A weekend to celebrate
Aug. 27 — Labor Day weekend is upon us, and that means the return of Atlanta Black Pride and Dragon Con. I’m in the middle of getting the September issue of Georgia Voice to the printer, so I’ll be celebrating with you in spirit.
Here are some headlines:
🌈 The state-mandated erasure of the rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando, FL has been met with activists repainting it and law enforcement trying to stop them.
💸 Georgia is one of 46 states facing federal funding cuts if it doesn’t remove references to transgender people and “gender ideology” from its sex education curriculum.
⚕️ The Trump administration has moved to bar the federal government’s largest health insurance programs from covering gender-affirming care, even for adults.
💉 CVS Health has decided “for now” not to approve coverage for the new HIV prevention drug Yeztugo.
🗣️ Frontline HIV prevention advocates from across the South gathered in Atlanta earlier this month to collaborate and compare notes about how to respond to challenges created by funding cuts and new Trump administration policies.
🤳 Lil Nas X posted “Your girl is gonna be okay, y’all” last night on Instagram after he allegedly attacked police while walking in his underwear down an LA street last week.
Mighty real,
Collin
Atlanta Black Pride weekend events
🏳️🌈 Atlanta Black Pride returns for Labor Day weekend with a packed calendar of events, music, parties, and more.
The celebration kicks off tomorrow night, Aug. 28, with the Mayor’s Reception at Atlanta City Hall. The celebration continues on Friday and Saturday with the vendor marketplace at the Starling Hilton Midtown and the the Black Excellence Influencers Dinner on Friday.
Another highlight is Saturday, Aug. 30, with “Disco Heat: A Sylvester Musical Tribute” at The Atrium.
➡ Katie Burkholder has compiled a roundup – from drag brunches to dance parties – at this link.
What if you could help create a safe, loving home for a child?
SPONSORED BY CHRIS 180
🏠 That’s what Victor and Joseph did—three times—with CHRIS 180.
In 2023, they became foster parents, first welcoming an infant who was later reunited with family. Soon after, they opened their hearts to siblings, patiently building trust and love. Nine months later, adoption made them a forever family. With CHRIS 180’s therapy, workshops, and support, their journey was filled with growth, connection, and hope.
❤️ Foster. Adopt. Transform lives at chrisadoptions.org.
Out on Film announces lineup for 2025
📽️ The lineup for this year’s Out on Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ film festival, includes a documentary about disco artist Carl Bean, an animated film about a lesbian space princess, and more.
The festival runs Sept. 25-Oct. 5, with films centering around the theme of “Queer Propaganda.” This year’s lineup features 35 feature films, five streaming-only films, and 105 short films. Tickets are available online now.
The opening night film is “I Was Born This Way,” a documentary from Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard about Bean and his 1977 song of the same name. “Four Mothers,” an Irish film directed by Darren Thornton about a struggling novelist in Dublin taking care of three older women, is the closing film.
➡ Learn more about the festival lineup here.
MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
🎤 Atlanta Pride has announced that Bob the Drag Queen, 2AM Ricky, Bentley Robles, and Adeem the Artist will be part of the entertainment lineup for Pride weekend in October.
💰 The Dogwood Festival is having financial woes and trying to raise $250,000 by Nov. 1 to put on next year’s 90th anniversary event at Piedmont Park.
Atlanta art community rallies behind Freddie Styles
🎨 Earlier this year, out Atlanta artist Freddie Styles suffered an unimaginable tragedy.
Styles, 81, lost his home along with all of his own artwork and the art he had collected, to a fire. Now, some of his friends and colleagues are helping him raise money to get back on his feet.
Tonight, Out On Film will host a fundraising screening of the documentary “Making Sweet Tea” from 7-10 p.m. The film is based on E. Patrick Johnson’s book “Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South,” which features more than 60 life stories from Black gay men who were born, raised, and continue to live in the South. Styles is one of the subjects and will be at the event.
➡ Learn more about Styles and his work here.
💡 For many students and young adults, entering the workforce can be a challenge without the proper skills, resources, and community support. Learn why Georgia Power joined 14 other partners to launch the You’re Employed and Skilled (YES) Workforce Academy. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Best Bets
🛍️ Looking for a fresh fit, a fresh cut, and a fresh new headshot photo? Look no further! Come on out to Queer Threads! A Pop-Up Thrift Shop & Barbershop happening Aug. 30 at Wild Heaven Brewery, 1010 White Street SW.
😂 Comedian Jenn Snyder brings her “One Night Only” show to The Wormhole in Savannah on Aug. 29 at 8 p.m.Topics range from her days growing up as gay in a “good ol’ boy” town to dealing with the public daily as a 5’2 lesbian.
👽 Dragon Con, the massive pop culture and gaming convention, returns to Atlanta over Labor Day weekend with celebrity guests, cosplay, and more. This year’s event runs from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1. Plenty of celebrity guests are expected to be in attendance, including William Shatner, Katee Sackhoff, Billy Zane, and Vincent D’Onofrio. Dragon Con’s iconic parade will take place on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. along Peachtree Street in Downtown Atlanta. For more information about all Dragon Con events and tickets, visit dragoncon.com.
