MS CAPITAL CITY PRIDE 2024
Board: Wiley Smith (Chair), Chris Ellis (Chair-Elect), Brandi Westbrook (Treasurer), Ryan Upshaw (Secretary), Lucas Posey, Tyler Griffing, Ashlee Pitts, Danny Tovar, Kim Lewis, Christina Spann, Merry Barnes, Kam’Ry Moore, Stan Nichols, Genetra Robinson.
Planning Committee: Jerry Hand (Co-Chair), Joseph Summers (Co-Chair), Lauren Ng (Co-Chair Elect), Laura Heller (Co-Chair Elect), Julie Craft, Tommy Hoffman, Michael Powers, Danny Tovar, Kathy Clem, Chris Ellis, Shelly Cook, Baylee Bible, Mary Ellen Foster, Stan Nichols, Tammy Lochmann, Jeff Myers, and George-Anthony Butler.
It’s Pride Y’all 2024:
Grand Marshals: Kathy Clem and Temica “Tutt” Morton.
Founders' Award: Penny Nickels.
September 27, 2024: VIP and Sponsor Kick-Off Gala at the Faulkner with DJ Citizen Jane and drag performances by Sasha Leigh Chambers and Mercedez Henry-Stanley. Ellen Langford did a live painting of the event which was raffled off as part of the silent auction.
September 28, 2024: It’s Pride Y’all Festival begins with Panel Discussions in the morning at the Faulkner. Mental Health and Legislation Panelists included Dr. Nancy Keys, Jacob Thomas, Justin Lofton, Pike County Supervisor; and Fabian Nelson, MS House of Representatives. LGBTQ+ History of Mississippi Panelists included Jack Myers, Gus Daniels-Washington, and Charlene Barker. Drag 101 Panelists included Penny Nickels, Séraphina, and Mr. Will Ryder.
September 28, 2024: It’s Pride Y’all Festival featured headliners included Shea Couleé, Latrice Royale, DJ Citizen Jane, Anthony Hale, and Brandon Andrews. Musical guests featured Pop Fiction, Kicking, and Sweetie. Local drag performers included Debronski Jefferson, Sasha Leigh Chambers, Ivy White, Séraphina, Mr. Will Ryder, and Penny Nickels.
Other Calendar Events:
January 8, 2024: Monthly Trivia at Hal & Mal’s is hosted by Penny Nickels throughout the year.
March 10, 2024: Drag Brunch, Hal & Mal’s, featuring performances by Sonika Boom, Mia Chambers, Gia GiaVanni, Malaysia Ravor Black, and Dominique Davenport.
March 15, 2024: Drag Bingo, sponsored by HRC at Shade Pub & Nightclub, featuring Mia Chambers, Seraphina, Levine Van Cartier, and Ivy White.
March 29-30, 2024: Annual Gayrage Sale at Duling Hall.
March 30, 2024: Transgender Day of Visibility Event, Fondren Park, sponsored by Love Inside For Everyone (L.I.F.E.), Inc.
April 25, 2024: Pop-Up Lesbian Bar "HER" sponsored by HRC at Shade Pub & Nightclub.
June 8, 2024: Annual Rainbow Run 5k and Kids Fun Run starting at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church and racing through Historic Fondren Neighborhood.
June 8, 2024: Gatsby Summer Sip, a Roaring Twenties-themed fundraiser at the Lowry House starring Joey Jay and featuring Sasha Leigh Chambers, Joselyn Royale, and Sonika Boom.
June 15, 2024: Annual Loud & Proud Scrimmage at the JXN Roller Derby including a halftime performance by Penny Nickels at the Jackson Convention Complex.
June 20, 2024: Museum After Hours "Sculpting Identity: Stories of Resilience, Empowerment, and the Vibrant Tapestry of the LGBTQ+ Community" featuring Penny Nickels at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Event included live performances, community installation, food trucks, cash bar, and conversation.
June 22, 2024: Free Pride Family Fun Field Day at the Mississippi Museum of Art's Art Garden! to celebrate inclusivity and community with fun outdoor games, face painting, relay races, splash pad, and cornhole for all ages.
October 26, 2024: Queer & Trans Halloween Pumpkin Painting Party, organized by The TRANS Program with support by other nonprofit organizations, at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church.
November 20, 2024: Transgender Day of Remembrance & Resilience 2024, planned by the TDOR Planning Committee, took place at Fondren Hall with many nonprofit organizations lending support.
December 8, 2024: Holiday Drag Brunch at Hal & Mal's hosted by Penny Nickels, with guest performances by Mercedez E. L'Oreal, Ivy White, King E, and Love Latonia. Kids had opportunity to snap pictures with Santa! Donated items were also collected to benefit Jack Myers House.
