Pride Guide 2022 presented by Virginia Pride & GayRVA

Allianz Partners has been a proud sponsor of Pridefest since 2017, and continues to support LGBTQIA+ organizations to further our mutual goals of visibility and equity. We are driven to ensure safety, security, and well-being for everyone—whether you’re one of the over 55 million travelers, eventgoers, and students we help protect every year, part of our workforce, or simply our neighbor.

→ Learn more about our commitments to our customers and our community at AllianzRVA.com.

t he power to be me

Bank of America is proud to sponsor the 2022 VA Pridefest. We support Virginia Pride and all it does to inspire and support future LGBTQ+ business leaders, a commitment we strongly share. www.bankofamerica.com/career

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

2022 has been a tough year for the LGBTQ community. We’re still dealing with a pandemic that gets written off all too frequently as “the new normal.” Inflation hit in a big way, meaning that our paychecks don’t necessarily cover our bills anymore. And conservative backlash to a decade of LGBTQ rights advances is approaching an apex, from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas calling for Lawrence v. Texas (which legalized same-sex relationships) and Obergefell v. Hodges (which made marriage equality the law of the land) to be “re-litigated,” to attacks on the rights of trans and non-binary youth and their families spreading from states like Texas and Alabama to right here in Central Virginia.

With all of this in mind, and many of us struggling just to stay healthy and keep a roof over our heads, it might seem crazy to spend an early-fall Saturday at an all-day PrideFest on Brown’s Island. But this is exactly what we need right now: an opportunity to gather together in community, to smile, to dance, to enjoy one another’s company. More than anything, to remember that we’re here, we’re queer, and the forces of repression are just going to have to get used to it.

Because here’s the thing: There are more of us out here than ever. Not a week passes by that I don’t find myself noting another artist, musician, or actor who has come out as gay, trans, queer, or non-binary. Stories centering queer experiences have gone from the margins to the mainstream: look at the success of the TV show Pose, or of the novel Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters. When I was a queer teen in the early 90s, I had to go to the fringes of culture to find places where I could be accepted. Now I get commercials for a gay male rom-com called Bros while I’m watching YouTube.

Coming together as a community is how we keep this momentum for positive change going forward. It’s not just by partying, either – as you wander around VA PrideFest this weekend, be sure to visit the many LGBTQ rights and support organizations who have booths set up around Brown’s Island. Mutual aid and organizing are how we win this stupid “culture war,” and work toward a future where no one has to feel stigmatized or marginalized because they exist outside the cisgender/heterosexual paradigm.

But while all of that is important, it’s just as important that we have fun, dance, smile, make some new friends, maybe even chat up a cutie or two. Because this is what we’re fighting for. This is what makes it all worth it: Queer joy. Try as they might, they can never take that away from us.

MarilynLove, Drew Necci GayRVA

IN A TIME OF HATE, PRIDE IS WHAT WE NEED

L e v a r M . S t o n e y M a y o Fellow WelcomeRichmonders:toPrideFest

2022! Words cannot express how wonderful it is to gather for the first time in two years. The past few years have been trying in more ways than one, but community and family have anchored us throughout the moments that may have been too hard to bear alone. We’ve learned to show up for our neighbors in new ways whether a distant wave from a doorstep or setting up a Zoom call with friends making connection more intentional than

Severince

I have been mayor, we’ve taken big strides to make our city more supportive and welcoming. We have raised the Municipal Equality Index score from 42 to 100, and we are implementing the city’s Equity Agenda our roadmap that outlines the city’s values and ten policy principles to ensure we empower people and communities that have experienced past injustices by removing barriers to access and opportunity We will also continue advocating for the protection of critical statewide legislation, such as the Virginia Values Act and the statewide ban on conversion therapy

Richmond continues to stand with our LGBTQ+ family to protect and promote policies that support inclusion for all residents, regardless of race, religion, zip code, gender identity, or sexual orientation Standing in solidarity on these principles further connects us all intentionally strengthening understanding across communities My administration and I stand with you and promise that this city will not allow LGBTQ+ members of our community to be targeted for being their authentic and unapologetic selves

