes: incredible trans visibility and no obvious protests of Donald Trump, though the tens of thousands of happy, dancing, marching, hugging and loving LGBT people and allies was a clear affront to the Trump administration’s anti-LGBT policies.

In fact, other than the appearance of elected officials and political groups such as Stonewall Democratic Club and Equality California, the only really political statement, per se, was TransLatin@ Coalition founder Bamby Salcedo wearing an orange jail jump suit, followed by a makeshift jail cell and a large contingent condemning ICE detention centers and highlighting the deaths of trans women who died in ICE custody.

In an important show of political and humanitarian unity, Salcedo also carried a sign calling attention to the epidemic of black trans women who have been murdered. Nine black trans women have been murdered in 2019. 

Advocates for women’s rights – including passage of the long dormant Equal Right Amendment – were also represented and appreciated as the Trump administration continues its assault against reproductive rights.

The two messages reached a larger audience this year. For the first time, the parade was broadcast live on KABC7 Eyewitness News and live streamed for an hour after the station returned to regular programming. ABC is owned by Disney, a longtime supporter of the LGBT community and always one of the largest favorite contingents in the parade.

But old Disney fans were probably shocked to see a live broadcast of gay men representing The Abbey nearly naked but for their revealing speedos. But KABC did not cut away – in fact the women commentators seemed somewhat giddy by the proudly exposed tight abs. Suddenly out came the fans, as the WeHo temperature heated up, seeming hotter than the low 80s at the time.

Fans screamed “Thank you, Adam Schiff” as Rep. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee investigating the Trump-Russia connection, started on the trek through WeHo. The parade, Schiff told the Los Angeles Blade, “is awesome. It’s so nice to be out here to celebrate all the progress that’s been made and all the progress yet to be done.”

At the earlier news conference, Schiff said: “The march towards full equality for all LGBTQ people has been steady, albeit all too slow. We must keep marching forward for the transgender service member whose courage has been called into question, LGBTQ migrants seeking asylum at our borders…and for so many who are counting on us to speak up.”

Out LA City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell sponsored Jaime Marin and Yolanda Rocha Rito, operators of of Casa Jardín de las Mariposas, a homeless shelter for LGBT individuals in Tijuana, Mexico.

“I invited them here to highlight the fact that the Trump Administration’s policies are hurting this community. Asylum seekers can’t get hearings because he’s so cold-hearted and racist in his policies,” O’Farrell said. “They don’t have the social safety net we have here. The Pride Festival always highlights the fact that there are other places where this community can’t live so authentically and out in the open.”

Jaime Marin works at the Jardín. “Jardín de las Mariposas is a sanctuary shelter for our brothers and sisters in Central America who are fleeing for their countries, afraid for their lives,” said Marin. “We started as a rehab center for the LGBT community, but since the need [for LGBT services] is so big in Tijuana, we had to expand our services.” These services include assistance with the political asylum process, job searching, and acting as a homeless shelter.

Out LA Councilmember Mike Bonin rode on a fire truck, keeping up a tradition started by his late out mentor, LA City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. LA Controller Ron Galprin—first out gay elected citywide who called for a boycott of hotels owned by the anti-LGBT Sultan of Brunei—rode with his husband Rabbi Zachary Shapiro. Longtime ally City Attorney Mike Feuer, one of the first on the scene at LAX to help after Trump unexpectedly announced his Muslim Ban.

LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, the first out LGBT person elected to the state Assembly in 1994, continues to receive a huge wave of gratitude.

The West Hollywood City Council, which has sponsored CSW since it moved from Hollywood, always receives applause. West Hollywood Human Services Commission member Jimmy Palmieri, Founder of The Tweakers Project, who coordinates the Pride #Sizzle sober party – also carried a sign calling for an end to trans violence.

Equality California’s contingent was so large, they needed three cars. Out Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara was interviewed by KABC and bisexual Rep. Katie Hill posted several tweets about the fun she had.

And while the news out of New York City notes that the NYPD finally apologized for the police raid that resulted in the Stonewall Uprising, and Sacramento Pride had issues with Sacramento Police marching in uniform – LA Pride welcomed the Fire Department and their families and an FBI contingent from the local LA office, led by Dan Lathan.

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti marched with LAPD Chief Michel Moore, noting that the police raids against the Black Cat Tavern in Silver Lake were two years before the Stonewall Rebellion and now the police chief is walking in the Pride parade with the mayor and Police Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa rode with out former Commissioner Rob Saltzman. . Chief Moore not only posed with other officers but donned a Disney Pride sticker, as well.

That provided some jovial competition between the LAPD and the LASD over which department wore Pride better since Sheriff Alex Villanueva authorized – and wore – a special Pride patch that caught the attention of local media.

Lt. Tonia Martinez was interviewed by a FoxLA reporter about the patch, then sincerely thanked the Sheriff for the significant gesture.

But the LASD outreach went beyond the fun patch. Deputies Aston Guasfall and Elizabeth Castro were handing out trans flags and the back of one of the Sheriff’s cars displayed the trans flag, too.