2024 Grand Marshals
Kathy Clem
Kathy Clem, Executive Director of The Good Samaritan Center since 1999, works tirelessly to make sure struggling families in Jackson receive year-round services including case management, financial assistance, counseling services, clothing, food, and job assistance. The organization has also grown to include a soup kitchen in Jones County, which is a “grab-n-go” meal program for food insecure individuals and families in Laurel and other area communities.
Kathy, originally born and raised in Florida, is a transplant to the South, having lived in Jackson, MS, for forty-five years. She started volunteering at Good Sam about 10 years after it was founded in 1972 - under the direction of seven Jackson churches - while her mother was executive director. Her first full-time non-profit job was at the center in the mid-80s. Kathy had gone through four years of pre-med classes at Millsaps College, but her mom encouraged her to get more involved with Good Sam. “You love people,” she recalled her mother saying to her. Shortly after Kathy started working full-time, she went back to school to get a business degree in the 1990s from Belhaven College. As Kathy says, non-profits are just like all businesses with budgets, HR, payroll, and the like. The big difference is who are the shareholders... the community.
When the Covid-19 Pandemic began in 2020, Kathy saw a need in the community. HUB for the Hungry came out of her realization that food insecurity was going to grow during the pandemic while farmers and closed restaurants, schools, and dining services were turning away their fresh food orders since they were unable to sell them. Good Sam partnered with other organizations and businesses to rescue food from food brokers, restaurants, and farmers to give to food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the state. Since the inception of HUB for the Hungry, the collaboration has saved over eight million pounds of good food from being thrown away. Good Sam also assisted in water distribution during Jackson’s water crisis. "I love what Good Sam does and I believe in what we do here", Kathy says. "We are a progressive non-profit; we take people who have a crisis situation and make long-term positive changes. You always have to focus on the individual and their family because every individual is different, and they are all unique.” Kathy is a visionary in the nonprofit world emphasizing unique as well as “tried and true” ideas for her charity; ideas that include charitable gaming, upscale resale stores, dynamic social media, diversity in hiring, and quality customer and client service. Under Kathy’s leadership, Good Samaritan Center is an organization that believes that we should be an example to for- profit and not-for-profit businesses in the communities we serve.
But that’s not all Kathy does! Kathy has sat on a number of non-profit boards (which includes being board president) for charities and foundations that deal with homelessness, hunger relief, diversity and inclusion, ultra and trail running, women and craft beer, and neighborhood development. She is a graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson. She joined the Mississippi Capital City Pride, first as a volunteer, and then in 2021 as a committee member. Her extensive knowledge and leadership of planning fundraising races throughout the Capital City region led her to excel in coordinating MS Capital City Pride’s annual Rainbow Run 5k, which includes a run, a walk, and a children’s fun run. She gives countless hours toward the annual It’s Pride Y’all festival and other events throughout the year. Kathy’s presence is always uplifting, insightful, supportive, and encouraging, and she looks for opportunities for those around her. Helping people is what makes her heart run. Creating safe places for all queer individuals and their allies, especially youth, has become a huge passion for her.
Kathy’s hobbies include craft beer, travel, being outside (whether hiking in the mountains or swimming at the beach) and community development.
Temica "Tutt" Morton
Temica “Tutt” Morton is a dedicated LGBTQIA+ advocate and entrepreneur based in Jackson, MS, whose tireless efforts have made a significant impact on her community. Tutt has been instrumental in addressing the unmet needs of the LGBTQIA+ community in MS. In 2018, she founded Love Inside For Everyone (L.I.F.E.), Inc. with a mission to provide essential services through collaboration, education, innovative health services, and capacity building, it aims to improve the quality of life for all individuals.
Tutt’s journey into advocacy began with a profound desire to see more support for her community. Witnessing firsthand the stories and struggles of those around her, she created L.I.F.E., Inc. to fill the gaps in services and resources. L.I.F.E., Inc. offers HIV rapid testing, advocacy training, and a community food pantry, all designed to meet the diverse needs of the community. In recognition, Tutt received the Gilead COMPASS Initiative® SPARK! Grant. This grant enabled L.I.F.E., Inc. to provide necessary resources to create safe and trusting spaces where community members could find support and understanding. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Tutt and her team continued to support the community through phone calls, medication deliveries, and transportation assistance for essential workers. They also adapted by hosting social topics on social media platforms and conducting one on-one discussions via Zoom, ensuring that the community remained connected and supported.
