HEADLINER: Calypso Jete Balmain (@calypsojete): 

Calypso Jeté Balmain has become a staple in the West Coast ballroom community serving as its youngest Mother for the House of Balmain, leading them to win the first season of HBO Max’s Legendary. Calypso is a mentor to aspiring performers across the globe and curates safe spaces for youth to be free to express themselves. As a black woman of trans experience, she has garnered a career rooted in activism, community, education, and health care advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ youth.

Miriam Dance (@mdancemusic100): 

Miriam Dance is a singer & songwriter and performer of all genres from soul to rock to musical theater. Miriam released two EP’s “Heartstrings” and most recent “I AM Rose” to all digital music platforms. Miriam is also the Director of Visual and Performing Arts at the Riviera Ridge School. 

Vivian Storm Experience (@vivianstorm001): 

Vivian Storm is a Milwaukee native with the energy of a million storms. She has lived in Santa Barbara for over seven years and has helped cultivate spaces encouraging joy and belonging. Her love for performing and entertaining shines through each of her performances. She hopes to leave her audience better than they came! Her love for joy drives her work, allowing her to coach others to be their best self. Storm Chasers unite and hang on to something because a storm is coming!

Nicole Sophia 

Nicole Sophia’s lyrically driven brand of indie pop/rock radiates joy, bad-assery, and vulnerability. Inspired by artists like Hozier, Sara Bareilles, Maggie Rogers, and Florence + the Machine, Nicole Sophia gravitated to songwriting at a very young age, despite not hailing from a musical family. As a sensitive child with a curious, impassioned heart and an overactive mind, “the girl of a thousand questions” turned to music and songwriting as a way to make sense of the beautiful messiness of being human. After years of playing live and gaining loyal fans in the process, Nicole Sophia is thrilled to be releasing her debut record “Reveal Your Heart” in 2023, releasing multiple singles in anticipation of the full record.

Kao Wonder (@kao_wonder)

My name is Kao Wonder, and I am a Music Artist based in Los Angeles, Ca. My mission is to engage and inspire one to live and enjoy their existence while being comfortable in their own skin! To achieve this, I present a high energy performance with high energy music, dances, and active engagement to all of the people who open their hearts and minds to my show. If given the opportunity, you have my word that I will provide an unforgettable experience and there will be at least one soul I will resonate with.

Samara Sin (@samarasinofficial): 

Samara Sin, The Current Reigning Mx Ventura County, & ETERNAL Queen Of The 805; Is A Trans Afro-Latinx Dancing Drag Artist Who uses her talents to bring community together. She fundraises year round for non profit organizations in Ventura County & Has Donated Over 6K just this year alone ! From Glamour To Horror , Her Spectrum Of Drag is endless, and her level of entertainment is like no other.

Tropicali Brazilian Percussion Ensemble 

Tropicali is led by Mariano Silva and is an exuberant Batucada drumming ensemble featuring rhythms hailing from the vibrant city of Salvador Bahia, Brazil. Reverberating with the essence of Bahian culture, Tropicali weaves a tapestry of pulsating rhythms. At the heart of Tropicali’s captivating sound lies the rich heritage of Batucada, a percussive style rooted in the African diaspora and steeped in Brazilian tradition. Led by a collective of seasoned musicians and driven by an insatiable passion for music, Tropicali captivates audiences wherever they go. The name Tropicali is a testament to their vibrant sound and it embodies the essence of their creative vision: a fusion of tropical rhythms, soul-stirring melodies, and a relentless commitment to spreading joy through their music. Join Tropicali on their melodic odyssey and immerse yourself in the lush sounds of Brazil’s rhythmic heartbeat.

LG Team Genius 

Lively, dynamic, and powerful, LG pushes her listeners to get up and get moving. Fast-paced and unapologetic, LG’s rapid-fire verses explode with their fierceness and sincerity. LG grew up in Philadelphia and is currently located in LA. Known for her brand #TeamGeniusUniversity she has been building a following in Hiphop since 2012 after joining multiple college tours. LG has since been featured in movie trailers like “Space Jam”, video game trailers like “Fortnite” & Sport promos such as ESPN & Amazons Thursday night football for the NFL. 

