Press
The Official program of PFLAG Beaumont Pride Fest 2018
June 9
Grand Marshal
Fran Watson
Fran Watson, Houston attorney and LGBTQiA advocate, seems to greet everyone at every place with an joyfully infectious smile. “I have never seen her without that huge smile that just lights up the room,” Amanda Turner, Pride Fest Co Chair, says. “She is an inspiration to the LGBTQIA community — fighting for every one of us.” Watson, married fourteen years, says that when a community is seeking change and it is necessary to center the voices of members from the community because the folks that have the “lived experiences” can speak to the needs of the community. “I am honored and humbled when I am asked to provide thoughts or leadership or the opportunity to work alongside other LGBTQ leaders when it comes to speaking up for our community,” she says. “I do not take it lightly.” Watson was honored at the PFLAG Beaumont Coming Out Ball, May 5. Watson became involved with advocacy work many years ago through her church. Joining together with parishioners as vendors at Houston Pride and marching in the parade led to her and her cohorts inviting the same groups to their faith-based programs. Tragedy struck and Watson ended up with two broken legs and confined to her home.
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PFLAG Beaumont’s inagural Pride Fest rooted in Equality, Resistance
PFLAG’s mission is to advocate, educate and lend support to the LGBTQiA community, their families and friends. “What better way to offer support, advocate and educate all in one sitting than by having a Pride Fest celebration?” Nathaniel Griffin, Pride Fest co chair, asks. “We are accomplishing those goals all in one big swoop — in one day. “But in reality, PFLAG Beaumont stepped up to have Pride Fest because the community asked us to do so.” Griffin and his co horts put together an Equality Fest in a matter of weeks in June 2017. After the former Beaumont Pride had been disbanded for nearly a year, more than twenty volunteers and a dozens or-
agnizations called on the group. Donny Avery, Motiva Satge manager and who identifies as gay, says he thinks it is beneficial to have a Pride Fest in Beaumont to show that the area has a wonderful LGBTQiA community. “All are welcome,” Avery says. “Beaumont is a great city and by including a Pride Festival, we show the diversity that you will find in Beaumont.” JoLee Tanner, who identifies as gender fluid and pansexual, says Pride Fest is for everyone. “Those who are out know they are safe at Pride Fest and those who are closeted can hide in plain sight along with other like-minded allies,” Tanner, PFLAG Beaumont co historian, says. Avery says he thinks Beaumont is big enough to
support a Pride Fest every year and hopes to stay involved. “We might be a tiny community, but we are a mighty community,” Avery says. “And we want to be here to show how proud we are to live in such a fantastic place.” Griffin says he beacme involved with the oragnization moreso last year when PFLAG Beaumont banded togther with other oragnizations for Equality Fest. “I felt I was a safe and secure enough to be visbale and I am very aware that many of my friends can not safely do that — especially in the past year or so. I am visable for those who can’t be visable.”
________Continued on page 2 as Roots
____ Roots Cont. from Page 1 Griffin says events like Equality Fest and Pride Fest are far more than just a fun stareet fair. “To the LGBTQiA community, it is a family renuion, and an oppurtunity to meet new family members. Tanner says she loves her PFLAG family and friends just as though they were her legal family. “Southeast Texans neeed to know there is support here. PFLAG is here and we can help you, your family members and even your teachers understand — we don’t have to live with ignorance and intolerance.
"AIDS" or "HIV" as thousands died on his watch, and another refused to fund any program related to the LGBTQ community—it is almost like a badge of honor to be in this company of banned terms at the CDC. PFLAG members and supporters everywhere hold the humanity and wellbeing of LGBTQ people and their families sacred. We trust in an evidence-based and science-based policy, especially when it comes to gender, sexual orientation, reproductive health, and the health and wellbeing of our transgender loved ones. We will never stop saying the words.” Liz Owen, Director of Communications
A Note from PFLAG National: DECEMBER 18, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C.—PFLAG National—the nation’s first and largest organization uniting families and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ)—released the following statement from Executive Director Jaime M. Grant, Ph.D.: “With a 45-year history of front-line activism—including during eras when a sitting president refused to utter the words
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Donny Avery, Olivia Busceme, Reyann Gonzales, Latasha Hagen, Tyler Hargraves, , Sarah Mannino, Decim Munoz-Reyes, JoLee Tanner, The Arts Studio, Inc., University Press and the entire Southeast Texas community.