As evidenced by our progress, your city government learns daily from the experiences of its diverse populations in an ongoing effort to build One Richmond an inclusive and welcoming city for all to thrive Through our dedication to policies that support the LGBTQ+ community, we’re sending a clear message: like change, love is

Alocalstronger,

more compassionate world starts on our city’s streets, and I look forward to continuing to work together to make Richmond, the Commonwealth, and the nation more inclusive, open minded, and equitable We will continue working hard to ensure that our LGBTQ+ family always feels safe and loved, as this is paramount for anyone to live out their full potential without judgment.

On behalf of the City of Richmond, I wish you a very safe, successful, and happy Pride!

Forever your ally,

Levar M. Stoney Mayor

900 East Broad Street, Suite 201 • Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 646 7970

To our community--

Happy Pride! After three long years, we are excited to welcome you back to Brown’s Island for what promises to be the largest Pridefest in Richmond’s history.

Looking back to 2019, following the most successful VA Pridefest in history, many unknown challenges would lie ahead. The COVID-19 pandemic, the fight for racial and social justice, and a shifting political landscape drastically changed the country, the Commonwealth, the city, and our community, forever. Little did we know, it would be three years until we would gather again. The months and years ahead would be challenging. Since that time, we have experienced significant loss, but we have also made tremendous progress.

In 2020, the Virginia Values Act enshrined sweeping rights for the LGBTQ community into law, granting protections against discrimination in employment, housing, and in public spaces. Monuments to Virginia’s racist past began to fall. Important and long- overdue conversations about equity and inclusion began to happen.

This progress also ignited a backlash that we must commit to fight. LGBTQ rights, especially those of transgender students, are under withering attack around the country. Even in Virginia, there are efforts to exclude the mention of sexual orientation or gender identity in classrooms supported by a governor opposed to same-sex marriage. Friends, we cannot—and will not—go backwards.

Virginia Pride is committed to moving forward. In June, we launched our most ambitious campaign ever, the “Endless Summer of Pride,” bringing together community partners, civic leaders, businesses, and allies in celebration of our LGBTQ community. With record attendance at more than two dozen events in June alone, our community’s commitment to supporting, highlighting, and celebrating LGBTQ folks proved strong.

The Endless Summer of Pride culminates in Pridefest on Brown’s Island on September 24, but the work of making Richmond and Virginia more inclusive, more just and more welcoming continues. But, for now, let Pridefest 2022 be a day that we come together as our true, authentic selves to celebrate our community and our progress. After three long years, we deserve it!

The Virginia Pride Committee of Diversity Richmond

We all know about Virginia Pride. They’re the group that brought you this Pride Guide, and the Virginia PrideFest 2022 where you picked this up. But what is sometimes lost in the shuffle is the fact that Virginia Pride is made up of a variety of people from the Commonwealth’s LGBTQ community who do that hard work when no one is around to see them doing it. This year, we decided to bring some attention to some of the members of Virginia Pride’s Board whose names don’t always make the headlines.

Brandon Horton’s profile was raised considerably this year when he was included in Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 list. His work founding Driveway Drag Show, a group that kept drag performers working throughout the pandemic by bringing drag shows to the driveways and front lawns of drag fans during a time when performances in clubs were strictly a no-no, was a big part of what garnered him this honor. But of course, none of it would be happening if it weren’t for his drag alter ego, Michelle Livigne, a star of the Richmond drag scene for the past several years -- and, behind the scenes, one of its most essential movers and shakers.

Alvion Davenport is similarly important to the Richmond drag community. As the Entertainment Director for Godfrey’s, he’s been an important factor in ensuring that Godfrey’s, now celebrating its 25th year in business, remains a leading local hotspot for drag performances in the post-pandemic world -including, but not limited to, it’s world-famous Drag Brunch. His drag persona, The Empress, is a frequent presence at Godfrey’s drag events, always ready to take things to the next

the glitter and the glamour, though, are two people whose devotion to the LGBTQ community knows no bounds. In their work as part of the Virginia Pride Board, Horton and Davenport do whatever they can to make sure their work, with VA PrideFest and throughout the year, advances the cause of the LGBTQ community and its members, from any and all different walks of life. Their work helps ensure that, even at a time when the outside world feels difficult, there are always opportunities to come together and show our Pride.

