OUTIS the NEWIN Memphis Pride Fest Powered by a 3-DAY GRAND CELEBRATION!

OUTIS THE NEWIN Memphis Pride fest Powered by A 3-DAY GRAND CELEBRATION!

FRIDAY, SEPT 23 Saturday, SEPT 24 Sunday, SEPT 25 The Pride Concert Pride Festival Pride Brunch crawl 7p q Handy Park 10a - 5p q Robert Church Park Starts at 1 - 4p in Cooper Young Page 6 Page 12 Page 3

Pride Parade 1 - 2p q Beale Street Page 13 PROUD SPONSOR OF THE LGBT PRIDE PARADE

MGM Resorts named one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality”

4 ...... Welcome to the 13th Annual 15 ...... Performing Artists Memphis Pride Fest The Zoo Girls Midtown Queers 6 ...... Pride Concert Lisa Michaels 7 ...... 2016 Grand Marshals 16 ...... Festival Vendors 8 ...... Meet the Board 17 ...... Drum Circle Project 10 ...... 2016 Mister & Miss Mid-South Pride OUT Macc Onner IS THE18 ...... Q&A Aubrey Ombre NEW Queer Youth from Playhouse ...... Performing Artists 12 ...... Festival Layout 18 Melanie P. & Mixx Talent ...... Parade Route 13 Mike Hewlett & the Racket 14 ...... Meet Your 2016 Event Hosts ...... After Parties Jaiden Diore Fierce 19 Fannie Mae 20 ...... 2016IN Sponsors Welcome to the 13th Annual Memphis Pride Fest

From your President, Sept 23rd at 7:00pm, followed by the Festival and Parade on I want to welcome you to your 13th Annual Memphis Pride Fest Saturday Sept 24th from 10:00am to 5:00pm with the parade at and Parade with this year’s theme as “OUT is the New IN.” This 1:00pm going down the historic Beale Street, finally we end the year has been an amazing year of growth and expansion for fun-filled weekend with a brunch crawl through Cooper Young The Mid-South Pride Organization. I am proud to have such a on Sunday Sept 25th, 2016. We are thrilled to bring back the strong and confident board of 8 members working hard alongside “Kid’s Zone”, The Second Stage, and the Gold Strike Casino’s 50 myself to make this year’s festival and parade better than any ft. Cooling station. The last year has been an eye-opener and we year before. Each year is filled with fundraising and community at Pride want our community to know that we unify when others outreach events, our year kicked off in February with our Mister try to divide. We stand behind our community and those whom Mid-South Pride’s Annual Heartbreak Hotel event, followed by our have been attacked in the name of being themselves. We want 1st annual GAYla event, and will end in October with your Mister to provide a safe and loving environment for everyone to be who and Miss Mid-South Pride competition. That’s 8 months of active they want to be. We are always interested in your opinions and fundraising with at least 3-5 events occurring every month, and suggestions therefore we will have a suggestion box located at the that is just the social calendar. Along with all the events scheduled; info booth, so while the thoughts are fresh in your mind, please we still hold multiple monthly open and closed board meetings and stop by and drop them in the box. You can make suggestions for team meetings. So with this hard-working and amazing team of 8 the 2017 theme as well. We want you all to have a great time this strong, we are proud to present to you this year’s Annual Memphis pride season and remember to be PROUD of who you are and that Pride Fest. we at pride do this all for you, our community. We are very excited about the growth and expansion of the Mid- Your President, South Pride Organization over the last year. We have extended the pride festivities to a weekend long celebration starting with s the Memphis Pride Fest Concert at Handy Park on Friday night VanessaVane Rodleysa Rodley

Love is love is love. Since the Beginning. Join us on your journey. shadygrovepres.org

Our community ministries include: 5530 Shady Grove Rd. PRIZM (prizmensemble.com), Memphis, TN 38120 Race for Grace (raceforgrace.racesonline.com), Contact: 901-683-7329 and the Saturday Supper Program at St. Luke’s Oﬃce hours: Monday–Friday 9-2:30 p.m. United Methodist Church Worship: 10:30 a.m. on Sundays