Watching from a place of honor was Metropolitan Community Church Founder Rev. Troy Perry, co-founder of Christopher Street West with the late Gay Liberation Front leader Morris Kight and the late homeless advocate, Rev. Bob Humphries, with his husband and fellow marriage equality advocate Phillip De Blieck.

“Pride means everything to me,” Perry told the Los Angeles Blade. “We were the first gay pride parade in the world. New York had a demonstration, nothing wrong with that – but we sued the city and had a parade.” This year, Perry was delighted at the participation of “young people [who ought] to be a part of the struggle and this fight too.”

He noted that LA insisted on a parade instead of a demonstration in 1970 to commemorate the year anniversary of Stonewall. “We’ve had all kinds of demonstrations,” he said. “We’re gonna have a parade – this is Hollywood!”

The LAPD told Perry, Kight and Humphries that they’d rather have thieves and burglars march down Hollywood Boulevard instead of homosexuals. CSW sued and two judges ruled in their favor.

Metropolitan Community Church founder Reverend Troy Perry is a founder of Christopher Street West. Here he kicks off the first LA Pride in 1970 on Hollywood Boulevard, where he will be when the event returns there with 2017’s #ResistMarch. (Photo courtesy Troy Perry)

“We only had three floats in the parade,” Perry recalled, but an estimated 1,165 people showed up, many with their dogs, including one marcher with his husky and a sign reading, “We don’t all walk poodles!” Others joined in along the parade route. But at the end of the first parade that June 28, Perry, Carol Shepard, head of L.A. chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, and lesbian activist Kelly Longman sat down on the corner of Las Palmas Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, refusing to move until elected officials talked to them about gay rights.

They were soon arrested for “vicious and malicious blocking of a sidewalk with intent to do harm,” Perry recalled in 2017.  The two women were released but Perry spent the night in jail. After his release, Perry held a 10-day hunger strike at the federal building until City Councilmember Robert Stevenson and his wife Peggy spoke to him and Perry broke his fast.

Forty-nine years later, LA Pride’s response to today’s anti-LGBT environment is color, fun, creativity and alliances with a myriad of businesses that support LGBT equal rights for the community and their diverse employees.

In May 2018, after concerted reporting on the dire condition of CSW as an organization, the Los Angeles Blade posed the question: “Can Estevan Montemayor save LA Pride?”

It appears he and his CSW partner Madonna Cacciatore not only “saved” CSW but raised the bar for LA Pride events to come. Presumably they are preparing an After Action Report on what worked and what didn’t work to provide transparency to their successful strategy.

Christopher Street West Executive Director Madonna Cacciatore, Paula Abdul and Christopher Street West President Estevan Montemayor pose on the Red Carpet on day one of LA Pride at West Hollywood Park on June 7, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Chris Tuite)

One major new factor was opening up a free Pride on the Boulevard as part of the Festival that featured numerous organization booths on Santa Monica Boulevard (the Los Angeles Blade booth attracted more than 8,000 people) outside the traditional tickets-needed Festival. Bienestar conducted free HIV tests; GLSEN promoted safe schools and the too-often ignored bisexual community; Cedars-Sinai Hospital sponsored an interactive health awareness mobile clinic with information about PrEP and offered vaccines for Hepatitis A and meningitis at their the Health and Wellness Village on the Boulevard.

Inside the Festival there were a slew of different exhibits and performances from the artistic Trans Galleria to a stunning performance by Todrick Hall and a soaring kick-off concert by Paula Abdul on Friday night, capped by fireworks.

“I would not be anywhere without this community. The love and support you’ve given me leaves me breathless,” Abdul told her fans.

There was also the Dyke March and a screening of the documentary “5B” about the creation of the AIDS Ward at San Francisco General Hospital in 1983 by nurses who broke the rules and touched their incurable and dying patients.

Saturday night also featured major performances by Rupaul’s Drag Race alum Raja on the MAC Park stage, as well as rapper CupcakKe, Brazilian pop star and global drag sensation Pabllo Vittar, capped off by a concert by superstar Megan Trainor, who honored the trans community, the women’s community and reminded the audience about the importance of enjoying life even though “we are clearly under attack.”

On Sunday, a Tongva Two-Spirit leader offered a blessing and the Trans Chorus offered a song before the official LA Pride kick off, as CSW organizers and the West Hollywood City Council held a news conference to introduce elected officials and the event honorees. “Our city is the seat of LGBT pride for the entire country,” proclaimed out West Hollywood Mayor John D’Amico.

Celebrity Grand Marshal Ryan O’Connell—a gay man with cerebral palsy who stars in Netflix’s “Special” who cracked everyone up with unending jokes—and Community Grand Marshal Phill Wilson, Founder of the Black AIDS Institute, and Lorri Jean, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Organizational Grand Marshal, also shared a few words.

“I am so proud of our community because we strive to include all of us. We’re not perfect, we’ve never been perfect, but that is our aspiration. We understand that we are great when all of us are included, and we are all diminished when we exclude any one of us,” said Wilson.

“It’s so amazing to have disability finally be a part of the conversation. Being gay and disabled, stories like mine don’t often get told so it means a lot to be at the forefront and celebrating with you this year,” said O’Connell.

