Arts Paper
As the editorially independent arm of The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, the Arts Paper seeks to celebrate, explore, and investigate the fine, visual, performing and culinary arts in and around New Haven.
The Pride Center last month, after announcing what it hoped would be a temporary closure. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
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A snapshot from the Pride Center's annual Pride Month Block Party earlier this year. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
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Edward Summers and his spouse, Joel Olguin. Contributed Photo.
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Azula, who captivated in her performance at Pride Prom.
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Peg Oliveira, who didn't think of herself as a trailblazer when she and Jen Vickery got married outside of New Haven City Hall on Nov. 12, 2008. She joked about the number of people who had been saying that they "found" her this year—because she never left New Haven, and has no intention to. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Soto at the Pride Center's former home in the basement of 84 Orange Street. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
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John Allen: “As we know, history belongs to those who write it. And I’m diligently trying to do that.” Lucy Gellman Photo.
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Michael Zief and Ian "Scooby" Rossman. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Xiomarie LaBeija. Laura Glesby for the New Haven Independent Photo.
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Bubbles closes out a drag show on the New Haven Green, part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, in June 2021. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
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Sparkle Diamond and her young readers. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Jacqueline Soares, Gabby F., Big Freedia, TJ, Khloé Lawson, and Mikayla Williams.
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Hayden Earnshaw, Maggie Goodwin and Juancarlos Soto. Grayce Howe Photos.
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Diana Henderson singing "Happy Birthday." Photos Kapp Singer. Diana Henderson carried a big chocolate cake covered with sparklers. With gusto, she sang “Happy Birthday” to all those born in January in the room.
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New Haven Pride Center Board President Hope Chávez, Executive Director Juancarlos Soto, and Communications Coordinator and Co-Producer of PRIDE New Haven Laura Boccadoro at the Center's 84 Orange St. offices on Saturday afternoon, after getting the all-clear to enter the building. Lucy Gellman Photo.
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Alyssa Marie Cajigas Rivera Ortiz, development coordinator at the Center and Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the Children of Marsha P. Johnson. Musician, organizer and fellow CMPJ Co-Director Erycka Ortiz is to her right. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Erycka Ortiz and Alyssa-Marie Cajigas Rivera Ortiz. Lucy Gellman Photo.
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Nancy Weisman, Lindsey Bauer, Nikki Lee, Kellie Ann Lynch, and Lillie Steinhauser. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Juancarlos Soto, interim executive director at the New Haven Pride Center, photographed at the 84 Orange St. space last month. Lucy Gellman Photo.
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Juancarlos Soto at the Pride Center Friday. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Jahnice Cajigas in front of the altar Monday. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Emcees Sparkle Diamond and Dolores Dégagé Hopkins at a 25th anniversary celebration for the New Haven Pride Center in November 2021. Tuesday, Hopkins said that board member Kishorn Henry-Walker, Diamond's alter ego, has been incredibly supportive. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
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U.S. Attorney Vanessa Avery. In the background, from left to right, are Director of Youth Services Ala Ochumare, Deputy Director Juancarlos Soto, and Marketing and Development Manager Laura Boccadoro. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Jehloni, La'Nece Onassis, and Xiomarie LaBeija. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Members of New Haven Pride Center staff with Pedro Julio Serrano. From left to right: Erycka Ortiz, Pedro Julio Serrano, Juancarlos Soto, Jahnice Cajigas, and Patrick Dunn. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Staff of the New Haven Pride Center. Very back row: Joseph DiMaggio and Val Ruby-Omen. Middle row: Erycka Ortiz, Ta'LannaMonique Miller, Jahnice Cajigas, Ala Ochumare, Aron Alber, Suyane Oliveira, and Azula. Bottom: Laura Boccadoro, Juancarlos Soto, and Patrick Dunn. Lucy Gellman Photos. Gilbert Baker's rainbow flag made its way slowly up the Green's flagpole, its stripes flapping against a smear of blue sky. At the mic, Rashawn Lee leaned in, his voice cutting through a thick humidity that had settled over the crowd. We are a family! Like a giant tree! Branching out toward the sky! he belted. As the words sailed over the grass, ears seemed to perk up across the space, hanging onto each word. As they watched the flag rise from below, attendees and New Haven Pride Center staff saw both the beginning of a celebration, and a moment that might save someone's life. That belief in queer visibility defined PRIDE New Haven's now-annual flag raising, held Monday afternoon on the New Haven Green. As roughly two dozen gathered for the event, it doubled as a kickoff to the week-long celebration, which features 25 events over eight days. They include keynote conversations, justice-focused panels, culinary tutorials and tastings, multiple drag and burlesque performances, a concert at the State House, and day long celebration on the New Haven Green. The festivities run through Sunday Sept. 18; read more about them here and get a full schedule here. Throughout, both speakers and NHPC staff have woven in reminders that PRIDE started as a riot, from panels on Black queer feminism, disability, fatphobia, and rainbow capitalism to performances of drag artists at the margins of their own form. For the first time ever this year, a "fringe fest" will be running parallel to PRIDE, with participants including Strange Ways, 80 Proof Kitchen & Bar, Artspace New Haven and the New Haven Free Public Library.
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Suyane Oliveira, who leads the Lavender Lit Book Club at the New Haven Pride Center. Benie N'sumbu Photo.
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Welcome to the Winter White Ball, a fundraiser for the New Haven Pride Center hosted by New Haven drag legend Tia Lynn Waters—or as she is affectionately known and loved, Bubbles—at the American Legion Hall in Hamden last Sunday. By the end of the night, attendees had raised over $1,000 for the Center.
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Thursday's panel. Screenshot via Facebook Live.
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Adrian Huq (in foreground) and Jaeana Bethea. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Kiki Lucia, who became the host, historian, storyteller and spiritual support during Sunday's show. Lucia's role as emcee included nine costume changes. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Excessive Use by Vanessa Giraldos. Photo Courtesy of the New Haven Pride Center.
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A screenshot of panelists from YouTube. Top Row: AJ Hudson, Hamzah Jhaveri, and a sign language interpreter. Bottom Row: Arien Wilkerson and Adrian Huq.
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Lucy Gellman Photos; all work by the artists in the show. Trans-Cending Art includes artists KC Councilor, Tony Ferraiolo, Jules Larson, Reed Miller, Elliott Grinnell, and Finn Lockwood.
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Ash Cruz, who is a published poet, works through what he would depict if he'd been at Stonewall in 1969. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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Kiki Lucia looked out onto a sea of young faces. 60 pairs of wide eyes looked back. Red leotard. White gogo boots. Big earrings that caught in the light. A rainbow flag turned superhero cape smoothed out around her arms and shoulders.
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“When I seroconverted I had a rush of emotions, and the best way to process it for me ended up being painting,” said Jonathan Joseph Ganjian at the opening. Detail of Inside pictured above. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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The gallery is now open! Friday, NHPC Director Patrick Dunn released an open call for proposals for six exhibitions in 2018, open to multimedia LGBTQ+ artists from across Connecticut. November, which is Trans Awareness Month, is open only to Transgender artists. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15. Lucy Gellman Photos.
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A photograph from last year's vigil for the victims of the Orlando shooting. No photographs were allowed at Tuesday's event. Lucy Gellman Photo.
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