Meeting LGBTQ community needs and celebrating local artists

Last year, ShrevePride Productions hosted the city’s first-ever Q-Prom and was designed to kick off Pride month and provide a space for the LGBT+ community to connect, network and live their best lives as their true, authentic selves. The event was wildly successful, attracting hundreds of attendees from Shreveport, Bossier City, northwest Louisiana and neighboring states.

For 2020, co-founders Steven Knight, Nicole Ortiz and Sam Ortiz had planned on a sophomore year to elevate the in-person event to new heights of exploration, perspective and connection. But, as the coronavirus impact and the concern for health and safety grew, they began to shift its focus to providing much-needed outlets and conversations that many in the community discovered were lacking due to the challenges presented by the stay-at-home order, unemployment and other issues.

Shreve Pride Productions has chosen to meet the moment with a month-long series of free virtual events ranging from fashion advice and cocktails to chats about social intersectionality and mental health.

“As a global community, we are navigating virtually uncharted waters, learning how to sit in our peace and assess our identities in new and challenging ways,” said organizer Steven Knight. The online events will run throughout Pride month (June), culminating in a final virtual event, the “Pieces of Pride” party, on Saturday, June 27, which will be filled with performances by local drag and music artists to social meetups and games.

“The goal of ‘Pieces of Pride’ is to bring people together, to provide resources to the LGBT+ community, and to help out the LGBT+ creatives who have been impacted financially by COVID-19. Special live chats will feature guests like drag artist Lemon POP, health-care professional Dr. Ly Pham, LGBT+ advocate Ashley Johnson, and licensed professional counselor Felicia Kay.

The month will also include “Pieces of Pride: Prep Parties” each Friday night. The events start with Vessel Vintage on fashion (June 6), followed by Joey Guin & ZaZa Gigante on hair and makeup (June 12), Mallory Oswalt preparing a magnificent meal (June 19), and Brandon Manning teaching tasty party drinks (June 26).

The big Pieces of Pride virtual party (Saturday, June 27) will replace this year’s in-person event and will feature drag performances by Mirage, Jade Summers, Lady Phat Kat and Faye Hexx along with music performances by A.J. Haynes of Seratones; Ansley Rimmer, Chris Rimmer and Hali Kha of Hydrogen Child; Frank Jones; and national acts sponsored by Q97.3 FM. Lastly, the celebrations will conclude with The Morning After Party with Lyons Pride Coffee streamed live on Saturday, June 28.

For the full list of events, times and how to engage, visit ShrevePride’s Facebook page (facebook.com/shreveportqprom). Participation is free and open to all.