West Hollywood
West Hollywood in brief- City government in action this week
City swear-In Sepi Shyne as Mayor & John M. Erickson as Mayor Pro Tempore, Fire Safety in Holiday Season, End-of-Year Trash & Recycling Info
City of West Hollywood to Swear-In Sepi Shyne as Mayor and John M. Erickson as Mayor Pro Tempore on January 9
WEST HOLLYWOOD – At its regular meeting on Monday, December 19, 2022, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood voted upon selection of the City’s next Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore: Sepi Shyne will become the next Mayor and John M. Erickson will become the next Mayor Pro Tempore.
Incoming Mayor Shyne and Incoming Mayor Pro Tempore Erickson will be sworn-in at the City of West Hollywood’s annual City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting and oath of office ceremony, which will take place on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6 p.m. at the City’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. A reception will immediately follow at the Pacific Design Center, located at 8687 Melrose Avenue.
The meeting, ceremony, and reception are free and open to the public. Limited validated parking will be available at the West Hollywood Park five-story structure; additional validated overflow parking will be available at the Pacific Design Center.
The meeting and ceremony will be live-broadcast and streamed as part of the regular City Council meeting and will be available by tuning into Channel 10 on Spectrum within West Hollywood, by visiting the City of West Hollywood’s website at www.weho.org/wehotv, or by visiting the City’s WeHoTV YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv. In addition, City Council meetings can also be viewed on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku streaming platforms by searching “WeHoTV” within the search functions of these services.
About Incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne – Sepi Shyne made history in November 2020 when she was elected to the West Hollywood City Council. She became the first out LGBTQ Iranian elected anywhere globally and locally became the first woman of color elected to the West Hollywood City Council. Her election also ushered in West Hollywood’s first female-majority City Council. Shyne’s priorities include advocating for affordable housing, protecting renters and social service programs, social justice, small business revival, and bringing the people’s voices to West Hollywood City Hall.
Shyne received her Bachelor of Science from San Jose State University with a double concentration in Accounting and Management Information Systems and a Minor in Drama with an emphasis in Directing. She received her Juris Doctorate with a specialization certificate in litigation from Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco.
As an LGBTQ+ and civil rights leader for more than 20 years, her leadership has helped secure equal rights for all. Before her election to the West Hollywood City Council, Shyne served on the City of West Hollywood’s Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board (now LGBTQ+ Advisory Board), on the City of West Hollywood’s Business License Commission, and on the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Advisory Council, on which she continues to serve. Additionally, she has led many boards and organizations, including the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles and as a Board of Governor and Steering Committee leader with the Human Rights Campaign Los Angeles.
Shyne is a Co-Organizer of WeHo Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a community group created during the pandemic to help get resources to seniors, people with disabilities, and people in immunosuppressed households via social media and volunteer check-in calls. In every board and organization she has led, she has recruited and elevated women and people of color to leadership positions to create more diversity, inclusion, and equity.
About Incoming Mayor Pro Tempore John M. Erickson – John M. Erickson was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 3, 2020 with the commitment to uphold the city’s founding vision for a forward-thinking, diverse, and tolerant community.
Erickson first planted roots in West Hollywood in 2010 when he was selected to intern for the West Hollywood City Council. The internship set him on a path that connected his work for social and economic justice with his passion for public service. He went on to become Council Deputy to former Mayor Abbe Land and then served as a staff member at West Hollywood City Hall working to advance policies, initiate programs, and increase awareness around LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, the environment, and civic engagement.
After leaving City Hall, Erickson served as a Legislative Representative at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) and is currently the Interim Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications, and Marketing at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.
The immediate past Vice Chair of the City’s Planning Commission, Erickson’s priorities on the City Council include overcoming COVID-19 through sensible health practices and economic recovery; creating more affordable housing and protecting renters’ rights; reducing traffic through alternative transportation strategies, fighting climate change and making our city more sustainable; and implementing policies that make the city truly free of prejudice and welcoming to all.
Erickson has earned a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and effective voice for those who need one. His advocacy work includes serving as a National Board Member of the National Organization for Women and President of the ACLU Southern California. In 2017, he became Governor Brown’s appointee to the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and served as an organizer for both the Resist March and the historic Women’s March Los Angeles. He serves on the Board of the Women’s March Los Angeles Foundation. Erickson was part of the End Statute of Limitation on Rape (ERSOL) Campaign, which overturned California’s statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault in 2016.
Erickson received his Ph.D. in American Religious History from Claremont Graduate University and a Dual-Master’s Degree from Claremont Graduate University. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a B.A. in English and Women’s Studies.
Parisa Parnian was selected by Incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne to provide an original artwork for the City of West Hollywood’s 2023 City Council Reorganization and Installation event invitation. Artist Statement: “The Phoenix bird represents Incoming Mayor Sepi Shyne both as a symbol of her ‘rising out of the ashes’ and taking flight, as well as a nod to her Iranian heritage: the Phoenix bird is part of Persian mythology. The background of sparkly palm trees silhouetted by the sun references the iconic West Hollywood skyline. And the collective of raised fists represents not only the City of West Hollywood’s history of inclusivity and progressiveness, but also Incoming Mayor Shyne’s commitment to equity and advocacy for the community she serves.”