Who are you and what do you do?

Brandon Horton: I’m Brandon Horton. 33. Richmond native. I am a full time drag entertainer, producer, and community activist.

That’s great. Alvion, same question: Who are you and what do you do?

Alvion Davenport: During the daytime I am assistant general manager for Marriott Corporation. Most of the time, by night and on weekends, I am the female impersonator known as The Empress. I’m the entertainment director for Godfrey’s, a member of the Virginia Pride Board, and an advocate for our community.

What led you to join the Virginia Pride Board?

AD: I wanted a broader outreach. I wanted to be the person of color voice on the Virginia Pride Board. There was very little representation of people of color on the Virginia Pride Board. So I figured that I would be a better asset to the Virginia Pride Board than being amongst my peers on the Black Pride Board.

BH: I wanted to be more interactive, and I wanted to get more drag entertainers the spotlight that they deserve, through all their hard work that they put on throughout the years. So making sure the drag entertainers had their moment to shine, just as much as any band would at Pride. And I just want to be more interactive and connect with people.

Through my years of working with Virginia Pride, my goal has become making people more aware that we have and are doing events, parties, and gatherings that are more inclusive than just drinking at a bar. We’ve now gotten to the point with Pride where we’ve moved into sober events, family events, and more [work with] our elderly community.

Now my goal – I know it sounds kind of lame – is just making sure everyone’s involved. But seriously, it’s making sure everyone has a moment where they can be a part of

something that is Pride related, but it’s also related to them – no matter how they identify, how old they are, and what their backgrounds are. Just a moment of bringing everyone together.

That’s awesome! What does the word ‘pride’ mean to you?

BH: It’s ever-changing, honestly. It’s kind of like, “What’s your favorite song?” “Well, right now my favorite song is this.” Right now, pride for me means the opportunity to gather again. Being together and sharing a love, an energy, and an experience that we can create memories with. For me, this year, pride is just about reconnecting and reinvigorating everyone’s love for the RVA community. And for our LGBTQIA+ community.

AD: The word pride, to me, means two things: motivation and celebration. Celebrating the success that we’ve made as a community, the things that we’ve overcome, and the things that we are still able to be part of. In the world, not just in the community. And it motivates me to continue those things, to make sure that the generations after me will be able to celebrate their pride, because it’s just not about the parties. It’s not about the rainbow. It’s really about the struggles. Marriage equality and gender equality, and as Brandon mentioned earlier, letting people know that there’s so much more in our community than just bands and drag and things of that nature. There a’re actually things that we need to fight for, and stay motivated for. So pride to me means motivation and celebration.

Why is Virginia PrideFest so important for the community?

AD: Piggybacking off what I said, it’s just a celebration of the success that we’ve made in all areas. Not just with our community, the LGBT

community, but the doors that we’ve opened for the community to be in other spaces, to be in other venues, to be at tables where we aren’t invited.

So the celebration is just a combination of being able to get together – especially after the pandemic, and not being able to be with each other. It’s an opportunity for us to show our pride, it is an opportunity for us to show our talents, and to show everything that this community has to offer, so that the world can get a better picture. That we’re just as normal, we’re just as fine, we’re just as awesome. PrideFest is an opportunity for us to display that as a whole, as one community.

BH: It’s a moment to let everyone know that it’s validation for them. I don’t think it matters what mindset anyone is in on that day – whether they’re really happy, or maybe they’re

depressed, or they’re going through something that’s just rough right now. The second they walk into that island, they’re gonna walk into this bubble, drop those inhibitions, and feel something they haven’t felt before. Everyone deserves this: the celebratory, calming, relaxation and excitement that everyone’s been missing.