“We are here to celebrate our pride in our community, our pride in ourselves as individuals. There are those in our land who want to turn back the clock, who want to re-impose discrimination against us. We’re not going back. We’re not going to tolerate that, and we are going to win,” said Jean.

CSW Executive Director Madonna Cacciatore recognized the eight black transgender women murdered this year and led a moment of silence.

“It’s a testament of our progress that today, instead of fighting division, we stand together in unity,” said CSW President Estevan Montemayor. “We only got this far by marching together side by side, and we must continue to march forward until every LGBTQ person is free from fear and oppression.”

And then #JustUnity hit the road. First the Dykes on Bikes roared up the Boulevard, a stirring annual event that evokes cheers of female power paving the way for all the politicos to follow.

Finally, the Los Angeles LGBT Center hit their mark and sent wave after wave of program staff, participants and their families out to celebrate their 50 year anniversary, including a float of Asian drums heralding their arrival—including just returned AIDS LifeCycle riders, veterans, and members of the Trans Wellness Center, featuring Johanna Padilla, 27, in balloon wings.

And while he has formally retired from heading his Black AIDS Institute, Phill Wilson is not far from the LGBT community’s mind.

Perhaps one of the largest contingents was the Disney Company.

Verizon was a major sponsor

MAC was a big sponsor, too.

Several companies had unique approaches such as having Glitteress, 27, and Hydra, 25, walking the mile and a half stretch in high heels, escorted by Kris Rollins, 34, for Delta Airlines.

“Pose” was a huge hit, especially with their stilt-wearing vogue models.

And then there were the young people, including little Jorge, who his family say “is expressing who he is. We are supporting his choices.”

Here are other LA Pride participants and watchers.

  • Austin Mendoza contributed to this story
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Arts & Entertainment

Make Your Voice Heard at WeHo Pride: Join the Women’s Freedom Festival and Dyke March

FREE! FREE! FREE! Come celebrate Pride in West Hollywood with these free events

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2 weeks ago

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May 29, 2025

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WeHo Pride is now fully underway with an arts festival happening now, leading up to a weekend-long worth of events celebrating the kick-off of Pride season. 

On Friday, May 31, the Women’s Freedom Festival will take over the Celebration Stage, celebrating women’s rights — and wrongs. The event is co-sponsored and produced by the L-Project, featuring emerging and local artists from the LGBTQ and QTBIPOC identities, including activists, musicians, poets and comedians. 

The exciting lineup of events features an arts festival that is currently hitting the streets of West Hollywood, the historic Dyke March featuring Dykes on Bikes and Pride Riders L.A. — an organization for queer and lesbian women motorcycle riders — and much, much more. 

Katrina Vinson is the founder of Pride Riders L.A., working hard over the last few years to bring much-needed visibility to dykes, women who love women and nonbinary people who identify as sapphics. 

Her application to start the first Dykes on Bikes Los Angeles chapter is about more than branding. It’s about connection to a legacy of activism — dating back to the group’s 1976 founding in San Francisco, when leather-clad lesbians led the Pride parade in defiance of the police force and society’s patriarchal norms.

“It’s not just about riding,” Vinson says. “It’s about showing up for each other and reminding the world that we’re still here, still loud, still proud — and still riding.”

Pride Riders LA will feature an all-women and nonbinary people lineup of motorcycle bike riders, revving their engines all up and down West Hollywood. Pride Riders LA will roll in following the Women’s Freedom Festival, creating a transition from stage to street. The call for riders is already underway—with an emphasis on inclusivity and outreach to younger riders, trans and nonbinary folks, and LGBTQ+ bikers of color.

Jackie Steele is a multi-faceted community organizer and longtime activist who has built a reputation in queer and sapphic spaces. She is the Los Angeles District Attorney LGBTQ+ Advisory Board Chair, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna LGBTQ+ Advisory Board Member, and was previously the Public Safety Commissioner for the City of West Hollywood, Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board of the City of West Hollywood and a self-proclaimed militant queer.

“Chris Baldwin runs the L-project and what they’ve put together is a concert and an event that is a true celebration of intersectional queer identities,” said Jackie Steele. “We worked really hard to work with the city to create a space that was accessible for everybody, where folks can just come out, enjoy the street fair and enjoy themselves.” 

This year, they are expecting around 50 bikes to roll through for the Dyke March, so if you’ve never been, this will be a moment to remember, some might even call it a canon event. 

“If you’ve never been, Dyke March is a celebration of dykes and what lesbians have done in the community — which is often under-celebrated,” said Steele. “There’s going to be bikes everywhere, engines roaring, a live program on stage and we will be fists in the air, standing together.” 

WeHo Pride will take over Santa Monica Blvd., over the weekend. Check the West Hollywood Pride events page to keep up with street closures, parking information and full lineup of performers and events.