City Swears-In Three Newly Elected Members to the West Hollywood City Council
The City of West Hollywood has sworn-in three newly elected members to the West Hollywood City Council: Lauren Meister, Chelsea Lee Byers, and John Heilman. Each Councilmember took an oath of office during the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of West Hollywood on Monday, December 19, 2022. The meeting is available for viewing on the City’s website at www.weho.org/wehotv and on the City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv.
During the meeting, the City Council voted upon selection of the City of West Hollywood’s next Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore: Sepi Shyne will become the next Mayor and John M. Erickson will become the next Mayor Pro Tempore. They will each take an oath of office at the City’s City Council Reorganization and Installation meeting and ceremony on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6 p.m.
About Lauren Meister – After nearly two decades as a neighborhood advocate, Lauren Meister was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on March 3, 2015; re-elected for her second term on March 5, 2019; and re-elected for her third term on November 8, 2022. She is the City of West Hollywood’s current outgoing Mayor.
Since being elected, Meister has worked on initiatives to strengthen the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, develop more neighborhood-friendly planning and land use policies, provide social services for people who are homeless, create a Small Business Task Force, establish West Hollywood as a safe haven for LGBTQ asylum seekers, increase community engagement and transparency, implement a Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program, educate the public on safety issues related to children and pets, embrace and promote our historic resources and, raise the bar on design standards, environmental programs, and sustainability.
In her first term as mayor (April 2016-May 2017), she joined with mayors from across the nation to show support for preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and protecting immigrant and refugee communities.
Among Meister’s priorities are:
- Initiating and supporting policies to save our affordable housing stock and local neighborhood serving businesses;
- Prioritizing public safety, social services, and housing production to reflect the needs of our community;
- Preserving our city’s rich history and unique character;
- Protecting and enhancing parks and green space; and
- Advocating for safe mobility options and fair parking policies.
Prior to her election in 2015, Meister became involved with the City of West Hollywood as a neighborhood watch captain, took the LASD Community Emergency Response Team “CERT” training, and attended the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Community Academy. She went on to lead the largest neighborhood association in the city, representing residents on issues such as public safety, traffic circulation, parking, and development.
She served on numerous commissions and committees for the City of West Hollywood, including the Planning Commission and Public Safety Commission. She worked to mitigate traffic and parking impacts of new and proposed projects in the City, supported creative parking solutions to help neighborhood businesses, initiated the City’s “Live, Work, Play, Be Safe” educational campaign, and supported new ideas to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety. She also worked on campaign finance reform and has been a strong advocate for a stricter code of ethics.
At the request of former Congressmember Henry Waxman, Meister testified before Congress in support of health insurance regulation and universal health care, and she worked with City of Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Koretz to reduce helicopter noise in residential neighborhoods.
In 2013, she served as Chair of the successful “Yes on Measure C” Term Limits for West Hollywood committee, limiting all Council members elected on or after March 2013 to no more than three full or partial terms on the City Council.
Professionally, Meister is the sole proprietor of her own marketing research firm based in West Hollywood. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration, and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Emergency Services Management.
A resident of West Hollywood for more than 30 years, Meister has been both a renter and a homeowner in the City. Her parents, sister, and rescue dogs, Suki and Sammy, also call West Hollywood home.
About Chelsea Lee Byers – Chelsea Lee Byers was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on November 8, 2022. Byers first became connected to the City of West Hollywood through the Women’s Leadership Conference. This connection led to many program partnerships with the City, including Women Manifest (2016), the Cannabis Education Forum (2015-2018), collaborative film screenings, panels, and more.
While working with United Way’s Everyone In campaign, Byers engaged with the City’s Social Services Division and Strategic Initiatives Division to bring educational programming to the community on homelessness and housing solutions. She currently works as Director of Programs and Partnership with Women’s Voices Now and is a core team member with Beautiful Trouble.
The immediate past Vice Chair of the City’s Human Services Commission, Byers’ priorities on the City Council include social service delivery, climate-change mitigation strategies, and emergency resiliency efforts, creating more affordable housing and resources for renters, enhancing the streetscape for improved pedestrian and cycling experiences while reducing vehicle-dependency, and community building and policy implementation to ensure West Hollywood is an inclusive community for all.
She serves on the Board of Directors for National Women’s Political Caucus as the Vice President of Education and Training for NWPC California. She is a board member of Abundant Housing Los Angeles and President Emeritus of the Westside Young Democrats.
Byers has participated in a number of fellowships including the Housing Policy Leadership Institute, New Leaders Council, Art for LA Activate Program, National Council for Jewish Women’s Advocacy Program, and the James Lawson Institute.
Byers studied at Universidad Internacional Cuernavaca, Franklin University Switzerland and received her B.A. in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Northern Arizona University.