Proud of Our Diverse LGBTQ Community

n Empowerment for all Men of Color in the Mid-South n Dedicated space and resources for social activities n Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) education and access n Free HIV and STI testing n Free condoms and safer sex supplies

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SEPTEMBER 23 q 7:00 PM Pride Concert HANDY PARK ON BEALE Hosted by Phillis Lewis Phillis Lewis was born in Chicago but now resides in Memphis, TN with her daughter. She works as a Victim Witness Coordinator for the Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit at the District Attorney’s Ofﬁce and has done so for over 6 years. If you ever check out the night life or drag show here or there you have probably seen her drag persona Freak Nasty who has been performing for over 5 years a former Miss Femme American National Star 2015, Mr. Misster 2012, Mister Mid-South Pride 2012, and Mr. Dru’s Place 2011. Phillis works with many non proﬁt organizations such as Mid-South Pride, Friends For Life, Memphis Pegasus Krewe, Planned Parenthood, Men of Hoist, MGLCC, and donates her time as well to many others. Seeing Red SEEING RED is a fan favorite from Memphis, TN. With energy and variety in every show, they are fun to watch! Seeing Red plays originals plus a wide variety of cover songs from Pink to Johnny Cash, Paramore to Janis Joplin, Sam Smith to Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars to Journey, Kings of Leon to Brandi Carlile and so much more! SEEING RED’s EP titled “Stereotype” is available at www.seeingredband.com and all other digital outlets. You can also check them out at: @seeingredband and Seeing Red Band

Tori WhoDat with DJ Spaceage Tori WhoDat comes to us from the heart of New Orleans and streets of Memphis to help enlighten the youth while offering a sanctuary from social stigmas through her infectious beats and unique sound. Today, her passion and her purpose is deﬁned by her dedication to sincerity in her lyrics with a raw message that can be felt by anyone who has seen struggle and risen above with ﬁsts swinging.

6 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 2016 Grand Marshals This year at the Memphis Pride Fest, powered by Mid-South Pride, we recognize our Grand Marshal’s as outstanding members/allies of the LGBTQ community. The honorary title of Grand Marshal is granted to those whom possess a strong role in advocacy or make a signiﬁcant stand for those in our community. They have helped to build and work to sustain a strong sense of pride throughout the years and want to make Memphis and the Mid-South a better place for members of the LGBTQ population to live.