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LA Pride Celebration

Pride is a protest, even more so today

Pride is never just a party. It’s a political act — and an act of protest that reminds us how far we’ve come and that we must not stop fighting for the future we deserve

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2 weeks ago

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May 29, 2025

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By John Erickson, City of West Hollywood

Every June, rainbow flags rise above Santa Monica Boulevard and all across West Hollywood.  Music pulses from our parks and the city becomes a beacon for millions who come to celebrate LGBTQ Pride. But for those of us who live here, serve here and fight here, Pride is never just a party. It’s a political act — and an act of protest that reminds us how far we’ve come and that we must not stop fighting for the future we deserve.

West Hollywood wasn’t built on complacency. It was built with the mission of serving a greater purpose by activists, trailblazers, and everyday people who refused to be silent. In West Hollywood, we fought for safe housing for people with HIV and AIDS in the 80s and 90s — a fight we continue to this day. We marched in the streets for marriage equality and trans rights long before the national conversation caught up with us. We organized, advocated, and showed up — even when it was dangerous.

That’s what Pride means here and in 2025, as we confront the legacy of a second Trump administration and brace for what may come next, our fight is far from over.

We Must Protect What We’ve Won and Push Harder Than Ever

Let’s be clear: the Trump administration is leaving deep scars on our community. Every day, I hear from residents fearful of so many things, from rolling back healthcare protections for trans people and the proposed ban on transgender troops; to “religious freedom” laws that allow discrimination under the guise of faith — moves that are direct attacks on our rights, our dignity and our lives.

We cannot afford to be passive; we must not look away.  The rise in anti-LGBTQ legislation across the country — from drag bans to book bans — is a coordinated backlash against our visibility and progress. And while Los Angeles County may feel like a haven, we must have a responsibility to lead by example. Pride in West Hollywood isn’t just about celebration — it’s about organizing. It’s about raising our voices in solidarity with our siblings in states like Florida, Texas and Tennessee who are facing existential threats.  Just a few weeks ago, I was out in the community enjoying a wonderful evening and met a person from Florida.  We began speaking and they said that they extended their stay for an extra evening because they didn’t want to go back to hiding their true identity in the state they were from.  

The Fight for Trans Rights Is the Fight for Our Future

This leads us to one of the most urgent fronts in this fight: protecting our trans community. Statistics show trans women of color continue to face disproportionate levels of violence and discrimination. Black and Latinx trans people experience higher rates of homelessness, unemployment and police harassment. If we’re serious about equality, we must center trans lives in our activism and policymaking.  Across L.A. County, we must demand that every city follow suit.

HIV/AIDS: The Fight Is Not Over

While medical advances like HIV prevention medication (PrEP) and undetectable equals un-transmittable (U=U), have changed the landscape of HIV prevention, the fight against HIV/AIDS is far from over. This is especially true for communities of color and LGBTQ youth. Nationally, Black gay and bisexual men account for nearly one in four new HIV diagnoses and young people between the ages of 13 and 24 account for over 20% of new infections. These drastic cuts in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment funding at both the federal, state, and county levels are disastrous for our communities.  

In West Hollywood, we have never wavered in our commitment to ending the epidemic and we won’t stop now. From free testing to access to treatment, we must continue to invest in the tools and care our community needs.

LGBTQ Youth Deserve More Than Survival

LGBTQ youth today are growing up in a nation that sends them mixed signals: celebration during Pride month, but censorship in their classrooms, validation on TikTok, but violence in their neighborhoods. We cannot let them down.

According to The Trevor Project’s 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year. Among transgender and nonbinary youth, that number climbs even higher. These numbers aren’t just statistics — they’re a call to action, and in West Hollywood, we answered that call.

This coming budget season, we’re investing in mental health resources, funding youth-led organizations, and creating safe, affirming spaces in our city, and we’re pushing for more across LA County. Because every queer kid deserves a future — not just to survive, but to thrive.

Pride Is a Promise

Pride is not a luxury. It’s not a brand. It’s a promise: to protect each other, to show up for the most vulnerable among us, and to never forget those who came before us. Together, we must fight for the existence, dignity, and respect of our entire community — for the queer kids back in Ripon, Wisconsin, where I come from and for the friends and family that we all know across the country.  

In West Hollywood, we honor that promise every day, not just in June. We’re proud to stand on the frontlines of justice, love, and liberation. And we invite every Angeleno to stand with us.

Because Pride didn’t start as a parade — it started as a riot and we’re not done fighting.

Happy Pride Month, all. Let’s celebrate now, more than ever. 

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California

Long Beach Pride reaffirms community focus for this year’s festival

This year’s theme is ‘Power of Community’

Published

1 month ago

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May 5, 2025

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Courtesy of Long Beach Pride

Long Beach Pride 2025 will take place on May 17 and 18 at Marina Green Park, emphasizing focus on grassroots organizations and local community performers. 

“Long Beach Pride has always been more than just a festival—it’s a movement,” said Elsa Martinez, interim president of LB Pride. “This year, more than ever, we’re celebrating the strength, creativity, and unity of our local community.” 

Martinez also notes that all the ticket sales directly go toward funding on-the-ground resources. 

“As a nonprofit organization, every aspect of the Pride Festival—from ticket sales to vendor partnerships—directly funds our work in the community,” noted Martinez. “This is a festival with purpose.”