About John Heilman – John Heilman was active in the incorporation of the City of West Hollywood. He was elected to the City’s first City Council in November 1984. He was chosen as the City’s second Mayor in 1985. He also served as Mayor in 1990, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2006, and 2010. He was re-elected to the City Council in June 2015 and in November 2022 and is one of the longest-serving openly gay elected officials in the United States.
Since his earliest days on the City Council, one of Heilman’s strongest concerns has been affordable housing. He was instrumental in the establishment of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, a City-funded organization that develops affordable housing in West Hollywood and the surrounding region. He also helped develop the City’s landmark Rent Stabilization Ordinance. He helped create the City’s inclusionary housing policy, which requires developers of new residential buildings to include housing for low and moderate-income residents.
Heilman drafted the City’s landmark ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of HIV and AIDS. He received the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Award for his leadership on the issue of AIDS. He established the City’s Senior Advisory Board and helped develop the City’s Comprehensive Services Center at Plummer Park. He also established the City’s Russian Advisory Board in an effort to integrate the City’s Russian-speaking residents into the City’s decision-making process, and he founded the City’s Annual Women’s Leadership Conference.
Heilman was instrumental in building West Hollywood Library, which was opened in 2011.
Heilman has worked closely with the West Hollywood business community. He was a founder of the West Hollywood Marketing and Visitors’ Bureau now known as the West Hollywood Travel + Tourism Board/Visit West Hollywood. He helped establish the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District as well as the business improvement district which serves the City’s Design District.
In his professional life, Heilman is a highly regarded law school professor. He is a professor at Southwestern Law School and an adjunct professor at USC Law School. In his private life, Heilman is an avid runner. He has run numerous marathons and half-marathons for charity.
About the City of West Hollywood – The City of West Hollywood is like no other city in the world. Located in the heart of metropolitan Los Angeles, the City was incorporated in 1984 by a unique collaboration of people including LGBTQ activists, seniors, and advocates for affordable housing. At only 1.9 square miles, West Hollywood is a robust economic and cultural center instilled with idealism, creativity, and innovation. A spirit of community activism and civic pride thrives in West Hollywood for many of its approximately 35,000 residents and the City has a strong progressive political voice.
West Hollywood works diligently to defend the fundamental rights of its community members including LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, seniors, people of color, immigrants, women, and others. The City is one of the most outspoken advocates anywhere for the legal rights of LGBTQ people; more than 40 percent of residents in West Hollywood identify as LGBTQ. The City also prides itself on being a safe space. Regardless of nationality or immigration status, the City of West Hollywood has a commitment to promoting social justice and equal rights.
West Hollywood to Ring in the New Year with Drug- and Alcohol-Free Event: VIBEZ: A Sober New Year Celebration
This New Year’s Eve, join in the fun and celebrate the first moments of 2023 at VIBEZ: A Sober New Year Celebration, West Hollywood’s premier alcohol- and drug-free New Year’s Eve event. This year’s celebration will bring hundreds of people together for a fabulous celebration and an alcohol-free midnight toast. The theme of this year’s event is “Astrological Wellness” and there will be drag entertainment, dancing, and light refreshments as well as other fun wellness activities such as tarot and palm readings, psychics, star charting and more! The event will provide a safe space for sober people to celebrate New Year’s Eve with others in recovery, away from the typical substance-heavy events and parties that mark the holiday.
The City of West Hollywood has co-sponsored a New Year’s Eve event since 2014. VIBEZ is organized by the nonprofit organization, The Phoenix, and will take place on the evening of Saturday, December 31, 2022, starting at 9 p.m. and will run until 1 a.m. on Sunday, January 1, 2023 at Plummer Park’s Fiesta Hall, located at 1200 N. Vista Street. There will be an All Recovery Meeting at 8 p.m. followed by the New Year’s Eve celebration starting at 9 p.m.
VIBEZ is a free event. Attendees must be 18 or older to attend. Advance RSVP is encouraged, as Plummer Park’s Fiesta Hall has limited capacity. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/2hvdd4cc. Attendees are encouraged to be respectful of the neighboring residential area when arriving and leaving the event. Limited parking is available in both the north (N. Vista Avenue entrance near Fountain Avenue) and south (Santa Monica Boulevard entrance) parking lots at Plummer Park.
For additional information about VIBEZ: A Sober New Year Celebration, please contact Andy Short at [email protected].
End-of-Year Trash and Recycling Information
The City’s solid waste hauler, Athens Services, will not pick up of trash on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25, 2022 or on New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1, 2023. Sites that receive Sunday service will not be served. Service will resume on Monday, December 26, 2022.
Holiday trees are 100% recyclable. Athens Services will collect holiday trees on normal pickup days beginning on Monday, December 26, 2022 through Friday, January 6, 2023.
Tips to ensure collection of holiday tree: remove stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel; place holiday trees at the curb; trees over six feet in length must be cut in half; trees with flocking or fire retardants are acceptable; and please do not leave the tree in a plastic bag as the bag gets caught in the chipper blades.
