Black LGBT Announces Hybrid Black Pride Event As Pandemic Endures
Detroit-based LGBT+ agency celebrates 26 Years of Black LGBT+ community pride.
May 3, 2021 Detroit, MI: LGBT Detroit, the city’s premier Black LGBTQ+ service provider and producer of Hotter Than July (HTJ), the world’s now longest running, uninterrupted Black LGBTQ+ Pride celebration for the last 26 years, is continuing its hybrid virtual and in-person approach to its 2021 festivities begun last year As the COVID-19 epidemic resurges in Michigan, the host of the Midwest’s largest Black Pride and will continue to honor this longstanding community commitment while maintaining the safety of its guests utilizing Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Zoom digital platforms. Titled and themed “A ‘Very’ Hotter Than July: A Virtual Celebration,” the three-day community gathering will run from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, July 25 and includes a range of both traditional and innovative activities, from its “Virtual Picnic” and “Hotter Than July Art Show” to its “Candlelight Vigil” and “Worship Service,” followed by the second year of the nation’s first online house “Virtual Ball” competition. This year will also include special tributes to Henry Grix & Howard Israel, and Robert E. Tate through space naming dedications and screenings of original documentary shorts about these local advocate pioneers and longstanding LGBT Detroit supporters.
As with last year, the organization’s Board issued a statement in support of the annual event’s transition to a more virtual Pride event: “LGBT Detroit’s Board of Directors recognize the current state of our emergency, and its particular impact on African American residents of southeast Michigan. We stand united as a part of the solution by digitally outfitting Michigan’s flagship LGBT+ event, Hotter Than July. The goal of the 2021 Hotter Than July schedule is to condense the events and decrease the risks of COVID-19 exposure to our community and the public while maintaining the historic spirit of Hotter Than July. LGBT Detroit will use the available resources of the digital age to honor the tradition set 26 years ago --- uninterrupted.”
Headlining through a live-streamed telecast from the Soundstage of HTJ’s Digital Picnic is R&B singer Davon Fleming from the television program “The Voice.” A Top 8 competitor on Season 13 of the singing competition with a string of #1s on his run, the gospel-inflected soul crooner has since released several singles, including most recently “Reach Your Heart.” Fleming’s live concert performance will be streamed on LGBT Detroit’s Facebook and YouTube pages on Saturday, July 24 at 4:00 pm. In the spirit of the event spotlighting area artists, Fleming will top a marquee of several opening acts of local singers, dancers, drag performers, and other talents.
In addition to sharing art and culture, LGBT Detroit is ensuring its constituent remain informed and engaged in the significance of the current political moment. On Friday, July 23, LGBT Detroit will conduct a community mobilization event over Zoom to announce its 501(c)(4) organization and introduce its Endorsement Committee, which will begin receiving feedback from the community about the political candidates for public office whose platforms reflect their needs and interests. In light of the recent voter suppression activities and policies in Georgia, LGBT Detroit will also educate its constituents about the importance of voter registration, turnout, and efforts in MI and other states to introduce similar legislation that would negatively impact the Black and Black LGBTQ+ vote.
“It’s critical that LGBT Detroit continues to educate our people on organized efforts to undermine their vote and represent against the interests of those who would rob us of our democracy in this county, said Jerron Totten, LGBT Detroit’s Social Outreach Coordinator and Legislative Advocacy Specialist, who is leading the change and curating the activities with dedicated stakeholders. “It’s equally important that we have a vehicle for ensuring candidates are listening to the voices of the people they represent or hope to serve, and that they are taking those voices seriously.”
“I’m thrilled to be able to not just provide our Michigan community a much needed reprieve from so much of the loss and heaviness of 2020, but to also be able to stand here and discuss ways that we and our community continues to stand tall with resiliency and claiming our joy in the face of this pandemic,” said Curtis Lipscomb, Executive Director of LGBT Detroit. “More still, I’m elated over the expansion of LGBT Detroit services, the mission extension of our new 501(c)(4) entity, and the many ways our work, whether in celebration or business, continues to ensure no one will be able to take this Black LGBTQ+ community’s vote and concerns for granted. Not on our watch.”
Sponsored by Eaze, Jack Daniels, Ford Globe, Ford Motor Company, Unified HIV Health and Beyond, and Community Health Awareness Group, among others, “A ‘Very’ Hotter Than July” runs Friday, July 23 to Sunday July 25. Sponsorship opportunities are still available by going to www.lgbtdetroit.org/htjsponsorships or contacting Jerron Totten at jerrontotten@lgbtdetroit.org
For a full listing of events as well as their dates and times, please visit the LGBT Detroit HTJ webpages at: https://www.lgbtdetroit.org/hotterthanjuly. To further keep abreast of LGBT Detroit events, mobilizations, and campaigns, please follow the organization on any of the following social media platforms listed below:
Instagram: @detroithtj
Facebook: www.facebook.com/detroithtj
Twitter: @detroithtj
About LGBT Detroit: LGBT Detroit is a Michigan based 501c(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase awareness of and support to Detroit's dynamic LGBT culture through education and advocacy with integrity and pride. Make sure to stay connected with LGBT Detroit through our official website: https://www.lgbtdetroit.org/
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jerron Totten, Social Outreach Coordinator & Legislative Advocacy Specialist
jerrontotten@lgbtdetroit.org
(313)-397-2127 ext. 103