The creators and producers of the Festival Gay Latino (left to right): Angel Macias, Kim Maddox, Tonya Martin, and Betsy Holmes.
The Latino community and the gay community are deeply entrenched within Long Beach culture, having histories within the city which are both rich and wide spanning—yet the two demographics haven’t melded, at least in the form of a formal gathering like Long Beach Pride or the Latin American Parade.
Not that the idea hasn’t been floating around.
Following five years of serving as a member of Long Beach Pride, Tonya Martin’s inspiration skyrocketed when Betsy Holmes, her friend and fellow Pride member, mentioned the idea of a Latin Gay Pride.
“It was like a light inside me switched on,” explained Martin to the Long Beach Post. “This was a chance for me to give back to my Pride and Latin families.”
This inspiration led to the creation of Align Productions and a partnership with California Families in Focus, a Long Beach-based nonprofit which focuses on various forms of family and youth advocacy and is currently celebrating its tenth anniversary. Along with Martin and Holmes, Angel Macias and Kim Maddox eventually became the first all-women creators and organizers of a festival here in Long Beach.
And Long Beach became the perfect place for Martin’s testing ground. Hailing from Alabama, she ventured to California when she was 23, with no family and two friends from Los Angeles. After moving here, she fell in love with not only the city, but the people—and she, as well as her female crew, want little more than to support it the best way they can.
The entire Festival Gay Latino committee.
The festival, to be held September 22 at the Marina Green Park for twelve hours, will be headlined by Vilma Cruz and La Sonora Dinamita, a quintessential Columbian band whose orchestral origins reach back to the 60s. Focusing on cumbia, a Columbian music genre which originated during the country’s Spanish colonization, the 8-piece group has always featured a strong lead female vocalist throughout its history, including Mélida Yará and Vilma Díaz.
“We have some amazing artists due to the commitment and hard work of our committee,” said Martin. “Everyone is volunteering countless hours to make the event amazing. We selected all the artist together. Our main goal is to bring the people together to celebrate the Gay Hispanic culture and this is what all the performances do.”
Other performers on the slate include America’s Got Talent contender Mauricio Herrera, Spanish rock back Casa del Calacas, reggaeton singer Wilfredo, Voces de Alabanza, Coro de la Iglesia de la Comunidad Metropolitana Los Ángeles, Brazilan singer Anna Beatriz, singer Dbella Love, Raiz Brazil Dance Troup, an assortment of mariachi performers, and a drag showcase hosted by local queen Sah’shey Aaliyah Couture.
The Long Beach Festival Gay Latino will be held on Saturday, September 22 at the Marina Green Park on Shoreline Drive, from 10:00am to 10:00pm. For more information log on to www.lbfestivallatino.com.