Grand Marshal #1 Grand Marshal #2 Grand Marshals #3 Mike Morgan Cristin Smith Ginger and Diane Mike Morgan has been a long-time supporter of Cristin Smith has been an integral part of the Standing on the shoulders of giants, Ginger and the LGBTQ community. He started out in the early LGBTQIA community for the past six years. She is Diane have been fortunate to live their lives openly 90’s working the “Gay Switchboard” with his the heart and soul in the operation of Spectrum and without fear. In 1990 at Texas Woman’s then partner John Sparks who passed away of night club; a safe haven for all ages of our University, they were the first persons to have a a heart attack in April ’93 at the age of 36. The community to enjoy comradery and encouragement same-sex marriage ceremony at Little Chapel in switchboard was a part of crisis counseling and to be themselves. Cristin’s devotion to her the Woods. In 1992, they were the first openly was partly responsible for giving out information community goes far beyond her role at Spectrum. lesbian parents with a known gay sperm donor in about “Gay Friendly” establishments and bars to She is an active participant of Mid South Pride. Memphis. They have raised two amazing young those in the Memphis community and to guests Cristin seldom appears in the limelight, but she men, Maxwell and William Thornton-Leonard, visiting from out of town. changes lives everyday where it counts. She is a who hold the same values of equality and justice strong leader, giving people a platform to voice as their parents. Diane, Ginger and their children their opinions while knowing she supports and have marched for equality in DC more than once, cares for them unconditionally. She is a dreamer and have been the focus of numerous newspaper and a visionary, but much more than that. articles, newscasts and radio interviews about gay rights, women’s rights, and the challenges of raising two children as gay parents, all because of the very brave souls who cleared a path for them. When a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s derailed her professional career, Diane began to “pay it forward” in earnest, volunteering and serving on several nonprofit boards including CHOICES (MCRH), MGLCC, Pink Palace, and Friends of George’s. She also continually engages in social justice and political activism, yet remains humbled by her friends who work tirelessly to After his partner John passed away, he started make Memphis better. Diane is beating early onset volunteering for The Triangle Journal, a gay Alzheimer’s one day at a time and is grateful for publication, with Allen Cook and John Stilwell as her wonderful wife, Ginger Leonard, for supporting the National News Editor. Mike then took a break and traveled out west in ’98 and lived in Denver, her many causes and working alongside her. Colorado as well as Las Vegas, Nevada for about She puts action behind her words, making them a 10 years combined. Upon returning to Memphis in reality to create a better environment and home 2007, he hooked up with Allen again doing things for the publication and stumbled upon volunteering for her community. Cristin is humble and always for Mid-South Pride through Vincent Astor who pours her herself into events and fundraisers to utilized his newly acquired sewing skills to sew help her community without expecting one word of the 100 ft. rainbow banner in commemoration of acknowledgement. She is simply honored to have Gary Wilkerson, founder of Mid-South Pride who the privilege of being a part of progress for the had recently passed away. After that he joined LGBT community. the board of Mid-South Pride, becoming co-chair/ Among her list of noteworthy events and fundraisers president around the year 2009. At that time, the are supporting Mid South Pride, Choices at festival and parade was held at Peabody Park and Condominium, the Family Safety Center through the parade traveled down Cooper Ave. 50 Shades of Purple, attending every Friends of Mike had dreams, along with the few but strong George’s production, coaching Spectrum’s team for board members at the time, to grow the festival the LGBT softball league, the annual Love Doesn’t and parade to more than what it was. In 2010, Hurt event and the One Pulse Tour fundraiser Mike Morgan’s dreams came true and with an hosted at Spectrum, the Mystic Pegasus Krewe, the Ginger Leonard is the current Board Chair and ever growing Board and eager volunteers, the annual TEP Gumbo Competition, and a multitude of Festival and Parade was moved downtown to its President of the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), pageants. current home at Robert Church Park with the Parade President of the Federal Contractor’s Liaison/EEO traveling down the Historic Beale St. Cristin is the creative force behind the production Council, and a member of the National Industry of the Spectrum float and leads it through the Mid- Liaison Group’s Board—all of which work toward Mike Morgan stayed on the board for a couple South Pride parade every year as we celebrate equality and fairness for all. She has worked for of years, despite personal health issues, and 26 years in Labor and Employee Relations to ensure worked to help increase the festival and parade who we are and the advances we continue to gain no employee suffers from .discrimination. Ginger attendance along with solidifying Mid-South Pride’s in our human rights. Cristin Smith’s accomplishments is also an Advisory Board member for the Ronald brand for the future generation whom was willing are far from over. We can all embrace excitement McDonald House and is a past Board Chair of and enthusiastic to take it over. Mike Morgan has and hope for her future and everything she has continued to support Mid-South Pride throughout to offer to make this community a better place for Choices. She has written articles, letters, given the years in any way that he can. He is loved by the each and every one of us. interviews and spoken to groups about pressing community and the Mid-South Pride board, even so LGBT issues. She is a fierce protector of equality that the current board members of Mid-South Pride and inspires everyone around her. affectionately call him “Poppa Bear.” Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 7 Meet the Board The Mid-South Pride Board is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from across the Memphis area. Until the spring of 2015, the board membership requirements consisted of a year or more of service to the organization before board membership was granted and 2 of the current board members went through this process. In the year 2015, the Mid-South Pride Board decided to open the membership to those community members who have shown an intense interest in committing to the organization and its future success. Through this process, the board has grown to its current number of 8 members and their combined talents have contributed to growth of the organization to be the best it can be. It takes an enormous amount of work to orchestrate the Annual festival and parade every year and the work can feel like it’s never done, but every member will tell you that it is worth every second. Membership is 100% volunteer and every member of the Mid-South Pride Board signs on to not only work endless hours on projects, events, and sponsorships, but they sacrifice personal time with friends and family also. Let’s get to know your 2016 Mid-South Pride Board.