As LB Pride amps up for its 42nd annual celebration, the organization has stated that this year marks the return to the roots of Pride. LB Pride stated that they are committed to emphasizing what makes the local community so special and spotlighting local performers, musicians and entertainers. 

The organization has also stated that they are committed to ‘justice, inclusion, and the celebration of queer joy.’ 

“Our strength has always been our solidarity,” said Martinez. “This year’s festival is a reminder of what we can achieve when we lift each other up.”

This year, the main stage will feature a lineup of pop, Hip-hop and Latin talent. 

Performers include HYM the Rapper, George Michael Reborn Tribute, Tori Kay, Jewels Drag Show Extravaganza, Secret Service, Tiancho and music mixes by DJ BSelecta, DJ Icy Ice and DJ 360. 

For updates, tickets, and volunteer opportunities, please visit https://longbeachpride.com and follow @LongBeachPride on social media.

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Pride Special

South Los Angeles came out for Pride!

This year’s South Los Angeles Pride theme – #WeOutside – embodied the celebration of being outside and visible

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2 years ago

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July 17, 2023

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Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove & Los Angeles Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson with 2023 South LA Pride honorees Sisters of the Perpetual Indulgence on Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris Dawson, Councilmember Heather Hutt, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Lindsey Horvath, South LA Pride Board Chair Jasmyne Cannick, and hundreds of people came out to celebrate the intersectionality in the LGBTQ+ community at South LA Pride Sat. Jul 15 at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. 

This year’s South LA Pride theme – #WeOutside – embodied the celebration of being outside and visible while standing proudly together in South Los Angeles.

Presented by South Los Angeles Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Heather Hutt, and Curren Price, the epic free one-day festival centered on the talents of artists who are queer Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in South Los Angeles.

The 2023 South LA Pride Festival was sponsored in part by Community Coalition, Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, the LGBT Center, Gilead, Los Angeles Chargers, and KPFK 90.7FM.

Additional details about South LA Pride are on social media. Follow the hashtag #SouthLAPride on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram, or visit southlapride.com for the latest updates.

The Freaky Boiz performs at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
Los Angeles Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson addresses the audience at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
South LA Pride Chair and Director Jasmyne Cannick and co-char Ray Love, Jr. introduce the 2023 Planning Committee on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
Marachingoa performs at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
Los Angeles Councilmember Heather Hutt addresses the audience at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
Various members from the ballroom community compete in a voguing competition during The Outside Kiki Ball at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
13-year-old Ally Marc Jacobs vogues during The Outside Kiki Ball at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
2023 South LA Pride honorees Sisters of the Perpetual Indulgence and LA Chargers Cultural Affairs Director Liliana Perez wth LA County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Holly Mitchell on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
Headliner Durand Bernarr performs at South LA Pride on Sat. Jul 15, 2023, at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex. (Photo credit: Malcolm Ali)
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Pride Special

Durand Bernarr will headline the 5th annual South LA Pride

Activities include a ballroom voguing competition; softball game; women’s tackle football; drag performances & an outdoor dance floor

Published

2 years ago

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July 10, 2023

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Los Angeles Blade/South LA Pride graphic

LOS ANGELES –South LA Pride announced today that following his sold-out tour and viral NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Durand Bernarr will headline the 5th annual event on JULY 15 at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex (formerly Rancho Cienega Park) in Baldwin Hills. 

The epic FREE one-day festival lineup for South LA Pride will once again center the talents of artists who are queer Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or are from South Los Angeles including drag performances by Amber Crane, Sole Valentino, and Porshaa Lejayy.  Additional performances include Ginger Roots, Devan M, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Lost Angeles, Yalla the Melodica, disco queen Kiki Kyte, rappers Freaky Boiz, and more. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the stage and dance floors open at noon. A full lineup can be found here.

In addition to the main stage, other activations include a ballroom voguing competition with Season 1 winner of HBO MAX’s “Legendary” Torie Amour Bodega, a softball game hosted by the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association, yoga with WalkGoodLA at 11 a.m., a meet and greet with the LA Legends Women’s Tackle Football team, and an outdoor dance floor with various DJs mixing throughout the day.

This year’s emcees include journalist Shar Jossell and content creator and comedian Jade Fox.

Presented by South Los Angeles Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Heather Hutt, and Curren Price, South LA Pride is a family-friendly event that is free and open to all to attend. There will be food trucks, a vendor village marketplace, live DJs, games, and more.  Attendees are welcome to bring their food and drinks or can opt to purchase food and drinks from the onsite food vendors.

LA Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson
(Photo Credit: City of Los Angeles Media Relations)

“I am honored to support the LGBTQIA+ community at the 5th Annual South LA Pride Celebration,” remarked Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson. “While love knows no boundaries, it is crucial to confront the harsh reality of unjust laws that infringe upon human rights. I stand united with my colleagues and our city in our dedication to champion freedom for everyone.”