Remember that gift boxes, wrapping paper, and other paper packaging can be recycled with regular paper and cardboard recycling. During the holidays, many people get rid of old electronics, as well. Residents should take old electronics to a collection center such as the UCLA S.A.F.E. Drop-Off Center or schedule an E-waste pickup with Athens Services. For details, please visit www.weho.org/city-government/city-departments/public-works/environmental-services/trash-and-recycling.
Bulky or large items, such as refrigerators, carpet, and wood, can be picked up at no charge to residents, limited to one or two items. Please call Athens Services directly to find out details and arrange for a pickup.
If you will be generating a larger amount of trash than typical and when trash and recycling bins or carts are full, do not place extra trash and recycling on the ground with bins and/or carts. Please contact Athens Services to schedule extra services to accommodate extra trash and recycling.
For more information, or to arrange for extra trash and recycling services, please contact Athens Services’ Customer Service Office at (888) 336-6100.
Homeless Initiative Introduces New Mobile Health Clinic Services to the Community
The City of West Hollywood is partnering with UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative to bring UCLA’s mobile healthcare clinic to West Hollywood on a regular basis to serve people experiencing homelessness in West Hollywood.
UCLA Health will host walk-up healthcare services on a monthly basis piloting services at West Hollywood Park on Monday, December 19, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Plummer Park on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 from 12 p.m, to 2:30 p.m. Services will be provided at no-cost by UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, which includes doctors and nurses. The Homeless Healthcare Collaborative mobile team provides urgent care, wound care, medical screenings, preventive care, vaccinations, care for chronic medical conditions, and referrals to social service supports that benefit community members experiencing homelessness. Additional service dates will be announced after the pilot launches.
“We deeply appreciate the partnership with UCLA Health in bringing their innovative Homeless Healthcare Collaborative to West Hollywood. Through the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative, we are working to increase access to services and support that help people on the path back into housing. Making UCLA Health services available within the City makes it easier to get healthcare. We are proud to have UCLA Health join forces with the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister, who is also a member of the City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness.
According to UCLA Health, the stressors and barriers people face when experiencing homelessness lead to higher rates of chronic disease, social isolation, increased morbidity and mortality, fragmented service use, and poor primary care experiences. According to UCLA Health data, 85% of emergency department visits for people experiencing homelessness are due to primary- or urgent-care conditions that can be prevented or treated in the community.
By partnering with UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, the City of West Hollywood is adding to existing innovative health services funded by the City’s Social Services Grants Program to meet the needs of community members experiencing homelessness. Healthcare in Action provides on-call health services in the City’s parks and public spaces and LA LGBT Center offers comprehensive, ongoing health services at their nearby clinic. The City’s collaborative partnerships with Saban Community Clinic, and Cedars-Sinai continue as well. All told, the range of health resources available through these partners, along with the capacity to meet people both in the community and serve them ongoing at local clinics, advances health equity in the West Hollywood community.
The City’s Human Services and Rent Stabilization Department’s Strategic Initiatives Division oversees the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative in coordination with the City’s Social Services Division. The Homeless Initiative is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency collaborative response, which includes multiple City Departments, City-funded social service agencies, the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and Los Angeles County agencies.
Through the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative, in partnership with the community, and with funding support from LA County Measure H, in 2018 the City established the Five Year Plan to Address Homelessness in Our Community. The plan identifies seven goals – and key actions to reach these goals – this new partnership with UCLA Health further advances Goal #6: Strengthen partnerships with other cities and with nonprofit organizations to support regional and individualized solutions to homelessness.
Making progress toward the goals of West Hollywood’s Five-Year Plan remains critically important in directing the local response to homelessness.
The West Hollywood Homeless Initiative seeks to effectively address homelessness. If you are concerned about a community member who is homeless, call the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative Concern Line at (323) 848-6590. If your concern requires time-sensitive assistance during nights or weekends, please call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at (310) 855-8850.
For more information about the Homeless Initiative, please contact Elizabeth Anderson, City of West Hollywood Strategic Initiatives Program Administrator, at (323) 848-6839 or [email protected].
West Hollywood Urges Community to be Mindful of Fire Safety this Holiday Season
The City of West Hollywood is reminding the community to stay safe this winter holiday season and follow winter holiday fire and personal safety tips from the City, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the LA County Fire Department.
The City of West Hollywood’s Fire Safety Brochure offers the following tips and more to make your home fire-safe:
- Install smoke alarms and test smoke alarms regularly.
- Place one or more ABC rated fire extinguishers in your home.
- Consider installing automatic fire sprinklers when possible.
- Be extremely cautious using portable heaters and follow all instructions carefully.
- Never smoke in bed.
- Never leave candles burning unattended.
- Do not overload electrical outlets or power strips.
FEMA provides a number of fire safety tips and outreach materials on its website, including general tips, info on electric vehicle charging, and for space heaters:
- Keep anything that can burn, such as bedding, clothing, and curtains, at least 3 feet away from the heater.
- Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
- Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
- Plug portable heaters directly into outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
- Have a qualified electrician install a new, dedicated circuit for your EV charging device. Older home wiring may not be suitable for use with EV supply equipment.
- Cover the EV charging station outlet to stop water from entering. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines to make sure it is safe to charge your EV in wet conditions.
- Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns.
- Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, or heat vents and water your tree daily. Also, make sure your tree does not block exits.
The City of West Hollywood features tips for making your home fire-safe on the City’s website with detailed information about safety considerations and reminders to install smoke alarms and test them regularly.
The City of West Hollywood is served by the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD). As the holidays approach, LACoFD reminds community members to operate space heaters safety, to ensure there is a working carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your home, and to take precautions when using holiday decorations, lights, and candles. Stay up-to-date with information from LACoFD at https://fire.lacounty.gov and follow updates at https://twitter.com/LACOFD.
Los Angeles County has implemented a free mass notification called Alert LA County, which is used to contact residents and businesses via recorded phone messages, text messages, or e-mail messages in case of emergency. West Hollywood residents are encouraged to sign up at https://ready.lacounty.gov/alerts.
For more information about Community Safety in the City of West Hollywood, please call (323) 848-6414 or visit www.weho.org/publicsafety.
To contact Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 7, please call (310) 358-3430. To contact Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 8, please call (323) 654-5445.
For more information, please call the City of West Hollywood’s City Council Offices at (323) 848-6460. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar.
West Hollywood
Stache closes after three years of serving WeHo
The popular bar and eatery will close its doors on July 13
The popular WeHo bar Stache will be closing its doors for good July 13, its owners announced via social media Monday afternoon.
“Thank you so much for all of your support since day one. Over the last three years, we’ve been a WeHo destination where everyone was welcomed and memories were made. We’ve truly cherished serving you, our community, and appreciate everyone who has been with us for this unforgettable ride,” the owners said in a post on Instagram.
“We have given Stache our best effort, however our operations no longer make sense. It is with great sadness that we must announce that Stache’s last day of operations will be this coming Saturday, July 13th, 2024.”
“We are forever grateful to our amazing team for their dedication and hard work. We hope you’ll join us in supporting them and celebrating Stache’s last week – we’ll forever hold dear the community, friendships, and memories we’ve made.”
Stache’s owners and PR team declined to comment further when contacted by the Los Angeles Blade. A search of Stache’s liquor license shows a clean record that would be good through July 2025.
Stache’s owners signed onto their lease in December 2019, taking over and merging the locations previously occupied by Café d’Étoile and Bumsan Organic Milk Bar. But the COVID pandemic that began three months later put all of their preparation for the bar on hold. It eventually opened in September 2021.
The restaurant originally served only vegan food, but quickly expanded its menu options.
Over the past three years, Stache has evolved into a neighborhood hub that hosted events every night of the week, including classic gay movie screenings, a weekly drink and draw, drag shows, and dance parties.
DJ Jon Klaft, a regular fixture at Stache since he played at its friends and family preview night back in September 2021, says the bar was an important part of the Weho scene.
“Stache has held a very special place in my heart since it opened,” Klaft says. “I’ll continue to DJ at the other bars in Weho, but really hope that whoever takes over the space keeps it a queer venue. I feel like we are losing too many spaces in the neighborhood. I’m so bummed to see stache go.”
Tributes to the bar poured in on social media.
“This wasn’t just a bar to me, this was the space within which I reclaimed a passion and a talent that I hadn’t accessed in over 20 years,” said James Farrell, an artist who was a regular attendee at Stache’s drink and draw events.
“Thank you @stacheweho for giving me my first weekly on the Boulevard! I’ll cherish the moments I had with you and the people I met in your loving walls forever!” wrote drag artist Xoana.
“Always a vibe. Always sexy. Always the most amazing staff!” wrote DJ Ivan Mariscal.
Queer Here Cinema, a monthly networking and screening event for queer filmmakers, has had to cancel its July event, and announced on Instagram that it was looking for a new venue.
Several WeHo venues have changed hands recently, with Roosterfish announcing it would open in the former Pump location, the Abbey relaunching with a new owner, and Heart closing to reopen as Beaches Tropicana.
West Hollywood
WeHo unveils ‘Profit with Purpose’ plan at State of the City 2024
Craig Berberian presented with Ed Levin Award for Design Excellence
The City of West Hollywood and its chamber of commerce joined forces Tuesday to host the State of the City 2024 event, bringing together community leaders and experts to discuss “Progressive Economics: Putting Progress Back in Progressive.”
The annual gathering, held 1 Hotel West Hollywood, aimed to highlight the city’s achievements, outline future initiatives, and explore strategies for fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the 1.9-square-mile city known for its vibrant culture and diverse community.
Mayor John M. Erickson delivered the keynote address, emphasizing West Hollywood’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development.
“Our city continues to be a beacon of progress, combining economic vitality with our core values of inclusivity and sustainability,” Erickson said.