In addition to her work with L.I.F.E., Inc., Tutt is also the owner of Metro 2.0, a nightclub that has served as a vital gathering place for LGBTQIA+ people of color in Jackson since the late 1990s. Acquiring the lease in February 2020, just as the pandemic struck, Tutt invested her entire savings into the venue. Despite the challenges posed by shutdown orders, she remained determined to keep the bar alive, recognizing its importance as one of the only Black-owned gay bars in the South. Tutt’s commitment to her community extends beyond her business endeavors. She has continued to work on numerous projects addressing critical issues, such as the high rates of HIV in Jackson. By incorporating Metro Pageantry into L.I.F.E., Inc.'s programs, Tutt hosts an annual pageant event in collaboration with community organizations. This event provides testing and treatment services, reaching thousands of black males and females aged 18-36, and addressing health disparities, including HIV. The progress made by L.I.F.E., Inc. under Tutt’s leadership has culminated in the establishment of Metro Reunion Weekend, an annual family reunion event that promotes health awareness, testing, and education. This event brings together the community and allies to celebrate life and encourage individuals to know their health status for a healthier future.
Temica “Tutt” Morton's unwavering dedication to her community and her innovative approach to advocacy have made her a beacon of hope and change. Through her work with L.I.F.E., Inc. and Metro 2.0, she continues to inspire and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community in Jackson, Mississippi, making a lasting impact on the lives of those she serves.
It's Pride Y'all 2024 Headliners
Shea Coulee (she/they) is a non-binary drag superstar, recording artist, model, and actor. Known for their fashion-forward looks and storytelling through drag, they’ve been celebrated by Vogue and are passionate about uplifting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. Shea won RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 and competed in the all-winners Season 7, becoming the first queen to wear haute couture on the runway. They’re set to make history as a series regular in Marvel’s Ironheart. From music to activism, Shea’s artistry continues to inspire across many platforms.
Latrice Royale captured the hearts of the world and earned the title of Miss Congeniality on Season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race. She then went on to appear in other incarnations of the franchise, including multiple guest appearances on the show, RuPaul's Drag U and RuPaul's Drag Race on Celebrity Family Feud. Currently, she is one of four hosts of HBO's Emmy Award winning unscripted series, We're Here, streaming on Max.
DJ Citizen Jane is a Singer-Songwriter / International DJ who grew up in Miami. She now spends her time writing, recording and producing between Miami and Los Angeles. Citizen Jane is currently working on her debut solo project with multiple renowned producers and collaborating with up-and-coming female artists. She recently released her 8th single with sultry lyrics “Ciao Good Bye”. Her forthcoming EP featuring her first single “Campo de Guerra” which takes her back to her Latin Roots will be setting the tone of a rebirth for Citizen Jane.
Anthony Hale is a gay Hip-Hop Recording Artist, songwriter and creative director from Biloxi, Mississippi. In 2020, Anthony released his debut album ‘Rebel’ which spawned 6 music videos and has over 30K streams across all platforms. With the release of his new sophomore album ‘Mind Games,’ he’s determined to take over and make a mark in the music industry. Anthony sites his musical inspiration from the legendary likes of will.i.am, Dawn Richard, Big Freedia & Todrick Hall.
Brandon Andrews, a Mississippi native and seasoned singer-songwriter, performer, emcee, and host, whose music was profoundly inspired, liberated, and influenced by a transformative decade in New Orleans’ vibrant music scene, is so excited to be a part of Capital City Pride’s It’s Pride Y’all 2024.
IT'S PRIDE Y'ALL 2024 Sponsors
Grateful to our 2024 sponsors for It's Pride Y'all and all our events!
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline * ACLU of Mississippi * Ardenland * Brooks Collection Vault * Converge: Partners in Access * Faulkner * Gilead Sciences * Good Samaritan Center * Grace House Services * IDEMIA Public Security * Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health * Mangia Bene Catering * MS Votes * MWB: * Nissan * Pulito Osteria * R. Kelly Kyle Attorney at Law * Robin Morgan Financial * Safe Harbor Family Church * Shade Pub & Nightclub * Summerhouse * United Way * ViiV Healthcare * Visit Jackson! * Walgreens * Walmart * Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP
Rainbow Run 5k Sponsors
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline * Design4Good * Entergy * Human Rights Campaign
Host Committee Sponsors
Josh Henry * Kathy Clem * Quint Withers * Two Rivers Realty * Brian And Topher Wiese * Julie Craft and Melissa Summers * Benson Hill * Alan Burrow and Blake Lowrie * Matt Nicholas * Randy Otworth * Joseph Summers and Chanler Smith * Lucas Posey and Penny Nickels * Jay Barnhart * Sammy Moon