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Drag
Beaumont Drag Lives Beaumont Legend Sazzie
Veteran Pageant Queen Performs with ‘Ladies’
Love Emcees Main Stage
Sazzie Love has been performing for twenty three years — getting her start on the sparklely stage at the former Copa. Former Copa star, Olivia Gardner remembers Sazzie performing first as a cowboy and then hitting the Rave scene. He taught me why I shouldn’t wear pacifiers around my neck,” Olivia says. Olivia and Sazzie have shared the stage on numerous occasions. One of their most memberable shows was at the Copa. “We made goo-goo money that night.” Sazzie, Beaumont native, says. “The owners didn’t know what to think when we pulled out super soakers — we didn’t know how the crowd was going to react when we started spraying them either. But the all lifted their hands up — everybody wanted to get wet and everybody was wet by the end of the night.” Sazzie says she has never been a pageant queen. “My act is more emcee and old-school disco,” she says. Sazzie will be attending to the main stage located inside The Gig all evening. “I love when we all come together as one family — love is love,” she says. “Remember: drag is art — people look up to drag
Natalie Scott has been performing for 22 years . She describers her act as a cross between the spirit and look of Cyndi Lauper with the soul of Annie Lennox. “I am a true 80’s-inspired queen,” She says. “My performances usually come from how I feel internally and just projected externally through ‘Natalie’.” Natalie says she wants to join in with others who have the right to express themselves freely without hate or prejudice. “Also, to let others know it is okay to be different,” she says. “It’s your difference that makes you special and not like anyone else.” The Southeast Texas native currently resides in Beaumont with numerous titles, including Miss Beaumont Newcomer, Miss Beaumont At Large and Miss Copa. 8 p.m.-Main Stage in The Gig
Check out these queens and more all day and night on both stages queens like role models so we should all treat people with kindness and respect.” She would like the up and coming queens to cast aside naysayers’ comments. “I want people to know drag isn’t about money to me because we put alto more in it than what we get out of it. Drag is about entertaining the crowd and making people enjoy the show — because you never know what people are going through and you may have the chance to make that person smile — so we all need to come together as one community not divide our community. “Love one another — we already have hate in society for who we are, we don’t need it in our community.8 p.m.-Main Stage in The Gig
Don’t miss Drag Bingo with Lady Shamu and performance by Salacity Von Tramp Kami Black
Sara Cha
Port Arthur queen comes home Jaeda Secura has been preforming professionally for three years. “I am Port Arthur born and raised,” she says. She currently resides in San Antonio. Her act is part theater, part sexy, and a little ec-
centric. “I'm interested in preforming at Pride Fest because it is my hometown's pride celebration and I remember telling myself that I would one day be on the stage.”5:30 p.m.-Main Stage in The Gig
Janet J
Maci Mirage
Bonnie Sweetheart
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Music
Music Sprinkled Between Two Venues All Day, Night Dylan Earl promises a ‘taste of nostalgia’ country performance “I'm very excited for Pride Fest,” Dylan Earl, Louisianna native and current resident of Fayetteville, AR, says. “I have been performing since I was in socks and underwear doing my best Risky Business impressions as a kid. Professionally, I've been making music and performing it live for around 10 years.” The country kid was introduced to PFLAG Beaumont last year when he and his backing crew The Reasons Why played the holiday party. They put their cowboy hats in the ring for Pride Fest right then. Dylan says his Reasons Why crew is “a revolving cast of character — I usually have
