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.

Going to college at USC in the early 2000’s, I grew to love the architecture and urban vibe of Downtown Los Angeles, but it wasn’t really a destination back then. I’d go out to WeHo on occasion with my college friends, but I always craved something different and more authentic. As warehouse parties became more popular in Downtown and more artists and creative people starting moving in, DTLA quickly became a new hotspot for underground and off-the-radar queer parties like Shits n’ Giggles, Rhonda, Mustache Mondays, and Summertramp. It was around the early 2010’s when I first moved to DTLA and began to notice a full-fledged queer community starting to take root in the neighborhood – gay couples holding hands while walking down the street had become a very common sight. 2015 was the pivotal year when new gay bars Precinct, Redline, and Mattachine all opened within months of each other, and LA had given birth to a new gayborhood seemingly overnight. I soon befriended the bar owners, and that’s how I first heard about the vision for an LGBTQ+ pride festival in DTLA. At the time I was volunteering for Night on Broadway, one of LA’s largest free festivals, so I already had an understanding of what it takes to put on a huge event and how to bring communities together. Using my background in architectural design and event planning, I stepped in to help produce the very first DTLA Proud Festival and the rest, as they say, is history. It’s hard to believe DTLA Proud Festival is already celebrating its 4th year! It’s been amazing to see the incredible growth of the festival, the organization and the DTLA LGBTQ+ community first-hand over the past few years. I feel so PROUD to be a part of it all, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for our blossoming gayborhood.

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.

After nearly 10 years of living my authentic life while navigating adulthood as a black gay man in New York City, I returned home to Los Angeles hoping to find a large diverse LGBTQ+ community similar to the one I had left behind. Not able to find such a community I began volunteering my time to support the pre Prop 8 initiative Let California Ring as it worked to ensure the right of all Californians to be able to marry whom they love. While the loss at the ballot was extremely disappointing, it ignited in me a greater sense of passion to advocate on behalf of LGBTQ+ people. When I learned of the development of a new organization representing the diverse population of LGBTQ+ people who live, work, and play downtown, I knew I had to be involved. I’m proud to be a member of this community because our resiliency and diversity helps in making the city a better place for all.

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.

Awarded and sought after for her engaging storytelling & bold visual style, Scottie has over 35 years in the trenches, She’s comfortable and experienced in any genre, bringing creative solutions and professional acumen to any show she produces from adventure reality/documentary, to richly post-produced dramatic television series, live network events, scripted or non-scripted, primetime competition reality, games shows or children’s programming… oh… and feature film for good measure.

Scottie rose through the technical ranks as camera operator and editor to bring a front line experience to her work as writer, director and showrunner. Her feature writing and directing debut, “the kiss” was decorated in film festivals (Best Horror film, Best Horror Script HIFF, & Audience Favorite Award LAFF) and was featured at AFM. s Showrunner, Networks know that Scottie will bring her crews home safely while getting all of the story. Her recent television work has garnered international attention, Discovery’s “Land Rush” & the legendary “Dude, You’re Screwed,” (“Survive That!” Internationally) Nat Geo’s “The Ark.” History channel’s “Bamazon,” APL’s “Ragin’ Cajuns’. and awards for weekly series such as, Vh-1’s “Cookin’ Ain’t Easy, with Three 6 Mafia”, History Channel’s “Last To Survive”, Discovery Channel’s “Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment”, “NBC’s “The Contender” & “The Contender: Live Season Finale,” NBC’s “The Apprentice Live Season Finale,” FOX’s “Legacy”, FOX’s “Joe Millionaire Specials” and ESPN’s "Surfer Magazine," "Powder Magazine," and "Snowboarder.” And for the youth markets, “Pug and Zero’s Field Trip,” for national Syndication, and MTV’s “Bully Beatdown.”Ms. Madden is also a best-selling author of two books: Recklass In The Kitchen -- a year of light, laughter & love... oh, and food! and her memoir “Getting Back To Me” from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years is being adapted for television with Valerie C. Woods, and was selected to launch the premier of Staged/Lit – a showcase of adapted works for the screen.

Other recent directing credits include, “Hot Tamales Live!” and “The Best of It’s Showtime at the Apollo” comedy series for Western International Syndication.
She has also logged many miles in the international documentary arena for the Discovery Channel, ESPN, and ABC.

Photo: M. Sharkey Studios

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.

Guam-born, Alaska-raised, London-educated, Morocco-cultured, and LA-made. Spreading joy and reveling in life's gifts are what drive Dennis to success. He has a passion for celebrating the arts, cultivating relationships, building communities and bringing people together in Los Angeles and around the world.