OUR MISSION

I am a true native to LA, born at White Memorial Hospital in East LA and raised in Highland Park. Los Angeles will always be home.

Growing up as the youngest of six boys was an interesting experience. We were our own tribe, especially since we were the only Belizeans in the neighborhood. Everyone looked out for each other even though we were all so different.

I have an identical twin who has always been by my side and there for me. I love creating events and bringing people together because I want others to know the feeling.

I am also grateful for my older brother that came out before me. He truly bared the brunt of the coming out experience and paved the way for my twin and I to come out.

Well…. I actually never really came out…. My mom called me one day and said “please don’t tell me you are like your brother, I’ll just die”. I responded with, “ you won’t die, you’ll suffer depression for a little bit but you’ll get over it”. Nowadays, mom and dad are my biggest allies.

When I was 14, my dad worked in construction so we had tons of leftover job supplies around the house. One weekend, I was tired of our house looking like it was going to fall down. I grabbed a scrapper, paint supplies and started to work on the house. After a few hours my brothers and parents slowly started helping out. By the end of the day everyone was working on something and our house had a full on facelift. This all started with scraping old paint off the walls…

I ran my first marathon in 2005 for APLA just because I wanted to do something different. Afterwards, I started working for Nike and throwing community events. My mission was to create an authentic running store by connecting with the community. I started a running club at the LGBT youth center and a fitness Friday class at a local elementary school. Also, we were able to throw free 1⁄2 marathons and create training programs.

My experience with Nike inspired me to open up a gay bar in DTLA and help bring the community together. I had lived in DTLA for 6 years and witnessed the growth of the LGBTQ+ community. There was a lack of safe spaces for people to meet motivated me to embark on journey to create one.

When I first created SummerTramp (many Suns ago) the Downtown Los Angeles that we all know now was still in its infancy. The year was 2010 and West Hollywood was the undisputed center of the LGBTQ universe. Other than a few pioneering parties (thank you Shits n’ Giggles, Rhonda and Mustache Mondays) the eastside et al was relatively quiet, few and far in-between for the queer community at large.

Back then I was new to Queer nightlife and I was surprised how divided the scene was. Westside stayed west and Eastside stayed east – rarely did they mix. So when I first started SummerTramp I made it my intention to program with all sides of Los Angeles. A safe space that celebrates unity within the community where EVERYONE can let their hair down, take their clothes off, be themselves and ultimately raise their flag without any judgment.

It’s been over 8 years since I first slid down that slide… During that time I’ve have had the pleasure of witnessing what I feel has been a renaissance in the queer community with Downtown L.A. leading the way. Never before have I felt a stronger unification in the LGBTQ+ community than I do today and it makes sense that we’re celebrating this unification in the flourishing heart of Los Angeles.

Just like SummerTramp, DTLA Proud is all-inclusive accessible festival that represents the diverse LGBTQ+ population. Ultimately both these gatherings share the same ethos, the same intention of bringing people together in a celebration of love and unity. While SummerTramp has always been anchored in providing these sentiments to the community, DTLA Proud brings this about on a grander scale, operating as a 100% non-profit with the sole intention of bringing awareness to and for our community in the ever-growing landscape of DTLA.

Scottie Jeanette Madden didn’t make it easy on herself. Like many late-stage trans women, everything in her life screamed “Alpha Male.”  With over 30 years in television production, no one knew that Scottie Jeanette, a top survival showrunner who had lead über-male productions into the world’s most dangerous locations had been engaged in a lifelong battle for her soul. Scottie rose through the ranks of production to become a writer, director and showrunner.

She put all this, plus a marriage of 26 years, on the line when she wrote “Getting Back To Me” from girl to boy to woman in just fifty year, leaving behind “white male privilege” to embrace truth, grace and womanhood. It was the ultimate survival show as Scottie dismantled the walls of a self-imposed prison, charting the way from denial to acceptance, from fear to courage to be herself. Today, she is a passionate advocate, speaker and educator for the Queer community, speaking to universities, corporations and hospitals (over 120 workshops for Kaiser Hospitals, alone). Her TED Talk, titled, “What Would My Father Say? – how living up to the expectations of others, led me to live up to my own,“ led to her being invited first to the DTLA advisory board, in 2019 and then the Board of Directors in 2020. She an award-winning writer, director and producer of film & television for over 40 years, featuring documentaries, live events and scripted series, as well as an author of three books of Queer content

Tony Hoang is the managing director for Equality California. In that role, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization. Prior to joining Equality California, Tony interned at the Pacific Council of International Policy and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. He holds a BA in international relations from the University of Southern California with minors in political science and biology. Tony serves on the board of directors of the Equality Federation, the national movement builder and strategic partner to state-based organizations advocating for LGBTQ people. Tony is also Vice President of the Los Angeles Innovation and Performance Commission and sits on the advisory board of Generation Change, an organization dedicated to electing millennials to office. He lives in Downtown Los Angeles with his partner Ian.

With more than 20 years in grant management and financial administration, Dominic has extensive experience in administering federal, state, and local agency grants, as well as foundation grants. His passion for his work and his ability to see himself in the people whom he serves has driven his success.