Mortasay 

Mortasay is the ever evolving expression of married LA-based multi-media artists Vonyse Reeder and Amy Lou Palmer. Formed in 2010, MORTASAY reflects a percussive indie electronic soul sound, full of personal introspection, self empowerment, social uplift, and inclusivity. Individually and together, they have performed with such artists as Chaka Kahn, Erykah Badu, Morris Day & the Time, Pat Benatar, Indie Arie, Hillsong, and House of Vibe. Their cover version and video for “One of Us” was released in 2021, with a long awaited album project slated to drop this year.  ”The music we create represents our championing of healthy loving relationships regardless of race, gender, or spiritual background.”  It’s a conversation, It’s real, it’s raw…this is Mortasay. 

Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus

The Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus is a non-auditioned community ensemble dedicated to making choral music accessible and exciting for all! As a non-auditioned chorus, all are welcome to sing with us, no matter gender or sexual orientation. Anyone interested in learning more about the organization or how to participate as a singer should visit www.SBGMC.org. The chorus rehearses Monday nights from 7pm-9:30pm at First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara. The first rehearsal for our upcoming December concert is on September 11. 

STAGE SCHEDULE

11:00am:  Tropicali Brazillian Percussion Ensemble

11:15am:  Mortasay

11:40am:  LG Team Genius

12:00pm:  Brunch Divas featuring Angel D’Mon, Melina Poinsettia, Cooper, BellaDonna Santa  Barbara, and The Bearded Gotti

1:15pm:  Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus

2:10pm:  Nicole Sophia 

3:00pm:  La Boheme Dance Group

3:10pm:  Kao Wonder

3:55pm:  Miriam Dance

5:05pm:  HEADLINER Calypto Jete Balmain with Samara Sin 

6:00pm:  Vivian Storm Experience

pride week events

GETTING TO PRIDE

In response to the Supreme Court’s rulings on affirmative action and LGBTQ+ rights and religious freedoms on July 29th and 30th, 2023, Pacific Pride Foundation’s Executive Director, Kristin Flickinger issued the following statement:

Santa Barbara, CA – Today’s Supreme Court decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis retreats on decades of protections for the LGBTQ+ community. By allowing a website designer to refuse to create websites celebrating same-sex weddings, the court has eroded public accommodations laws requiring retailers to provide goods and services to all people regardless of status, including sexual orientation, gender, race, and ability. As Justice Sotomayor stated in her dissenting opinion:

“By issuing this new license to discriminate in a case brought by a company that seeks to deny same-sex couples the full and equal enjoyment of its services, the immediate, symbolic effect of the decision is to mark gays and lesbians for second-class status.”

While the decision undermines the civil rights laws that protect all of us from discrimination in our daily lives, it does not remove all anti-discrimination protections, including protections against discrimination in housing, employment or banking, which remain enshrined in federal law. The case relies heavily on the specific facts of the case, making it unclear to what extent today’s ruling will have broader impact.

Equally disturbing is the series of Supreme Court decisions issued in recent years that make our country less safe for LGBTQ+ people, women, and people of color, including yesterday’s decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions. Pacific Pride Foundation joins hundreds of local, state and national social justice organizations in condemning the upending of decades of precedent that allowed America’s colleges and universities to expand educational opportunities for all. 

While our communities are under attack from many directions, we know that the majority of people in this country support our rights. Now more than ever, community organizations like Pacific Pride Foundation need to look to each other, stand together, and remain firm in our commitment to advance racial equity and civil rights for all. Pacific Pride Foundation remains committed to ensuring a vibrant, thriving, and visible LGBTQ+ community, and to standing with our partners as we continue our work in the face of these latest threats.