This year’s honorees include:

  • Garth Gerald, Executive Director of the AMAAD Institute
  • Liliana Perez, Cultural Affairs Director for the Los Angeles Chargers; and 
  • Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

“South LA Pride is a powerful experience that amplifies the voices and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community in South L.A., while also celebrating its diversity, resilience, and strength,” said Councilmember Heather Hutt. “It’s important that LGBTQ+ individuals in our community feel a sense of belonging and love from their constituents and their City, and this gathering is a testament to that commitment. Join us as we create a safe space where everyone can proudly express their authentic selves, and together, we’ll ignite change, foster peace, and promote acceptance of all!” 

South LA Pride Chair and Director Jasmyne Cannick added, “South LA Pride is a celebration that recognizes and embraces the intersectional identities that exist within our communities. The queer community is not a monolith and we don’t all live in West Hollywood. Celebrating pride means celebrating all of who we are, where we are.  We don’t have to–and we won’t–leave our community to celebrate pride.”

The 2023 South LA Pride Festival is sponsored in part by Community Coalition, Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, the LGBT Center, Gilead, Los Angeles Chargers and KPFK 90.7FM.

Additional details about South LA Pride will be made available on social media. Follow the hashtag #SouthLAPride on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram, or visit southlapride.com for the latest updates.

WHAT:

5th Annual South LA Pride

A free, family-friendly LGBTQ+ pride festival in South Los Angeles hosted by Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Heather Hutt, and Curren Price.

WHEN:

Saturday, July 15, 2023

12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE:

Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex

5001 Obama Blvd.

Los Angeles 90016

COST:

Free 

Attendees are encouraged to pack their picnic baskets, blankets, and lawn chairs.

MORE INFORMATION:

Southlapride.com

Hashtag to follow #SouthLAPride

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Pride Special

Politics & Pride 2023 celebrations as Pride Month comes to a close

From San Francisco to New York and across the world too cities large & small marked the end of Pride Month 2023

Published

2 years ago

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June 25, 2023

By

U. S. House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA/Burbank) at SF's Pride Parade 2023 (Screenshot/YouTube ABC7 Bay Area)

LOS ANGELES – From San Francisco to Denver to Chicago and then New York, cities large and small marked the end of Pride Month 2023 in parades and gatherings. Across the globe there were also celebrations including the 40th anniversary of Dublin Pride in Ireland and in the true spirit of that very first Pride gathering, thousands took to the streets in Istanbul, Türkiye in defiance of the ban on Pride by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

As LGBTQ+ communities celebrated they were joined by elected leaders and representatives.

Here are some highlights of Pride 2023:

Illinois Governor Jay Robert “J.B.” Pritzker:
Colorado Governor Jared Polis:
New York Governor Kathy Hochul:
NBC Bay Area, KNTV 11:
California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis:
Mayor of the City of Houston, Texas, Sylvester Turner:
The prime minister of the Republic of Ireland, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar:
Türkiye İYİ LGBTİ:
Maryland Governor Wes Moore:
Toronto Pride 2023:
Member of Parliament for Whitby, Southern Ontario, Ryan Turnbull:
Pride Mexico City 2023 via Reuters:
Twin Cities Pride via The Star Tribune; First Lady Dr. Jill Biden:
Pride in Edinburgh, Scotland 2023:
Seattle Pride 2023:
Metro Manila Pride, Philippines 2023:
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY):
Oklahoma City Pride 2023:
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Pride Special

KABC: LA Pride Parade draws thousands to Hollywood

The 53rd annual L.A. Pride Parade rolled through the historic heart of Hollywood Sunday, featuring hundreds of marchers & colorful floats

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2 years ago

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June 11, 2023

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LA Pride 2023 Parade entry sponsored by the Los Angeles Blade. (Photo by Troy Masters)

HOLLYWOOD – The LA Pride Parade made its way through Hollywood on Sunday, highlighting the last day of this year’s weekend-long Pride celebration.

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Pride Special

L.A. Pride Parade Sunday will be live on KABC7

ABC7 is your official L.A. Pride station! Join our hosts Ellen Leyva and Christiane Cordero as we broadcast the parade on ABC7

Published

2 years ago

on

June 6, 2023

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Photo Credit: KABC7/Facebook

LOS ANGELES – (KABC7) The 53rd annual L.A. Pride Parade will be rolling through the historic heart of Hollywood Sunday, and you can watch the celebration on ABC7.

The grand marshals for the parade this year are Margaret Cho, the ACLU SoCal and the late Leslie Jordan – a family member will represent Jordan.

The parade will feature a special performance presented by the ACLU SoCal and staged by Morgan McMichaels to music by 14-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren.

The parade features hundreds of marchers, colorful floats, celebrity guests, and there will be a few big surprises too.

There is a new route and direction this year. The parade will start at Sunset Boulevard and goes up Highland, and then turns right on Hollywood Boulevard, rolling all the way to Cahuenga where it makes a final right turn heading back to Sunset Boulevard.

It all begins Sunday, June 11 at 11am.

ABC7 is your official L.A. Pride station! Join our hosts Ellen Leyva and Christiane Cordero as we broadcast the parade on ABC7, Hulu and wherever you stream ABC7 Los Angeles.

