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Dr. Monica Lomeli, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, Delivers an Inspired Wake-Up Call Message for the LGBTQIA+ Community
Trusting someone with your story can be a very difficult thing to do, especially for a victim of hate belonging to a marginalized community like the LGBTQIA+ community— Dr. Monica Lomeli
CENTURY CITY, CA, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2024 /
EINPresswire.com/ -- The
4th Annual Pomona Valley Pride Gayla, "PRIDE 365: Honoring our Past, Present, and Future," was held in the California Ballroom of the Sheraton Fairplex Suites & Conference Center in Pomona, California on Saturday — October 5, 2024, and proved a visually stunning special event for invited guests as they experienced the acrobatic performance of human feats of balance, agility, motor coordination, and art by The Stage Global. The mission of The Stage Global is to bring the cirque arts industry into the future by promoting intelligent movement training, and offering safe space for creative expression while building an inclusive LGBTQIA+ community for performance talent.
“We find the performance art showcased by The Stage Global is representative of the type of strength, commitment, perseverance, agility, self-discipline, and self-expression required by the LGBTQIA+ community as we move forward successfully in 2025,” stated Frank Guzman, CEO & Executive Director, Pomona Valley Pride.
This stellar, special event fundraiser greeted their arriving guests with music and cheer, replete with a top-tier, full-service, open-bar, and complemented by a first-course, gourmet reception offering of Crudités comprised of baby zucchini, sunburst squash, baby carrots, breakfast radish, jicama, cucumber, broccolini, assorted domestic and international cheeses, dried fruits, compotes, lavash crackers, and lemon pepper breadsticks.
A warm opening welcome by Frank Guzman, CEO & Executive Director, Pomona Valley Pride, and Roberto Munoz, Board Chairperson, Pomona Valley Pride, launched the evening's celebration while the hilarious and quick-witted comedic timing of Emcee, Billy Francesca, kept the ebb-and-flow at a steady stride filled with laughter and audience engagement.
Later, Dr. Monica Lomeli, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, was introduced, whereby, she shared insights and analytics as they pertain to the problems the LGBTQIA+ community has experienced in the past, face in the present, and solutions, actions, and resources available for a brighter future.
“Trusting someone with your story can be a very difficult thing to do, especially for a victim of hate belonging to a marginalized community like the LGBTQIA+ community. Reporting hate is important to represent its impact on a community fairly, but not everyone is comfortable reporting it to law enforcement. This is why we want the public to know that they can report hate to
LAvsHate.org or dial 211 so victims can get help from a community-based organization,” said Dr. Monica Lomeli, head of the Hate Documentation program for
LA County’s Commission on Human Relations.
Thereafter, the evening was buttressed by more exciting, live entertainment, and a three-course dinner menu featuring a farm-fresh salad with cello cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, shaved carrots, and lemon-thyme vinaigrette; a lightly blackened chicken with sour cream mashed potatoes, Cajun cream sauce, and seasonal vegetables; and, a chocolate mousse cake for dessert.
The evening's festivities included an award ceremony honoring Hector Silva, world-renowned artist and queer advocate, Ami Davis, human rights advocate and published author who advocates for student rights and empowerment, and Our Schools USA (Inland Valley Chapter), an organization that has lead the efforts and advocacy for the recent passage of the Safety Act (AB1955). Legislation was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom as a result of Our Schools USA’s tireless efforts. The Safety Act would, in addition to preventing forced disclosure of LGBTQ+ identity, provide information for parents and education personnel on acceptance and the creation of safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ students.
The evening closed to the beat of powerful DJ Lancia music selections, and dance moves left on the floor but still alive in memory of a wonderful and exciting experience at the 4th Annual Pomona Valley Pride Gayla.
ABOUT Pomona Valley Pride
Pomona Valley Pride, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2019, is committed to their mission of empowering, enhancing, advancing, and sustaining the well-being of people's lives through vital social, emotional, educational, arts, scholarship, and advocacy programs. Pomona Valley Pride advocates and fights for LGBTQIA+ rights, human rights, and women's rights— worldwide.
ABOUT the LA County Commission on Human Relations
The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations promotes positive human relations in our richly diverse, multicultural county throughout all five Supervisorial Districts. The Commission works to develop programs that proactively address racism, homophobia, religious prejudice, linguistic bias, anti-immigrant sentiment, and other divisive attitudes that can lead to intercultural tension, hate crimes, and related violence.
For more information and to report acts of hate and discrimination, visit LAvsHate.org.
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Antoinette DuBois
Privilege Media Group Worldwide, Inc. | pmg
Antoinette.DuBois@pmgintl.com
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Privilege Media Group Worldwide, Inc. | pmg