Once everyone steps on that island, you’re gonna jump into a bubble that we’ve needed. The importance of this is about being together, being seen, and validating people’s emotions and feelings: that who they are on the inside is absolutely perfect. And we SEE them here at the celebration.

Get involved with what Virginia Pride is up to throughout the year by going to vapride.org.

Since 2015, Virginia Pride has presented the Firework Award to honor people, organizations or groups that are catalysts for change within or on behalf of the LGBTQ community. This year we are humbled and honored to present the 2022 Firework Award to a group of parents, families, and allies fighting to protect the rights, safety, and dignity of trans and non-binary students in Hanover County, who have come under relentless attack for wanting to live their lives at school as their true, authentic selves. Virginia Pride stands in solidarity with trans and non-binary students and all who are fighting for them. BY JAMES MILLNER

Please describe the work of Hanover Parents and why it is so Kellyimportant.Merrill

: Beginning summer 2021, over a dozen families with a transgender or nonbinary student who attends Hanover County Public Schools have been pressuring our school board to adopt the full Virginia Department Of Education model policy for the protection of trans and nonbinary students. Together with bold allies in our community, we’ve been speaking out publicly at meetings and to the media, gathering signatures for a petition, supporting student walk-outs, organizing a postcard campaign and an ad of support in the newspaper, walking in community parades to raise visibility, sponsoring community education programs, and inspiring the support of a coalition of nonprofits who are helping to lift up our voices (EV, ACLU-Va, Hanover NAACP, He She Ze and We, and Side by Side). Five directly impacted families have joined an ACLU lawsuit against our school board. We do all of this while supporting and loving our children through, potentially, the toughest time of their lives.

What is the threat that trans and non-binary students are facing in Hanover County Schools?

Kelly Merrill : Not only has the Hanover school board resisted adopting the full VDOE model policies that will protect our children, they have engaged in a formal relationship with Alliance Defending Freedom (an antiLGBT hate group) to write the transgender policy that they just adopted. The policy requires

our children to apply to use the appropriate restroom, gives personal information to school board members, and gives the school board the authority to say no. Among suggested documents that applicants are encouraged to include in the application are criminal records, disciplinary records, and therapist and medical documents. The school board is, in effect, bullying our children, and that message is being sent not only to our children, but to all of the children in the county. Our children report increases in bullying incidents from peers. The school board has shown no interest in addressing the bullying our children face, or the training that the school staff need to better support our kids.

What do you hope to accomplish with this coalition of parents, families, and allies?

Kelly Merrill : We have joined and expanded an already vibrant activist community in Hanover. Advocacy in Hanover is expansive and led by a multitude of people following their passions and contributing their gifts. Our community is becoming more and more supportive, brave, and visible. We hope to continue to build this loving community in Hanover and steer the school board to better represent us and support ALL kids.

How can people support you?

Kelly Merrill : Follow Equality Virginia for calls to action. If you are in Hanover, reach out to school board members and attend school board meetings. When you talk of Hanover, speak of us.

JAVON LOVE

AFROFUTURISTIC ANDROGYNY

INTERVIEW BY R. ANTHONY HARRIS BY MARILYN DREW NECCI PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY FROST

Gracing the cover of this very issue, Javon Love first made it onto our radar here at GayRVA earlier this year, when we saw her Virtual Drag Performance of “Crazy” by Doechi on YouTube. In white thigh-high boots and a white lace catsuit, strutting around a parking garage sporting foot-tall spiked hair in bright blue and snow white… well, let’s just say she makes a heck of a first impression. Later in the video, she cavorts around a sun-drenched tennis court in bright yellow lingerie, twirling her long green pigtails like twin lassos. It’s an unforgettable performance of the sort that makes Javon Love stand out in a crowded

Takingfield.

fashion inspirations from fashion designers like Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen as well as musicians like Grace Jones, the acceptance and encouragement she felt when she first arrived on the Hampton Roads drag scene helped bring Love out of her shell to embrace her inner artist and bring her creativity to the world of drag. Everyone who sees her perform benefits.