Check out abc7.com/pride for stories about the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies, and share your Pride with #abc7eyewitness.

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Pride Special

LA Pride Parade and Village Details

Pride Village is the place to be after the parade with festivities taking place from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., just steps from the parade route

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2 years ago

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June 6, 2023

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Courtesy of LA Pride

HOLLYWOOD – The second annual LA Pride Village on Hollywood Boulevard will bring the free, all-day street festival to a new location between Vine Street and Gower Street just steps away from the official LA Pride Parade route on June 11.

At 9:00 AM on June 11, The Hollywood Partnership CEO & President Kathleen Rawson will deliver a welcome note in front of Pantages Theatre, and at 2:00 PM elected officials – including Senator Ben Allen, Senator Maria Elena Durazo, Board Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Council Member Hugo Soto-Martinez and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur – will welcome festival goers at the Celebration Stage on Gower St. and Hollywood Blvd.

Christopher Street West Association (CSW) announced its trio of grand marshals to be celebrated at the LA Pride Parade on Sunday, June 11 taking place at its original historic location in Hollywood.

Graphic via Christopher Street West

The parade, which will feature a special drag performance presented by the ACLU SoCal and staged by Morgan McMichaels to music by 14-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren, will air LIVE on long-time LA Pride broadcasting partner KABC/ABC7 on Sunday, June 11 beginning at 11:00 a.m. PDT.

This year’s LA Pride Parade grand marshals include comedian, actor and activist Margaret Cho as the Icon Grand Marshal, an individual who needs no introduction and achieved major milestones within their career and industry; a posthumous tribute to Emmy-winner Leslie Jordan as the Legacy Grand Marshal, a new title this year in honor of Jordan for his everlasting impact on the community; and the ACLU of Southern California, that helped CSW obtain the permit for the first LA Pride parade, as the Community Grand Marshal, which celebrates a group or individual who has had a powerful influence through their work and dedication to and for the LGBTQ community.

“I’m thrilled and incredibly honored to be the Icon Grand Marshal,” said Cho. “We need this Pride more than ever. I have been attending Pride celebrations since 1978 and this time around the need to celebrate as well as unite is more urgent than it has ever been. Our love is greater than their hate. 

“On behalf of Leslie Jordan, we are overjoyed by Christopher Street West’s heartfelt recognition to name Leslie as LA Pride’s Legacy Grand Marshal,” said Jana “Cricket” Jordan. “This honor further solidifies the positive impact he made in the world, but more importantly for the LGBTQ+ community. His spirit continues to bring love and light.”

“For a century, we’ve been on the front lines fighting for people to be their true, authentic selves,” said Hector Villagra, executive director of the ACLU SoCal. “We’re honored to be the Community Grand Marshal and proud to love, live among, and protect LGBTQ Californians.” 

“Christopher Street West is honored and humbled by this year’s three grand marshals,” said Gerald Garth, president of CSW. “Each have contributed to the LGBTQ+ community in their own unique ways, furthering our fight for acceptance, equality, and justice.” 

It will also air nationally on ABC News Live and Hulu, and wherever viewers stream ABC7 including abc7.com and the ABC7LA mobile app.

Anchor Ellen Leyva and reporter Christiane Cordero from ABC7 Eyewitness News will co-host the ABC7 broadcast. The parade route will begin at Sunset Blvd and Highland Ave heading north, then east onto Hollywood Blvd, then south onto Cahuenga Blvd, ending at Sunset Blvd and Cahuenga Blvd.

Additionally, The Hollywood Partnership, the non-profit organization that oversees the public realm in the Hollywood Business Improvement District (BID), has once again partnered with LA Pride to bring the LA Pride Village back to Hollywood Blvd.

LA Pride Village is the official place to be after the LA Pride Parade, with festivities taking place from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., just steps from the official parade route.

When the iconic LA Pride Parade returned home to Hollywood Blvd last year after more than four decades, it prompted the start of new traditions and celebrations in Hollywood, including LA Pride Village, a free and open to the public street festival.

The second annual LA Pride Village celebration promises to be even bigger and better, with a new location on Hollywood Blvd, between Vine St. and Gower St., to make room for more booths featuring local vendors and non-profits, an expanded beer garden, delicious food trucks, two performance stages for twice the entertainment, and more comfortable crowd space for dancing. 

All details can be found here: https://lapridevillage.com/do/la-pride-2023. 

Sponsors of LA Pride Village include Princess Cruises and Royal-bud.com. 

Public transit and ride share services to LA Pride Parade and Village are strongly encouraged. For the Parade, connect to the L.A. Metro B (Red) Line and exit Hollywood/Highland or Hollywood/Vine Station. Metro has many Park & Ride lots servicing the county – parking is just $3.00 per day, payable onsite.

If self-driving to LA Pride Parade and Village, vehicles can access parking and the event site via Vine Street or Gower Street.

