POTTSVILLE — Unity, tolerance, inclusiveness, peace and love.
Those are some of the words used by the organizer of the inaugural LGBTQ+ Festival this weekend.
The event will take place from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Pottsville Lions Club Amphitheater at Gen. George Joulwan East Side Park on East Norwegian Street. Organized by resident Mikaela Gavaletz, it will feature speakers and performances by Miss Gay Pennsylvania Divinity Cruzz and 15 drag kings and queens. It will also feature three food trucks. E&M Entertainment will be the DJ at the event.
Speakers will include Maria Sanelli, a Kutztown University professor and director of the Frederick Douglas Institute at the university, at 1 p.m.; Dani Kilcullen, 14, of Pottsville, who will speak on behalf of transgender youth at 2 p.m.; and Matt Haslam, Minersville, who runs the “Powered and Protected by Rainbows” social media channels at 4 p.m. Performances will take place between speakers. The drag kings and queens scheduled to perform are from Lehigh, Berks, Northumberland, Dauphin and Luzerne counties, she said. One is coming from Syracuse, New York. Also expected to attend is Gary Wegman, the Democratic nominee running in November to represent the 9th Congressional District.
“Each one in their own right is going to be fabulous,” she said of the performers. “It’s going to be a good show.”
Helping her organize the event are Ashlee Rieck, her research assistant, and Francisco “Serena Q” Ibarra, communications director and talent coordinator. She said the city was “extremely cooperative” in allowing her to use the amphitheater.
With the coronavirus pandemic still going on, Gavaletz said attendees will be required to wear face masks and bring hand sanitizer, both of which will be provided at the event. Markers will be on the ground to maintain social distancing. Attendees are also being encouraged to bring chairs, water and sunscreen.
Gavaletz, who is transgender, said she spent years researching issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender individuals, adding the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard outside Laramie, Wyoming, got her attention on the issues facing the community. She said 30 transgender individuals were murdered in 2019, 21 in 2018, with women of color making up the largest percentage of deaths among trans individuals. Gavaletz added that 41% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide once, 98% of trans adults have thought about suicide.
“I’ve watched them far too long,” she said, adding that she observes Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.
But she said the deaths of two black transgender women last week motivated her to organize Saturday’s event. The body of Riah Milton was found on June 9 in Liberty Township, Ohio, and the remains of Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells were found on June 8 in the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
“I said, ‘I’m going to do this,’ ” Gavaletz said. “The people of Schuylkill County want me to step up, be a leader.”
She said the response to the event has been positive; $2,000 in donations for the event were received as of Tuesday, most of which came from allies of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I’ve gotten so many congratulatory emails, private messages and shout outs on Facebook,” she said. “This has blown up to something that is beyond Schuylkill County. It’s going to be well attended.”
For those attending, Gavaletz said they can expect an event to be about “happiness, joy and celebration,” adding that it will be a family friendly event.
“We celebrate to this day because it took a lot of blood, sweat, tears and lives to get to this point,” she said.
Contact the writer: clee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6028; @Cleespot on Twitter