Who are you and what do you do? My name is Javon Love, I am a drag entertainer. I love to make visual concepts with the art that I create, which is very Afrocentric, very Afrofuturistic. And I love to mix traditional African culture with modern day aesthetics of pop and hip hop.

That’s amazing. How did you get into that?

I got into drag around my freshman year of college, I started going to a popular club in Hampton Roads called Rainbow Cactus. And I would just dance on the dance floor – have a good time. One day, one of the drag performers that performs there was like, “You should think about doing drag – you’re a really good dancer.” So I was like, “Sure!” And I got on stage the next week, and I fell in love with drag. Ever since then, I’ve been doing it.

Is the drag community in Hampton Roads supportive? They are definitely getting there. When I first entered the drag scene, they were not as welcoming to certain, like, alternative performers. But I definitely feel like that style of drag is starting to finally open up to more alternative drag.

What would you say is the best part of your job, Javon?

The best part of my job is getting to see all of the people that come out to our shows and tell us that this is their first show, and we made them feel special, or the show made them feel like they were able to do something fun. Because with the times that we’re in right now, I think a lot of people are just looking for a little bit of escapism, just wanting to feel good. And that’s really what I feel like drag is all about. So I love

seeing smiles on people’s faces. And when they tell me that they had a great time, that’s the most important thing to me.

Who are your influences in terms of your style?

Definitely Grace Jones. She is a huge influence and inspiration for how I look at androgyny and fashion. I’ve always been an androgynous person. So I love to gender-bend, and just really show that you can be yourself no matter what.

That’s amazing. What does having pride mean to you?

Having pride, to me, means having the freedom and the confidence to go out and be yourself, even in a world that may not accept you. And that may not see you as a human being or see you as somebody that deserves respect, but demanding the respect that you deserve.

Wow, that’s really touching actually. That’s amazing. I’ve always been so fond of pride, because it took me a long time to get to a place where I felt confident enough to be myself, unapologetically. And pride definitely helped me feel that way.

So you feel that way now when you go out and perform?

Yes, absolutely. And I get a lot more confidence just knowing that our world is becoming a lot more accepting of people that they may not have understood a few years ago, and all of these new things that we’re learning about our community and our identity. It’s really just starting to build a bridge between what people who are in that community understand, or don’t understand.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about drag?

I think the biggest misconception about drag is that it is just a form of entertainment for a certain group of people. I think that drag can be for anybody, and it can be for anything. I’ve met drag performers who are cis women, or trans women. I think a lot of people think that drag is just for homosexual men to get up into women’s clothing. But drag is art. And it’s just being able to express yourself in a way that tells a story.

Where can people see you perform the rest of the year? Do you have regular nights, or big events coming up?

Yes! I am a cast member at Godfreys, and you can catch me every other Wednesday. We have a lineup that we usually do, but I’m there at least twice out of the month. And I also do brunch at Godfreys. So that is definitely the place that I frequent the most.

Do you have any other performers or people you’d like to shout out that helped you? In your career?

I would love to shout out Chicki Parm. She is, I would say, the biggest innovator of drag right now, creating all types of shows and opportunities for people. And I’d also love to shout out Michelle Livigne, because she is definitely somebody who is bringing drag to people who may not previously have known about drag. I think those are definitely some pioneers in this area.

Keep up with Javon Love @jay_ slays23 on Instagram to find out about her upcoming performances around Richmond, DC, Virginia, and beyond.

WHO’S YOUR

BY R. ANTHONY HARRIS AND MARILYN DREW NECCI

If you know Katie Stuart, it might be because you’ve encountered her behind the bar at Foo Dog in The Fan. But there’s just as good a chance that you’ve encountered her on Tiktok. Her account, @bardaddy_, has around 200,000 followers. At first, she posted drink recipes and the occasional funny skit. It was once the pandemic hit and the restaurant that employed her at the time shut down that things really took off.

These days, the self-described cocktail nerd has a full-on social media career. Fans approach her behind the bar at Foo Dog, and brands reach out to offer her freebies in exchange for featuring their products. A true behind-thebar entertainer as well as a part-time psychologist (as all great bartenders are), she has a great time in all aspects of her work, whether she’s creating a new video or a delicious

mixed drink for a thirsty customer. She’s proud of who she is, and she loves her work.

