Janelle Monáe has been named by the City of West Hollywood as WeHo Pride’s grand marshal icon, while JoJo Siwa is WeHo Pride’s next gen icon.
Monáe’s honor comes as the Grammy-nominated singer, author and Hidden Figures actor continues to inspire others with her artistry and advocacy. Having become a figure for queer people of color, Monáe won a GLAAD Media Award in 2019 for her musical contributions.
Siwa, a dancer, singer and YouTuber, 19, came out to her fans on social media and in 2020 was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
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WeHo Pride Weekend runs from June 3 to June 5 in and around West Hollywood Park, and will include a free street fair representing a range of LGBTQ community groups. On stage, LGBTQ and BIPOC women and nonbinary musicians will be featured, along with comedians, poets and activists. The weekend will also feature OUTLOUD: Raising Voices, a concert series produced by JJLA at West Hollywood Park.
The inaugural WeHo Pride Parade, which celebrates the vast history of the LGBTQ movement and showcases its diversity, is set to take place on June 5. Festivities will begin at 12 p.m. from Crescent Heights Boulevard and go along Santa Monica Boulevard to the City’s Rainbow District, home to historic LGBTQ bars, clubs, restaurants and shops.
“The City of West Hollywood is thrilled to be producing #WeHoPride for our community this year,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister, “and our amazing icons — Janelle Monáe and JoJo Siwa — truly reflect the core values of our city.” She added that pride events give the LGBTQ community “a place to advocate for equality” as well as a place to celebrate who they are and exactly who they were meant to be.
“At this moment in history, with women’s rights and LGBTQ rights under attack, our icons stand as proud, outspoken beacons of light and hope for a better tomorrow,” continued Meister. “West Hollywood has been the home of the largest Pride celebration in Southern California for nearly four decades. We’re looking forward to continuing that tradition this year for WeHo Pride.”
This story was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
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