Patrica Jeremiah Jennifer Robert Clark Mills Murry Pearson

Vanessa Candice Jr Dan Rodley Rudd Stone Taylor

Neema Bahrami Entertainment Manger PULSE ORLANDO My goal is to come to Memphis to spread the word of no hate one love. My speech I am giving will reassure people on how to love again and bring peace to each other's lives. PROUD... To Support Those Living with HIV/AIDS To Offer HIV Testing and Access to PrEP To Fight Stigma Around HIV Status To Empower People Who are HIV-Positive... in All Walks of Life! WE NEED VOLUNTEERS HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE MID-SOUTH CALL 901-272-0855 EXT 264

Education • Empowerment • Advocacy • Community Engagement Mister & Miss 2017 Mister and Miss Pageant October 16 q 7:00 PM Mid-South Pride DRU’S PLACE q 1474 MADISON Macc Onner My name is Macc Onner Coxxx, your Mister Mid-South Pride 2016. I have been a member of the Memphis LGBT community for about ten years, but spending this year working so closely with Pride has opened my eyes to all of the hard work and love that’s going into this city. I’ve found my purpose in the community because of the examples that I’ve observed. I knew about the love they exuded, but I had no idea how many services the MGLCC and MAGY offered to the area. Dru’s isn’t just Dru’s (a place to see a good show, play pool, and hang out) to me anymore. It’s a sanctuary where Tami, her irreplaceable staff, entertainers, and patrons make it possible for us to come together to celebrate and support our community. The Pump isn’t just a place where those leather dudes go to party. Dan and the whole crew work tirelessly so philanthropic people like my HOIST brothers, the Sisters, the Pride family, and everyone can be exactly who we want to be in a safe place. Spectrum isn’t just a dance club; but a staple in the community run by passionate women who care about Memphis LGBT. I could dote on all of the Mother Teresa’s in this wonderful city for days, but I’ll do so by following their example. I’ve been truly inspired by the community as a whole, and I look forward helping our Memphis’s LGBT culture continue to ﬂourish.

Aubrey Ombre Hello everyone, I’m Aubrey Ombre. The ﬁrst time I stepped foot on the scene was October 2010 at Backstreet Memphis performing the hit song “Damaged” by Danity Kane. From there, I started performing, running shows and karaoke at Metro Memphis and Mary’s. It was a fun run while it lasted and it opened up better doors for me at Spectrum Memphis and Dru’s Place, where I grew up from a young lady to a beautiful woman along with ﬁnding out multiple new things about myself. I learned how to DJ, how to become a business and a handy woman all in one. I also learned that even the smallest things people see or know about you can be a great inspiration to them and that makes me smile. No one in this world is perfect but we can try and strive to be good at whatever we do. It’s been an honor being Miss Mid-South Pride and to the next generation I would like to say work hard to be the best, show the world what you are made of and never feel like you’re not good enough.

10 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade A Wedding Tradition Since 1871 The Alliances & Allies Employee Resource Group of First Tennessee proudly supports THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE HELPING OUR

COMMUNITY THEIR We’re so excited to be here! Stop by for information on special events, FIRST PRIORITY venue rentals, and museum tours.

Woodruff-Fontaine Thank you, Memphis Pride, for your compassion and commitment, in our community. House Museum

woodruff-fontaine.org [email protected]

Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 11

Meet Your 2016 Event Hosts

Performing on the main stage & Host Jaidynn Diore Fierce Jaidynn Diore Fierce is a High Energy Entertainer from Nashville, TN. Before Drag Race, Jaidynn competed in local pageants and won multiple titles including Ms. Nashville Gay Pride as well as Miss Tennessee USofA! Jaidynn auditioned for RuPaul’s Drag Race and was able to show the world her beauty, talent, and her bubbly personality. Jaidynn has been featured in many magazine articles as well as on the 2015 VMA’s along with Miley Cyrus! Jaidynn has travel the WOW Presents Network on YouTube. Check out social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The art of female impersonation is a trued and toured all over the US, and also toured in Australia, and visited the UK. She can also be seen in her weekly videos on her personal channel, and passion for this queen, and she is sure to always put on a FIERCE show!

