Getting a Vision for OUR PRIDE

​"Your commitment to motivating the community serves as a positive example for others to follow.  The State of California commends you for being an inspiration to the people of the 23rd Senate District." 
-  California State Senate, November 10, 2010

Photos

I launched OUR PRIDE in 2010 as GETAVISION, with programs and events in Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Hollywood and West Hollywood, California.  It was a program inspired following a battle with Burkitt lymphoma and was initially created as an outreach to others enduring health and financial challenges.

​​Later that year, in November 2010, the City of West Hollywood,  West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and California State Senate recognized us for our programs which focused on supporting those with critical health issues.

We were nominated for the 2010 Creative Community Service Award at the 27th annual West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Creative City Awards.  The California State Senate recognized our "commitment to making West Hollywood a socially conscious city by bringing people together to support those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other health challenges." 

- John Boswell​

Our Mission
​To cultivate compassion through LGBTQIA+ focused arts, social action and advocacy.

OUR PRIDE Arts & Advocacy is a program of Los Angeles-based Civil Rights, Social Action and Advocacy 501(c)(3) nonprofit Rainbow Advocacy.
​

We welcome your tax-deductible donations!
EIN #95-4584074

Rainbow Advocacy
IRS NTTE:

Civil Rights, Social Action, and Advocacy N.E.C. (R99)

Lesbian/Gay Rights (R26)

Community, Neighborhood Development, Improvement (S20)

OUR PRIDE Arts & Advocacy is a collective of individuals and organizations dedicated elevating issues impacting the lives of LGBTQIA+ people around the world through the arts and advocacy to enhance the global Pride movement of compassion and amplify the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The network seeks to address issues such as: racism, oppression, colorism, colonialism, corrective rape, conversion therapy, criminalization, discrimination, equality, mental health & suicide, police brutality, refuge & asylum, religious oppression & spiritual abuse, school bullying, transphobia, violence, women's rights, and youth homelessness.

OUR PRIDE Video & Arts Fest

In 2013, we created the first of two semi-annual interactive Tibetan-style rainbow prayer flag arts installations with LA PRIDE for the 35th anniversary of the rainbow flag [photos], followed by a 2015 installation at the West Hollywood Library [photos] and with the City [photos].
​
And in 2016, we launched a first youth video competition, along with the Troy Perry Awards program.  In 2018, we produced the original music & literary arts program, "Awakenings," with the 2018 LA Lambda LitFest, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the rainbow flag, featuring historic literature readings and music, in addition to partnering in the production of the program “Meet the Rainbow Flag Makers: The Original Rainbow Flag Artists and their Friends” [view here] with the West Hollywood One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival.

​​The OUR PRIDE Video & Arts Fest started in 2018 as a youth video competition to  showcase of compassion-focused videos & music submitted by youth (age 19 & under), featuring songs and short videos focusing on personal stories, current issues, social issues, and significant LGBTQ+ people, places and events.

In 2023, we welcome the City of West Hollywood as Co-Sponsor of the OUR PRIDE Video & Arts Fest, which is an official community program of 2023 WeHo Pride.

Intergenerational . Intercultural . Experience

The OUR PRIDE Education Program is designed to align with California core educational curriculum standards and to support mandates of inclusive education initiatives, which require public school courses be non-discriminatory and integrate factual information about social movements, current events, and history of LGBTQ+ people into instruction.

Through research, collaboration and production, the program is designed to create a new awareness and understanding of history, culture and issues, while directly connecting youth with mentors and elders in a cross-generation learning and personal growth experience. ​​

About EDU Service Learning