“Just because you love country doesn't mean you have to be a straight, white misogynist.” a steady rhythm section but sometimes the roster changes due to availability.” He says they specialize in “neo-traditional” country music. “We strive to bring the best twangcore,
sad bastard to every show,” Dylan says. “It's a taste of nostalgia, but more appropriately tailored to the 21st century — I call it ‘no bro bullshit country.’ “It is for everyone. Just because you love country doesn't mean you have to be a straight, white misogynist.” Dylan was born right across the bridge in Lake Charles and grew up there until Hurricane Rita displaced him in 2005. He has resided in Arkansas ever since. He says he is “stoked to play the event. “I'm excited to be a part of this event,” Dylan says. “We're all big supporters. 10 p.m.-Main Stage in The Gig
Amahl Abdul Khaliq: AF THE NAYSAYER Within the last two years, this New Orleans-based, Los Angeles-bred producer has dispersed his atmospheric productions across 70 cities and at more than 300 shows in the US. AF’s collaborations in New Orleans have led him to become the ambassador for Red Bull Music Academy, as well as the founder of beatmaker showcase Dolo Jazz Suite. AF has toured with artists such as Durazzo, Prism House, and Beautiful Bells, and has opened for Glitch Mob, Om Unit, Quantic, Lapalux, Young Fathers, and the 2016 Mad Decent BUKU Party (feat: Yellow Claw, NGHTMRE, Louis The Child, and Jazz Cartier) “I'm honored to be booked to perform at this event,” AF says. 9 p.m.-Motiva Stage in Red Room
Rob Welz — Local Electro Rob Welz has been performing all over the Golden Triangle for approximately three years. The Beaumont native’s musical stylings can be described as Rock/pop/electronic. “I am interested in playing all shows.” 4:30 p.m.-Main Stage in The Gig.
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More Stage Schedule Time
Noon
The Ron Jeremies add local flare The Ron Jeremies have been playing together since 2012 — well, Todd Hurst, Jeremy Snell and Bryan LaCroix have been making music together since 2012 — they picked up lyricist and lead vocalist Latricia Badgett in 2015 and Dylano Bemelen, saxophonist and “overall cutie pants,” is a recent addition. The band has expanded to a five piece ensemble representing every corner and in between the corners of the Golden Triangle. The group is heavily influenced by blues, funk, rock and soul music. They take time for Zeppelin-esque guitar solos as their t lady flies through the crowd smacking her tambourine — guiding the crowd through the movements of the music. “Pride is one of our favorite things to do as a band,” Bryan says. “We have played at every Pride celebration Beaumont has thrown and look forward to it every year — Love is love is love is love.” 8 p.m.Main Stage in The Gig
Cisco The Prince Tink Brings Sex, Love, Heartache to Motive Stage The 27 year old Beaumont native, Cisco The Prince Tink, is not only a singer but a songwriter/producer. His music is a mixture of indie pop & R&B, growing up he looked up to Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Michael Jackson. Music has always been his first love, sharing the dream along with his sister Tinker in their duo group “Infinity” Prince Tink decided to take a break and create something on his own and for 2 years he wrote and co-produced his EP “The Tink Diaries Vol.1” which talks about Love, Sex, Heartache, and Vulnerability. 6:30 p.m.-Motiva Stage in Red Room
1 p.m. 2 p.m. 3 p.m. 4 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 9 p.m. 10 p.m.
