No ‘Pride as Usual’ for 50th Year

On its 50th anniversary, LA Pride has evolved and “meant different things through the decades,” says PrideCast producer-emcee Vic Gerami.  “But it has always been about equality, resistance to oppression, and resilience.”

An 11-hour PrideCast Live marathon on Saturday, June 27, will commemorate LGBTQ Pride month and express solidarity with Black Lives Matter and Global Pride, from KPFK 90.7 FM, The Blunt Post with VIC, and the Stonewall Democratic Club.

The daylong program features some of the leading LGBTQ news and trend makers from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Vic Gerami

“This year, Pride is more important than ever to honor the history of the LGBTQIA+ equality movement,” says Gerami, who’s the host of The Blunt Post on KPFK .

“We have made progress in the fight for equality because of the activism of black trans women and queer people of color. The celebration of our identity and our fight for equality has always been about resistance.”

Pride-themed shows, artist spotlights, interviews with political leaders, queer activists, and other high-profile public figures, will air live on KPFK 90.7 FM and livestream on KPFK.org.

“The entire Stonewall team is thrilled to take both pride and political action to the Los Angeles airwaves,” said Ryan Basham, Communications Vice President of Stonewall Democratic Club. “We’re hard at work collaborating with Vic Gerami and KPFK on exciting, fun, and engaging programming that will help make this year’s Pride truly special.”

George Floyd’s Brutal Murder

This is Gerami’s third year producing KPFK’s Pride program: “Pride 2020 is not pride as usual,” he said, “especially due to the recent murder of George Floyd and many other black Americans who were victims of police brutality. It is not a celebration.”

Despite the tumultuous backdrop, which includes the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, “we will show the true meaning of pride.”

KPFK is transforming its logo and creating custom on-air content to commemorate LGBT Pride and stand in solidarity with the Black community. The Los Angeles station “is proud to celebrate Pride Day with support from the Stonewall Democratic Club,” says Kevin Fleming.

“We are committed to the communities we serve to provide news, information, stories, music, culture, and the arts,” he added. “Help us remain fearless by supporting us at KPFK.org.”

The marathon will feature a variety of diverse shows by KPFK programmers, members of the Stonewall Democratic Club, and radio hosts from the community.

KPFK has been “the standard bearer of quality radio programming in Los Angeles and has been instrumental in magnifying LGBT voices for decades,” said Stonewall President Lester Aponte. “We’re proud to partner KPFK and The Blunt Post with Vic on what will surely be a one-of-a-kind event.”

KPFK has been broadcasting since 1959, reaching over 11-million households in Southern California.