PRIDE50
Every year, Queerty hosts the Pride50 digital and in-person awards ceremony celebrating 50 LGBTQ pioneers who have moved us all further toward equality. Having helped to produce this program for three years in a row, I had a hand in everything from nominee selections, sponsorship activations, venue selection, on-screen content, invitations, marketing collateral, photo booth design, food & beverage selections, and so much more.
That’s nice and all, but there are two specific elements of Pride50 I created that, I think, speak deeper about who I am and the type of outlook and ideas I bring.
1. SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Seniors) Activation
Partnering with SAGE, I developed an activation in which I paired 10 SAGE seniors up with 10 Pride50 honorees to walk the red carpet - based on mutual interests and experiences - bridging generations and shining a light on the organization and seniors who are too often overlooked. I even set up their own comfortable seating area right in front, which became the place to be. Many attendees said this was a highlight of the event, and I’ve heard that some of the pairings are even still in contact today!
This one was one of my favorite non-profit partnership activations I’ve ever run.
2. Making Accessibility Sexy
To make the physical event as accessible as possible, I brought in an interpreter to the program for the first time. But, not just any interpreter; one that fit with the ethos of the event and ultimately added immense value beyond just accessibility. The interpreter engaged with guests on stage, was dynamic and spirited, and brought something to the event that hadn’t been there before.
This was just one of the accessibility features of the night.
Between this and the SAGE activation, along with the program itself, of course, I was able to bring together a cohesive vision in which doing well and doing good were one-in-the-same.