Performing on the 2nd stage & Host FANNIE MAE CHARLES Miss Fannie Mae Charles is a Memphis native who moved to Chattanooga in 1999 to attend college. In the midst of her business studies, she dabbled in the art of female impersonation where she was bitten by the drag ladybug. Since 2002 she has been on cast at various local bars and participated in venues including Club Cocomos, Alan Golds, ConNooga, JazzFest, and currently cast at Images Nightclub for ﬁve years now as performer and show host for open mic nights, pageants, and more. She has competed in pageants on every level where she recently placed 1st Alternate at Miss National Pride of America Pageant after capturing the crown for Tennessee Pride of America. She serves on the TN Valley Pride Board who helps plan the Gay Pride Festival in Chattanooga. As TN Pride of America (TPOA) Fannie has attended and/or participated in Pride Festivals throughout TN, GA, AL, and more. Fannie hopes that her involvement in her local pride organization and being part of the Pride Of America System will grow to develop a national resource operation in which all prides throughout the U.S. can network with one another for all things of the LGBTQIA Community. 12 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade Performance on the main stage The Zoo Girls The Zoo Girls are comprised of local musicians Molly Ray, Lauren Taylor and Beth Okeon. The trio performs regularly at area venues including Otherlands, Memphis Farmers Market and High Point Pub. Friends for more than a decade, the girls enjoy writing music and lyrics that are relatable, honest and resonate with situations every human encounters from love to heartbreak and everything in between. Musical inﬂuences that have shaped their writing include Counting Crows, REM and Lucinda Williams to name a few. In 2014, the Zoo Girls were awarded the Peer Award from the Memphis Songwriters Showcase.

Performing on the 2nd stage Midtown Queers Midtown Queer features Lisa Michaels, a post op transsexual singer songwriter/acoustic guitarist and Scarlet Ponder a very accomplished cellist. We have recently added drummer Darcie Polson to our group. We play both originals and covers. We have performed for the PERL show at the Hi Tone, Choices’ Condomonium, and the MGLCC’s OutBid. We all live in Memphis.

Performing on the 2nd stage Lisa Michaels Lisa Michaels is a post op transsexual who moved to Memphis from Southern California. She hosts the Out Loud Comedy Showcase at OutMemphis and is heavily involved in the Memphis Comedy scene. Lisa uses comedy as a way to educate her audience about transgender and social issues.

Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 13 Festival Layout

WELCOME 92 ENTRANCE STAGE #2 93 94 95 96

97 1 73 98 2 74 3 99 75 4 100 76

77 101

78 102

79 103

104 87 86 85 84 83 105 82 106 88 81 107

K J I H G F E D C B A 89 90 91 80 108

109

110

52 51 38 37 36 35 34 33 47 39 32 31 53 48 40 30 54 49 41 29 55 50 42 28 43 44 45 46