She’s also extremely easy to talk to, making this one of the most delightful interviews we’ve done in a while. We discussed her thoughts on tending bar, how TikTok crosses over with her real life, and the true meaning of Pride.

First question: who are you and what do you do?

I am Katie Stuart. People know me as @BarDaddy_ on the interwebs, and I am the bar manager at Foo Dog RVA. I’ve been at Foo Dog for about two and a half years now. I’ve been bartending for going on a decade – we don’t have to talk about it. And I’ve been on TikTok for two years now, and I’ve gained about 200,000 followers, which is really cool.

(BAR) DADDY?

PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY FROST

That’s crazy. How’d you get into bartending?

I sold my soul, clearly. And here I am. But I have been working in restaurants ever since I’ve been able to work. My first job was at an arcade called Fun Land, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. That’s where I grew up. So I had a part-time job while I was in high school. It wasn’t fun for the people that work there, just to let you know. But I worked in the

Thenkitchen.my

second job was working at Buffalo Wild Wings. Then I kind of rose through the ranks. And the moment I turned 21, they threw me behind the bar at Chuy’s Short Pump, where it was fun.

What would you say is the best part of your job?

Meeting people, constantly staying creative, curating drinks and

creating relationships with people based off the drinks that they have. I’ve met a lot of cool people.

Can you tell what kind of person someone is by what they drink? Yes and no. I can tell who a service industry person based off of what they get to drink. It’s usually straight liquor. It’s also based off of your body language. I have a degree in psychology, so I’m always looking. Not just for the conversation, but I’m watching how you’re acting, where your hands are, how your posture is, and if you want to have a conversation, or what kind of drink you want. And I kind of base it off of all of that.

Being a bartender is kind of like being a psychologist, isn’t it? Yeah, for sure. One hundred percent.

What does the word ‘pride’ mean to you?

Having pride means just being able to be comfortable in your own skin. I know that with the LGBT community, we’ve worked so hard to be comfortable with ourselves. I don’t know if you know about the Stonewall Riots and how pride came to be, but we had to fight to just be ourselves. That’s where I put pride. When I see a rainbow flag, I see it as a symbol of: “You can be yourself here. This place is a safe place for you to be.” And that rainbow flag is more than just a rainbow to me.

Where can people come see you on a regular basis?

Oh, I’m here! I live at Foo Dog. I am here the majority of my time. And when I’m not working, I’m at home making content. Or I’m hanging out with my girlfriend, and we are usually roaming around trying to find cool cocktail spots. We visit our service industry friends. So if I am not at Foo Dog, you will find me at some bar on Main Street.

Do you have any shoutouts?

People that have helped you establish your career?

I had a boss when I worked at Fatty Smokes; her name is Lenita Mincey. She would always hold my phone for me when I was first starting to make drink videos. She always gave me that confidence and that boost.

My girlfriend is the most supportive person I’ve ever met. She follows me around with a camera half the time. When I’m feeling down, she knows how to motivate me, even if it just means to take a break.

And my boss now, Ali, is one of my best friends, and she always is there to help me with my videos, too. And always motivate me, because I have mental health issues. I have depression, and I have a good team. I have a good crew that always is there to pick me up when I feel down, or when I don’t feel motivated, or when I have imposter syndrome. Anything like that.

Well, that’s it. Thank you, Katie! Oh, sweet. Done and done!

ZACH BENSON

INTERVIEW BY R. ANTHONY HARRIS INTRODUCTION BY MARILYN DREW NECCI PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY FROST BEFORE I SLEEP: THE MUSICAL

Music has been a crucial element of Zach Benson’s life ever since he was a child, but he’s come a long way from his early days playing drums in middle-school cover bands. These days, the Virginia native and Richmond resident is a prolific indie-pop musician with a long list of releases, the most recent being his 2022 EP, And Miles To Go Before I Sleep. Packed with catchy tunes based around effervescent pop melodies, bouncy rhythms, and upbeat synth pulses that sometimes belie the lovelorn, angst-ridden lyrics, Benson makes music for the yearning dreamer inside us all. Fans of fun., The Postal Service, and CHVRCHES will all find a lot to love in what Zach Benson’s got on offer.