City Manager David Wilson echoed this sentiment, stating, “We’re not just talking about progress; we’re actively implementing policies that make West Hollywood a model for progressive urban economics.”
The event featured a panel discussion on progressive economics, moderated by Jonathan K. Wilson, chair of the West Hollywood Social Justice Advisory Board. Panelists included California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, LAEDC President Stephen Cheung, UCLA Anderson School of Management Professor Avanidhar Subrahmanyam, and local business owner Jacob Shaw.
Ma emphasized the state’s role in supporting local economic initiatives.
“West Hollywood’s approach aligns perfectly with our statewide efforts to create an economy that works for everyone,” she said.
From left: West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President Genevieve Morrill; WeHo Chamber of Commerce Chair David Wood; Craig Berberian, founder and managing partner of the Empire Property Group; California State Treasurer Fiona Ma; and Jorge Nariño of Levin-Nariño Architects. (Photo courtesy of Willa Cutolo)
Stephen Cheung highlighted the importance of balancing growth with community needs.
“Progressive economics isn’t just about numbers; it’s about creating opportunities that uplift all segments of society,” Cheung noted.
A highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of the Ed Levin Award for Design Excellence to Craig Berberian, founder and managing partner of Empire Property Group. The award, named after the late architect and civic leader Ed Levin, recognizes significant contributions to West Hollywood’s architectural landscape.
Upon receiving the award, Berberian expressed his gratitude and commitment to the city’s development.
“This prestigious recognition inspires me and Empire Property Group to continue pushing the boundaries of design, creativity, and innovation,” he said. “Adopting a resident-first approach coupled with a sustainable lens has the power to transform living spaces and enhance the lives of our residents.”
Berberian also praised the city’s leadership, adding, “Thanks to the strong leadership of our mayor, the City Council, and the city manager, the city continues to be a highly desirable place to live, work and play. In a mere 1.9 square miles, it encapsulates rich artistic culture, bustling entertainment, a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene, and a tight-knit residential community.”
The event also served as a platform to bid farewell to Deborah Kallick, vice president of government and industry relations for Cedars Sinai Medical Center, who stepped down after 22 years as a chamber board member. Her tenure was marked by dedicated service and significant contributions to the community.
David Wood, chair of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in driving economic prosperity.
“Our collaboration with the city government has been instrumental in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities for growth,” Wood said.
Genevieve Morrill, president of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, added, “Events like these are crucial for fostering dialogue and aligning our efforts towards a common goal of a thriving, inclusive West Hollywood.”
The State of the City event comes at a time when many urban centers are grappling with post-pandemic economic recovery and social equity issues. West Hollywood’s focus on progressive economics signals its intent to address these challenges head-on, balancing economic growth with social responsibility.
As the city looks to the future, the discussions and recognitions at this year’s State of the City event reflect a community committed to innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth. With its unique blend of culture, commerce, and community, West Hollywood continues to position itself as a leader in urban development and progressive policies.
State of the City concluded with networking opportunities for attendees, connecting business leaders, city officials, and community members.
West Hollywood
Q Con Queer comic con returns to WeHo
WeHo Mayor John Erickson & Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers attended the event as Erickson, an admitted comic book nerd, stated this was his favorite
By Mike Pingel | WEST HOLLYWOOD – Over 1000 queer comic book fans hit West Hollywood Plummer Park for the third annual Q Con queer comic book convention this past Saturday, June 15, 2024.
The event was hosted in part by Prism Comics, the nonprofit championing LGBTQ+ visibility, diversity, and inclusion in comics, graphic novels, and popular media. The WeHo Pride event had something for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community, including LGBTQ+ books, comics, artists, and meet and greets with authors and cosplay personalities.
This year, Q Con included special appearances by X-Men ’97 voice-over actors Holly Chou (voice of Jubilee in X-Men ‘97), Christine Uhebe (voice of Nina Da Costa), and JP Karliak (voice of Morph from X-Men ’97, available from 11 am – 1 pm only); Gui Agustini (voice of Sunspot), and Morla Gorrondona (voice of Lilandra). The actors participated in meet and greets and signed autographs.
There was also a surprise appearance by actor Kevin Caliber, who starred in the movie Surge of Power, which screened at the event. Many may recognize Caliber from his role as Superman in the movie Superman World War. He also appeared in the TV shows Supergirl and Futureman.
The event was larger than in previous years, with more exhibitors on display at the West Hollywood Recreation Center. The expanded programming included comics creators, cosplayers, panels, gaming, photo opportunities, and comics portfolio reviews by comics professionals for aspiring comics creators.
Creators at the event included David Booher (Killer Queens, Ghostbusters), A.C. Esguerra (Eighty Days), Sina Grace (Superman: The Harvests of Youth), Sam Maggs (Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas), Knave Murdock (Transcat), Josh Trujillo (Blue Beetle), William O. Tyler (We Belong), Shannon Watters (Lumberjanes, Hollow), Kendra Wells (Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas), Qweerty Gamers, and more.