Motiva Stage Main Stage (Red Room)
(The Gig)
Host by Sparkle Motion Dance Party
Hosted by Sazzie Love
Equality Singers
Fran Watson address Debutante presentation Olivia Gardner opens
Dance party
Music Trivia
Drag by: Thor Cox, Kami Black and Sazzie Love
Equality Singers
4:30 p.m. Robb Wellz
DQ Bingo hosted by Lady 5:30 p.m. Drag by: Shamu, with performance by Alektra Daniels, Jaeda Secura and Janet J Salacity Von Tramp 6:30 p.m Cisco The Prince Tink Drag by: Sara Cha, Maci Mirage, Ana J, Karma Khaos, Bonnie Sweetheart
Dance Party & Music Trivia
The Ron Jeremies
AF The Naysayer
Drag by: Ladies Who Lunch
10:30 p.m Drag by:
Tisha Flowers, Jessi James, Sparkle Motion, Ravenikka Knix
Dylan Earl
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Celebrating Local Hardworking Allies, Advocates
PFLAG Beaumont 2018 Debutantes
Lifetime Ally 2018 Lois Morgan-Roy
Tony Smith, Latasha Hagen, Kiara Walker, James Myrick, Aaron Michael, Jai Tezeno, Andrew McClusky, Kaelyn Elizabeth and Amanda Turner
5955 PHELAN * 409-860-4930
Ally of The Year 2018 Judge Baylor Wortham
________Watson Cont. from Page 1
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“During that time, I started to reflect and I decided I wanted to become more involved,” she says. “After my recovery, I went to hang out with some LGBTQ lawyers. From there, I became involved in planning an LGBTQ conference, working on my friend’s judicial campaign, and volunteering from the Houston GLBT Political Caucus.” Watson’s work focuses on the intersection of LGBTQ equality and racial justice from a political perspective. She is the former president of a nonprofit that works with homeless youth and a co-founding attorney of a Trans legal aid clinic in Houston. “Most of the work I’ve done focused on gaining nondiscrimination protections and blocking anti-LGBTQ legislation,” Watson says. “Because LGBTQ people are part of every community, I also work in solidarity on other issues including immigration, excessive force and police brutality, mass incarceration and reproductive justice.” Watson says her advocacy work led her to run for Texas State Senator in District 17. She spent much of last year traveling back and forth to Austin to testify against bills that moved through the Texas legislature which she deemed harmful to the LGBTQiA community. “My current Senator was the chair of the State Affairs committee which housed some of the most discriminatory bills, including the anti-Trans bill known as the ‘bathroom bill,’ which essentially says people cannot exist in public spaces,” Watson says. “She allowed those bills to go through her committee and voted for them on the Senate floor. I realized that she was going to come back in 2019 and be able to apply these same tactics again, and I could not let her come back without a challenge. So I made the decision to run against her.” Watson did not prevail in the run off election. Turner nominated Watson for the position of Grand Marshal citing her work in Austin and continued commitment to the entire LGBTQiA community. “Fran helps lift Trans voices — especially trans women of color,” Turner says. “She volunteers at the name and gender marker clinic and she stood up and spoke countless times in Austin for every LGBTQiA Texan.” “I actually came out as a lesbian in my late 20’s in college,” Watson says. “While I came out late, I always knew I had an attraction to girls. I just didn’t understand that it was attraction.” She met her wife, Kim, in college and realized what was going on. “I came out slowly to family and friends, but I wasn’t fully out at school or work,” Watson says. “Eventually, I ended up totally coming out everywhere and now I have been married to Kim for nearly 14 years.” Watson is a Native Texan who is proud of her
7 “As a black, lesbian, cisgender, plus-size woman with a gap in her teeth, it took me a long time to be happy and accept myself. When we look for leaders or spokespersons, a certain image often comes to mind. We see that image in the media all the time, and it can create a feeling of being “less than.” It did for me. However, with the support of a loving wife and a community of differences, I’ve learned self-love in a new and beautiful way. We’re our own spokespersons, and authenticity is what matters. Therefore, the world should know: Black lives matter. LGBTQ lives matter. All women matter. I matter. As long as I’m able to stand with my siblings in the fight for equality and equity, I will work to show that we all matter.” Fran Watson in OutSmart Magazine 02 June 2017Pride Portraits state. “I love being a Texan — Texas is my home,” she said. “I have had triumphs and tragedies in Texas. I met my amazing wife in Texas. Are there ways we can improve the state? Yes. That is why we do the work we do!” Watson was presented with an award at the Coming Out Ball, and had the opportunity to meet the Debutantes who have been undergoing ally and advocacy training. Watson said she wants all the Debs to stand proud. “And know that you may not be able to do everything and be everywhere,” she said. “Do what you can when you can. Also, take every grain of a win as it is -- a win. Progress is sometimes slow, but when we make it, it has a longlasting impact. “Be proud of each step taken to get you where you are today.”
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