60 FIND YOUR WAY AT 69 58 TH 57 THE 13 ANNUAL 56 FESTIVAL AND PARADE

Parade route BEALE STREET q LINE UP @ 12 PM q STEP OFF @ 1 PM

q PARADE LINE UP q EXIT ROUTE FOR WALKING GROUPS q EXIT ROUTE FOR VEHICLES/FLOATS 14 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade Stage Schedule Main Stage 9:00a Music 12:35p J Setters 10:00a National Anthem - Board Welcome 1:00p Intermission Parade 10:15a Intro to Individuals 2:15p Welcome Back 10:20a Individuals 2:25p Carol Plunk 10:50 Grand Marshal 3:00p Intro to Kid’s Dance-Off 11:05 Neema Bahrami (Pulse) 3:02p Kid’s Dance-Off 11:10a Intro into Zoo Girls 3:07p Mayor Strickland 11:15a Zoo Girls 3:20p Intro into Jayden 11:45a Volunteer of the Year 3:25p Jayden 11:55a Intro into Miss Mid-South Pride 3:35p Intro into Chinese Connection 12:00p Miss Mid-South Pride 3:40p Chinese Connection 12:07p Intro into Mr. Mid-South Pride 4:20p Intro into Mike Hewlett/Rackett Ba 12:13p Mr. Mid-South Pride 4:25p Mike Hewlett and the Rackett Ban 12:20p Fog Check Presentation to TEP 5:00p Closing Remarks from Board 12:30p Intro to J Setters Second Stage 10:15a Welcome 11:55a Intro into Lisa Michaels Band 10:30a Intro into Mixx Talent 12:00p Lisa Michaels Band 10:35a Mixx Talent 12:40p Break for Parade (Talk) 11:00a Intro into Lisa Michaels 1:00p Intermission Parade 1:05a Lisa Michaels Comedy 2:15p Welcome Back 11:30a Intro into Queer Youth 2:20p Drag the Day Away 11:35a Queer Youth Parade Line-up Mr. & Miss Mid-South Pride Christian Brothers University GSA La Paloma Grand Marshal #1 Mike Morgan Rhodes College PRIDE Fortunate Families Grand Marshal #2 Cristin Smith Mass Mutual Dru’s Bar Grand Marshal #3 Ginger & Diane First Tennessee Walgreens ASU Kiss FM/I Heart Radio Memphis Friends Meeting (Quakers) Hilton Southland Park First Congo Spectrum Miller/Coors L & G - Latino Community Pumping Station Neshoba Blue Suede Sisters of Memphis King of Love Wedding Chapel OUTMemphis Memphis Burlesque & Performers Holy Trinity Community Hoist Pegasus Church, UCC Service Master Memphis Roller Derby Memphis Area Gay Youth Nike UTHSC Unite Planned Parenthood Greater FedEx Redbirds Memphis Region Starbucks Grizz Girls UM Pride Network Mid-South Presbyterian Memphis Police Friends for Life (Evergreen & Idlewild) Memphis Fire Department Integrity Memphis JSetters Memphis Sheriffs Moms Demand Action for Gun Prancing Tigerettes Sense in America - Memphis Gold Strike Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 15 2016 Festival Vendors

AIDs Testing Hair Club Pain’t it Cool Body Art Amtrak Hilton Worldwide Paradise Meal on Wheels Bake No Mistake Hoist Paula’s Cooking Baker Donelson Holy Trinity Community Church, UCC Pegasus Ben Grifﬁth Artist HRC Planned Parenthood Greater Blue Suede Sisters Humane Society of Memphis & Memphis Region Bluff City Sports Association Shelby County Playhouse on the Square Box Boy Ideal Image Pumping Station Bridge Street Newspaper Idlewild Presbyterian church Recycle Your World Bridges Builders Change Integrity Memphis Ryan White Program Catholic Ministry with Gay and J-Wo Designs, LLC ServiceMaster Lesbian Persons Jamaican Jerk Smooth Taste Italian Ice Central Arkansas Pride Karen Bottle Capps Southland Park Choices. Memphis Center for LASIK Eye Procedure Spectrum Reproductive Health LCCI Hernando Desoto/ St Mary’s Church Church/Phoenix Christian Church Mid South Region Starbucks City Recruitment Light It Up Now Stonewall Tigers Compass Self Storage Lingotopia Tennessee Transgender Cosgrove and Lewis Luxury Memphis 38104 Political Coalition HandmadeOUT Soaps MemphisIS Area Gay THE Youth TEP CrepeMaker Memphis Forward The Change Project Delta Sol Farm Memphis RollerNEW Derby The Jar Bar Dixon Gallery and Gardens Memphis Soft Serve Ice Cream The JoyRide LLC Dru’s Bar Memphis Symphony Orchestra The Oaks at La Paloma Eric’s Grill & Catering Mempops The Trevor Project Evergreen Presbyterian Church Midtown Massage Tropicana Island EZ’s Water Ice & Sweet Treats Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense Turkish Grill Family Safety Center of Memphis & in America INUnderground Art, Inc. Shelby County, Inc. Mr. Friendly TN Veterans Affairs FANMATS MTown Construction Voter Registration FedEx Neshoba Walgreens First TN New World Henna Wells Fargo Bank FloydisFirst Nike Whispering Oaks Campground/ Friends for Life One Good Deed Retreat GLTBQ Transgendered Artist OUTlaw - UofM Law School Woodruff Fontaine House and Author OUTMemphis Express Scripts Gold Strike Outreach Housing & Community Youth Leadership Green Party of Shelby County

16 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade DRUMMING FOR FUN AND HEALTH The Memphis Symphony Drum Circle Project

The Memphis Symphony offers a wonderful way for anyone to improve their health and have great fun doing it through the Drum Circle.