Special guests at the Prism Comics table included Tim Sheridan (DC Pride Through The Years; Superman: Man of Tomorrow), Rex Ogle (Free Lunch, Northranger; Four Eyes), Lee Dawn (We Are Frogs), and animated voice actress Valerie Rose Lohman.
West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson and Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers attended the event to show their support. Mayor Erickson, an admitted comic book nerd, stated that this was his favorite programming in the entire WeHo Pride Arts Festival.
The event concluded with a cosplay costume contest. The Joker took first prize, followed by the Green Lantern and an Anime character.
Prism Comics:
Prism Comics is a nonprofit championing LGBTQ+ visibility, diversity, and inclusion in comic books, graphic novels, and popular media.
Founded in 2003, Prism Comics is “LGBTQ+ Comics Central” at San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon Anaheim, Los Angeles Comic Con, other conventions, and online, providing a safe, welcoming community for LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ friendly comics creators, readers, librarians, educators, and families. Prism has helped foster many comics creators who have become major voices in comics and graphic novels.
For more information, please visit prismcomics.org and @prismcomics.
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Mike Pingel has written six books, Channel Surfing: Charlie’s Angels & Angelic Heaven: A Fan’s Guide to Charlie’s Angels, Channel Surfing: Wonder Woman, The Brady Bunch: Super Groovy after all these years; Works of Pingel and most recently, Betty White: Rules the World. Pingel owns and runs CharliesAngels.com website and was Farrah Fawcett personal assistant. He also works as an actor and as a freelance publicist. His official website is www.mikepingel.com
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
West Hollywood
Final OUTZone patios removed from WeHo’s Rainbow District
During the most acute stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of West Hollywood responded in a variety of creative ways to community needs
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – The final four remaining OUTZone outdoor patios in West Hollywood’s Rainbow District were dismantled and removed this past week, marking the end of an era when outdoor patio dining spilled onto Santa Monica Boulevard during the pandemic.
The OUTZone patios were taken down from Beaches WeHo, Tom Tom Restaurant, Fiesta Cantina, and Trunk’s Bar, all located within walking distance of each other.
Beaches WeHo owner Jacob Shaw tells WEHO TIMES that he was able to work out a deal with Koontz Hardware next door and obtained permission to expand their patio area into their property line, so their patio area is wider than before the pandemic. Workers were seen on Wednesday taking the OUTZone apart and making adjustments.
Tom Tom Restaurant had to revert back to their previous patio space. The restaurant was also trying to meet a deadline to have the OUTZone patio removed by Thursday.
Trunks Bar had their seating area removed right after WeHo Pride weekend. The city also had the concrete K-rails removed, and cars are already taking advantage of the extra parking space in a spot where customers enjoyed drinks for these past three years.
Fiesta Cantina removed portions of their OUTZone but still needs to take down the wood paneling as of the posting of this piece.
Some businesses like La Boheme WeHo had the option to apply to make their OUTZone patios permanent. However, businesses on streets with sidewalks greater than or equal to 19 feet deep were not given this option. Therefore, businesses in the City’s Rainbow District along Santa Monica Boulevard were mandated to revert to pre-COVID-19 sidewalk allowances. They were given an extension to keep the OUTZones past WeHo Pride weekend. Some businesses, like Stache WeHo and Hi Tips, opted to end theirs early at the beginning of the year.
During the most acute stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of West Hollywood responded in a variety of creative ways to community needs as we all navigated the pandemic.
In July 2020, the City began a Temporary Outdoor Expansion Permit (TOEP) program by offering streamlined approval for businesses to use sidewalks, on-street parking spaces, and private parking lots as areas to expand operations while protecting health and safety.
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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appea
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
West Hollywood
Heart WeHo owners say club will remain open until further notice
It will be business as usual at the former home of Rage Nightclub while the business is in escrow and legal agreements are ironed out
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – Heart WeHo nightclub, located at 8911 Santa Monica Boulevard, is not closing anytime soon, say the owners of Beaches Tropicana, the new restaurant and bar set to take over the space near the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard.
It will be business as usual at the former home of Rage Nightclub while the business is in escrow and legal agreements are ironed out.
Beaches WeHo owner Jacob Shaw tells WEHO TIMES that a report stating Heart WeHo was closing after WeHo Pride weekend is false. He said there will be a transition from business to business and that Heart WeHo will remain open through most of it until they may have to close for major renovations.
Partner Paul Nichols added that there will be no disruption to operations and there will not be a farewell party because some partners are staying (Nichols included), and the partners leaving are simply going across the street to Rocco’s WeHo.
In fact, this past Thursday night, Heart WeHo had a busy night with a long line snaking around the corner for an album release party for Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo. There is also a Thank You for Pride Party happening this Saturday.
The Beaches WeHo team has formally announced that a whole new concept called Beaches Tropicana is coming to the former Heart WeHo space in the heart of West Hollywood’s Rainbow District. Renovations are set to kick off after Pride Month celebrations, with the highly anticipated grand reopening slated for Labor Day 2024.
