June is recognized as Pride Month by the Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community worldwide. Events are held in June to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City on June 28, 1969, which most historians consider to be the birth of the modern LGBT civil rights movement.
The City of West Hollywood through its Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board and the Transgender Advisory Board celebrated the many cultural contributions of the LGBT community via a variety of arts, cultural and community events as One City / One Pride 2010.
Lavender Los Angeles and Roots of Equality presented The Making of Our Pre-Stonewall LGBT Movement in the City Hall lobby. An exhibit designed to uncover the region’s unsung LGBT history and to connect the experiences of the past to the aspirations of the future.
The works of Tennessee Williams were discussed as part of Classical Theatre Lab’s presentation of Small Craft Warnings.
The Los Angeles Art Association and Gallery 825 presented Out There, an exhibition of original art works by various artists commemorating West Hollywood's 25th Anniversary and its 25 year commitment to the LGBT community.
The Human Rights Speaker Series examined International LGBT Rights: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly which featured West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman as the moderator; Phill Wilson, President and CEO of The Black AIDS Institute; David Cruz, Professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law; Julie Dorf, Senior Advisor for the Council for Global Equality; Paula Ettelbrick, Executive Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission; and Suyapa Portillo Villeda, PhD candidate, History of Modern Latin America, Cornell University.
An afternoon of poetry recitals featured original works by Prentis Bonds (read by actor Rico E. Anderson); Cyn Gonzalez; Eloise Klein Healy; Ian Mackinnon, and Steven Reigns as part of the Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board’s Pride and Poetry.
As part of the ongoing initiative, Out West, the film Two Spirits, a documentary that tells a nuanced story of what it means to be poor, transgendered, and Navajo was screened and participants heard from the film-makers and a “two spirits” expert as part of a panel discussion.
One City / One Pride 2010 Testimonials
”Out West has gained a new partner in the City of West Hollywood. I hope is it the first of many Out West collaborations. I am so grateful to the City Council, the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission and its wonderful staff, the Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board, and the Transgender Advisory Board for including this magnificent, courageous film, Two Spirits, in their One City One Pride program series.” Gregory Hinton, Creator/Producer of Out West
In voluntary surveys, audiences members at various events remarked that One City / One Pride programming was “fantastic,” and “excellent,” and most wanted to see programming like this in the future. One participant said, “[the] arts need to be a part of Pride.”
For a complete listing of One City / One Pride 2010 events, follow the link below and check back here in May for One City / One Pride 2011 events and information.