LA Metro’s ‘Ride with Pride’ 2023

WHAT: 

LA Pride Village is the ultimate free community street festival happening on Sunday, June 11, in honor of the LGBTQIA+ community. Hosted by The Hollywood Partnership and LA Pride, it’s the perfect complement to the LA Pride Parade, as it is located just steps away from the iconic procession on Hollywood Boulevard, between Vine Street and Gower Street. Festivities include:

  • 90 local vendor booths
  • Two entertainment stages featuring 14 performances
  • An expanded bar garden
  • 11 Food trucks
  • 1 LGBTQ+ Cinema Film Festival by NewFilmmakers LA @ The Montalbán Theatre
  • More comfortable crowd space for dancing and celebrating Pride on Hollywood Boulevard

WHEN: 

Sunday, June 11, 2023 

12 PM to 8 PM (all day)


KEY TIMES: 

  • 12 PM: LA Pride Village OPENS
    • 12-8 PM: 14 Performances across two stages by Pride notables like Mariachi Arcoiris, Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, the Gay Freedom Band LA, Secret Circus, Dance Church, and LA’s favorite queer AAPI drag party, Send Noodz
  • 2 PM: Elected officials welcome Pride festival goers to LA Pride Village
    • Senator Ben Allen, Senator Maria Elena Durazo, Assemblymember Rick Zbur, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, LA City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez
  • 2:15 PM-2:45 PM: Interviews available with elected officials
  • 3:00 PM-10:30 PM: NewFilmmakers LA Presents LGBTQ+ Cinema with The Montalbán @ 2023 LA PRIDE: This special event at Hollywood’s famed Montalbán Theatre features LGBTQ+ films spotlighting emerging filmmakers telling stories from across the spectrum of queer identities by artists from diverse backgrounds, including a strong representation of BIPOC storytellers. The event also hosts a full bar with reception space for mingling throughout the day, and Q&A sessions with filmmakers from each program.
  • 8 PM: LA Pride Village CLOSES

 

LA Pride in the Park: 6/9-6/10

It’s going down with Mariah Carey + Megan Thee Stallion! Don’t miss out — tickets at lapride.org

This June in honor of PRIDE, Century City’s Fairmont Century Plaza invites guests to an extraordinary two-hour live concert performance from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. Returning this year, the non-profit organization will be performing at the hotel with a mission to change hearts and minds through the power of music. 

The event will feature a vibrant approach to an array of iconic songs from Queen, Motown, Sondheim, and more, taking place at the hotel on Saturday June 10th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. This will be their main West Los Angeles PRIDE performance. VIP tickets will be $55 and will include two cocktails. Free General Admission is also available and the performance will be open to the public.

Live music has been a prominent component of the Fairmont Century Plaza experience since its beginning and the hotel is looking forward to honoring PRIDE this year with this monumental performance.

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Pride Special

LA Metro’s ‘Ride with Pride’ 2023

The transit system rolled out its Pride TAP cards which are available at Metro Customer Centers and TVM’s supporting Pride event

Published

2 years ago

on

June 6, 2023

By

Courtesy of LA Metro

LOS ANGELES – LA Metro, the official Transit Partner of LA Pride, is back again for its 24th year, this year Metro plans to celebrate Pride all month with its very own Ride with Pride campaign.

Last Friday, June 2 the transit system rolled out its Pride TAP cards which are available at Metro Customer Centers and TVM’s supporting Pride events. Metro reminds Pride attendees they can avoid traffic, street closures, and overpriced parking with Go Metro to LA Pride events. Parking is only $3 – payable on the spot, at any of the numerous Park & Ride lots adjacent to Metro stations and every rail line has parking.

Courtesy of LA Metro

Just in time for Pride Month, LA Metro also announced it will officially open the Regional Connector transit project to the public on June 16.

The ambitious, complex project, which began in 2013, is unique among rail projects in the United States. The 1.9 miles of new track laid for the project will allow light rail trains to travel between Union Station and the busy 7th Street/Metro Center Station in Downtown’s Financial District. Before the Regional Connector, that’s a journey only Metro’s heavy rail lines could make. Bridging this gap allows Metro to merge the hook-shaped L (Gold) line with the A (Blue) and E (Expo) lines, creating two serpent-like train lines where there were once three. The Regional Connector includes three new underground stations: 

  • Little Tokyo/Arts District Station where riders will have easy access to historically rich and vibrant neighborhoods and cultural institutions. 
  • Historic Broadway Station features two nationally registered districts: the Broadway Theater District, with 12 original theaters within seven blocks and Old Spring Street, known as the original Financial District of Downtown Los Angeles.
  • Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill Station connects riders to downtown’s performing arts institutions, museums, fine dining experiences and more. 

These new stations will transform the way many riders can experience the Metro system, providing riders with a seamless, one-seat journey from as far as Azusa to Long Beach and from East L.A. to Santa Monica with no transfers required.

To mark this historic milestone, Metro will provide free rides on the entire Metro transit system including Metro bus and rail lines as well as Metro Bike Share services, during opening weekend. Metro encourages Angelenos and visitors alike to rediscover downtown and explore the fun, food, shopping, and cultural landmarks now accessible via the three stations on Regional Connector line and beyond.

Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.

LA Metro System map:

23-1002_map_GM_KLine_Master_Oct22_final.indd_Download

 

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