Benson isn’t just any old musician, though. A proud member of the LGBTQ community, he hopes that his expansive songs about the triumphs and tragedies of love and romance, in all forms, will offer support and encouragement for young LGBTQ listeners to celebrate their authentic selves and show their love openly and unconditionally. Benson is performing at this year’s VA PrideFest, and his music will offer listeners plenty of reasons to dance and smile with Pride in their hearts.

Who are you, and what do you do?

Well, my name is Zach Benson. I am a pop musician and producer, originally from Northern Virginia, and now living in Richmond, Virginia.

How long have you been a musician?

Honestly, my entire life. I was originally a drummer in a bunch of different bands back in middle school and high school. Took a break from performing in college, and then started writing my own music during my sophomore year. It’s been going on for about five and a half years now, doing the thing under my own solo name. But honestly, I’ve been making and releasing music under different bands and different monikers since I was, like, 12 years old. So it’s been a little while.

So music is your life?

Yes. Originally, drummer in a bunch of classic rock cover bands, with a bunch of other 13 year olds. And I’ve kind of done everything, from pop punk to indie rock to musical theater style. But yeah, currently in this indie-pop subgenre, and loving the place that I’m in right now.

What is the best part of your job?

Oh, my favorite part of being a musician is the live performance aspect. Like I said, I’ve literally been doing this for years and years and years and years at this

point. And there’s just no better feeling than getting in front of people and feeling a connection, through lyrics and instruments and all that. Nothing like it.

What does having pride mean to you?

Pride to me is about community.

I feel like there’s always been a sort of unspoken bond whenever I meet another queer musician, or another queer music fan. There’s always this certain connection that says, “I’m here for you. If you need anyone to talk to, I understand who you are and what you’re going through.” And being able to find that community not just in other musicians and producers, but fans, and in being a fan of other musicians. I’ve really loved the community that queer musicians have fostered. So that’s what pride means to me.

Very good answer. Love that. What do you have coming up? Do you have any big gigs or anything like that?

The only thing I have planned past September right now is on November 10. I’ll be in Washington DC for a big queer music show with a few other LGBTQIA+ musicians.

Other than that, I will be on the internet. You can find me on TikTok all the time, @zach_ benson . And hopefully we’ll have a lot more tour dates available in Spring 2023.

But I’ve been performing throughout the entire year, and I think over the wintertime, I’m going to take a little bit of a break, write some new songs, and then

hopefully should be back live performing by springtime next year.

How about albums? Anything new that anybody can check out now or coming soon?

Yes! Last month, I put out an EP called And Miles To Go Before I Sleep. Seven new songs, they’re all super fun. And before that, I’ve released a plethora of music that people can find on streaming platforms, and online, and everywhere. Just search for Zach Benson.

And last thing, any shout outs to anybody that helped you within your life or career?

Oh, my gosh, yes! There’s a lot. Let me think of who I really want to shout out. Specific to music industry people, or just anyone in general?

Not just music – anyone that’s helped you get to this point and you want to recognize them. I think I’m gonna shout out my parents, honestly. They’ve been nonstop supporting me, both in music and in my personal life, my sexual identity. Since I was really young. Like when I came out, they were always, no questions asked, like, “Sure, we will support you.” Even throughout all of my music, they’ve been able to drive me to shows or come out to gigs, and they’ve always been extremely supportive. So, mom and dad –shout out!

You can find Zach Benson’s And Miles To Go Before I Sleep EP anywhere you get streaming music, and find over a dozen of his previous releases zachbenson.bandcamp.comat

BLACK PRIDE RVA

CELEBRATING VIRGINIA’S BLACK LGBTQ COMMUNITY

The LGBTQ Pride movement has a long history. However, it hasn’t always been as diverse as it is today. In the early 1990s, the Black Pride movement began as a response by Black LGBTQ people to the fact that the face of the mainstream LGBTQ rights movement was overwhelmingly white. The first Black Pride events were held at the dawn of the 1990s in DC and Atlanta, and started a tradition that has continued for more than three decades.