Drum Circles offer: 1. a musical activity that anyone can participate in and enjoy 2. stress relief, therefore helping to eliminate inﬂammation from the body 3. an opportunity to be creative, which contributes to a sense of well being 4. empowerment to overcome physical, mental, and psychological conditions 5 immune system boosting, including cancer T cell growth 6. community and peer support through other participants in the drum circle

Drum circle facilitators include Frank Shaffer, John Sprott and Laurie Pyatt. Collectively, they have provided drum circles for Youth Villages, Special Olympics, Knowledge Quest, The Oral School for the Deaf, Veterans Administration Recreation Therapy, Creative Aging Mid South, The Kroc Center, ALSAC, the Crescent Center Club, and Belmont Village Senior Living.

It’s time to stop thinking of the drum as just a musical instrument. Start thinking of the drum as a recreational tool for every family, a wellness tool for every retiree, and an educational tool for every classroom.”

– Remo Belli, Founder and CEO of Remo, Inc. –

Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 17 Queer Youth from Playhouse Q&A’s second original production, is an exploration of queerness and family. Join us as we explore biological families, chosen families, and our Pass the Peas roles in each, through familial milestones from coming out to prom, from hilarity to heartbreak. Q&A is a theatre troupe for LGBTQ and straight allied youth ages 14-21. Q&A uses theatre to explore and express what life is like as an LGBTQ or straight allied youth in Memphis and the surrounding area. Participation is open to students ages 14-21. No prior theatrical experience is necessary. We are a supportive community working toward a common goal. Q&A is a member organization of the Pride Youth Theater Alliance, a North American network of Queer Youth Theaters. Q&A is an Education Program of Playhouse on the Square.

Performing on the 2nd stage Mike Hewlett & The Racket Performing on the 2nd stage Mike Hewlett & The Racket is an American Rock & Roll band from Memphis, TN. Mike Hewlett & The Racket released their ﬁrst EP “The Rest Of Our Lives” Melanie P. in 2013 and played in every dive bar corner in Memphis throughout the & Mixx Talent year. In 2014, the band began writing and recording what would become the seven track “Idle Nights” that summer. The track “Generations” from the album was featured on that year’s Musicians For Le Bonheur compilation album, and the My name is Melanie track “View,” also from Idle Nights, was P. I love fashion, featured on the Musicians For Le Bonheur basketball, karaoke album the following year. Late in 2014, and attend Holy prompted by the events in Ferguson, MO Trinity. and by acts of police brutality across the country, they decided to write and record an Acoustic EP called “Brothers and Sisters” and donate proceeds to Mid- South Peace and Justice Center for their work in Criminal Justice Reform in the area. A show was also held for this cause at the time of the release of the I’m Mixx Talent and album. The next year, there was the release of “Summer Songs,” two songs I love music, poetry, recorded and released in the summer of 2015, for no other purpose than to writing, and kids. I be played loudly throughout Memphis. These songs fell in regular rotation at volunteer wherever I'm local stations such as Local X, Rock 103, and Radio Memphis. needed. The band also appeared as guests on Radio Memphis’ live in-studio show We are a powerful duo twice to discuss their music and play a few songs. Early 2016 brought the who met in church that opportunity for the band to play to a packed house of hundreds of people decided to collaborate at the “Bands for Bernie” event put on by Memphis For Bernie Sanders together to bring a at The Hi-Tone. Soon after that, the band began moving forward through message in our music. spring and summer sharing the bill with Nashville-based rock band, SWEETTALKER, Birmingham, AL-based band, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, and many more.

18 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade After Parties

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616 Marshall Avenue “The Pride Finale” Doors Open at 7 pm Show times at 10 pm q 12 Mid q 2 am

Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade 19 2016 Gold Sponsors

2016 Silver Sponsors

2016 Bronze Sponsors

2016 Equality Sponsors

20 Mid-South Pride 13th Annual Festival and Parade Celebrating One Year

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Players must be 21 years of age or older to game and 18 years of age or older to bet at the racetrack. Play responsibly; for help quitting call 800-522-4700.