That tradition came to Richmond in 2018 with the launch of Black Pride RVA. In the spirit of the original Black Pride movement, Black Pride RVA widens its focus from traditional LGBTQ rights goals, such as marriage equality and representation within mainstream media. Providing representation and support for groups within the LGBTQ community who face challenges and instances of discrimination that other groups within the community don’t necessarily encounter, Black Pride RVA helps shine a spotlight on the need for more substantial health care options within the

INTERVIEW BY R. ANTHONY HARRIS INTRODUCTION BY MARILYN DREW NECCI

Black community, and the ways issues like racism, homophobia, and transphobia play out differently, and often more dangerously, for Black LGBTQ people in Central Virginia.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd inspired months of direct action, and catalyzed the Movement For Black Lives. Here in Richmond, Black Pride RVA was part of an organized effort by a variety of Richmond-based Black LGBTQ groups and individuals, including Virginia Pride and Diversity Richmond, to help put together Stonewall Rising: The March For Black LGBTQ Lives. The march, which took place on June 27, 2020, helped to ensure that the voices of Black LGBTQ people in Virginia were being heard, and their needs Inprioritized.2022,Black Pride RVA celebrated the fifth anniversary of its first event, held in July of 2018. With seven events across five days in July 2022, Black Pride RVA took things to a higher level, demonstrating that the organization remains resilient, and that the Black LGBTQ community of Central Virginia continues to grow and thrive. In anticipation of VA PrideFest 2022, GayRVA reached out to Black Pride RVA’s leadership to find out what inspires their continued activism, and where Black Pride RVA will go next.

Tell us about how and why Black Pride RVA came to be. Black Pride RVA was created in reaction to the dismissal local LGBTQ people of color felt in the aftermath of the June 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, FL. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others were wounded before police shot and killed the shooter, a 29-year-old security guard.

LGBTQ people of color felt excluded from the planning of community vigils and tributes held locally. Darryl Roman “DJ” Burt II, 29, a financial aid officer at Keiser University in Florida who had close family ties to Richmond and Amelia County, was killed in the rampage. His funeral and burial were held in Amelia BlackCounty.Pride

RVA is not just a moment. It’s part of a movement of marginalized people raising our voices and organizing in a way that says, “We’re here, our experiences

deserve to be celebrated, and this is what we want to be able to bring to our city.”

You recently celebrated your fiveyear anniversary with five days of events. How did it all go, and what are your plans for next year?

Five years ago, Black Pride RVA became the first Black LGBTQ event in the state of Virginia. Created and hosted by Us Giving Richmond Connections (UGRC), Black Pride RVA came into being in order to celebrate the unique intersection of identities experienced by all Black LGBTQ people, to promote equality for Black LGBTQ people within the

broader Richmond community, and to work towards health equity for the Black LGBTQ community of Richmond and Virginia.

To look back on that time and to see where things are now, we are overwhelmed with joy for what we have accomplished thus far, and especially to celebrate these five years, with five days and seven events. Our 2023 Black Pride RVA event will be held July 14, 15, & 16th. Our planning committee will meet in October to start preparing for next year.

What is the best part of the work you are doing?

That we are building relationships within our communities by showing up to say it is okay to be your full and authentic self. We are here to

improve the health and well-being of Black LGBTQIA+ communities in Virginia through education, listening, empowerment and celebration.

What does the word ‘pride’ mean to you? Being a community that cares together.

What are your goals for the organization going into next year? Our goals are to continue providing education and resources for the health and well-being of the Black LGBTQIA+ communities, [as well as] empowerment and social engagement.

Follow Black Pride RVA on Instagram at @blackpriderva

Love is timeless. Pride is too. proudly celebrate, elevate and advocate today and every day for the LGBTQ+ community. capitalonecareers.com/diversity to learn more.

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