“HEY BEACHES FAM!” reads a post on Beaches WeHo’s social media platforms. “We have some exciting news to share with you all. We’ve officially purchased the venue that is currently Heart WeHo, and Heart’s original partners Lance Bass and Paul Nichols will be joining the Beaches team. Together, we are all excited to transform the space into something truly special. INTRODUCING **BEACHES TROPICANA!”
According to the post, Beaches Tropicana will be their flagship headquarters, combining a full-service Cuban-American restaurant with an entertainment venue where guests can dine, dance, and enjoy top-notch performances, all in one space.
Beaches WeHo at 8928 Santa Monica Boulevard will also be getting a makeover and will be turned into Beaches Baja with a new Tex-Mex menu. According to a press release, the team is in talks with several high-profile chefs and hopes to make an exciting announcement once these plans are finalized.
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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appea
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
West Hollywood
WeHo Mayor John Erickson graces cover of THE FIGHT Magazine
This interview delves into his personal narrative, celebrating his identity and the vibrant LGBTQ+ community he now calls home
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson has landed on the front page of The Fight Magazine.
In this issue, a shirtless Mayor, being interviewed by editor and publisher of WEHO TIMES, Paulo Murillo, speaks about the gay male experience while growing up in Ripon Wisconsin.
The Q&A is part of an ongoing media partnership between the two news outlets. Space is limited in print, so stay tuned for the full unedited online interview coming soon.
West Hollywood Mayor John M. Erickson grew up in the small town of Ripon, Wisconsin where he faced the challenges of understanding his sexuality amidst a backdrop of limited representation and societal expectations.
This interview delves into his personal narrative, celebrating his identity and the vibrant LGBTQ+ community he now calls home as we approach Pride Month in the City of West Hollywood.
How do you identify?
I identify as a very proud gay man. I identify with the historical struggle to come out as a member of what was then the lesbian and gay community or the gay community, and now the full beauty of the rainbow we have today… I’m comfortable in my own body that way, and I fought like hell to be this comfortable and this out with who I am.
When did you know you were gay?
I grew up in a really small town … population like 7,000 people, and I knew I was different at a young age. I want to say middle school. I probably knew I was gay as more versions of LGBTQ identity were coming out on TV. You’re always so fearful of what that is because you’re othered in so many communities. By the time I was in high school, I knew I was gay. And before I went to college, I came out privately to a few close friends. Then when I was a sophomore in college, I came out fully to my family.
How did your family react?
My mother probably took it harder than anyone, but that’s because she grew up at a time when LGBTQ people were further demonized than they are still today. My dad was very stoic and said, “Well, you’re just so good at sports. I don’t understand what’s going on.” He didn’t get it, but I came to be close to them in individual ways. My sisters were extremely supportive in bringing my parents around. Thank God they’re licensed therapists, so they were able to work through it with my mom and my dad. They had a toolbox, and now my parents are some of my biggest supporters. I can’t do what I do without them.
To read the rest of the interview click on the link below:
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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appea
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
West Hollywood
Micky’s WeHo fined for Go-Go Dancer performances on Patio
Micky’s WeHo was fined $1,000 & a $75 administrative fee for lacking a special license permit to have go-go dancers in their patio dining area
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – While local bars and restaurants in the Rainbow District hustled to make the most out of WeHo Pride weekend, one of their busiest times of the year, Micky’s WeHo at 8857 Santa Monica Boulevard was fined $1,075.00 when West Hollywood Code Enforcement issued an administrative citation.
This included a $1,000 fine and a $75 administrative fee for lacking a special license permit to have go-go dancers in their patio dining area.
The fine outraged Micky’s owner, Michael Niemeyer, who said he didn’t care about the money but found the policing of his LGBT bar inappropriate during a time meant to elevate and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community he serves.
“I’ve owned a bar since 1978,” he said. “I’ve had my face pushed up against the wall by police officers. I’ve had police batons under my chin while I was being made to produce our liquor license. I’ve seen people get thrown over the bar by police and ABC agents because they were ‘overserved.’ I think of all that when something like this happens. I remember police using their batons to lift women’s dresses to check if they were wearing female underwear. I’ve seen all of that.”
Niemeyer is furious that Code Enforcement entered the establishment during pride weekend, an event he says has been watered down in the past ten years and lost its meaning due to political correctness.
“It’s a big day of the year for us, but there’s a reason for the season,” he said. “People stood up and fought back. Over thirty years ago when I first opened Micky’s, there was sensitivity from the sheriffs and the city. They understood where we were coming from. They can do their fire inspections and safety checks, but don’t do it in the middle of everything. Stay the f*ck out during the pride celebration.”
According to an employee, Micky’s WeHo has always been allowed to have go-go dancers in their patio area for two main West Hollywood events: the WeHo Halloween Carnaval and WeHo Pride weekend. He said they have never needed a special permit nor have they ever been fined in the past 30-plus years, so he doesn’t understand why this year was different.
“They have never fined us before,” he said, asking to remain anonymous. “Meanwhile, look at the hot dog vendors all over the street. Why aren’t they being fined? I saw go-go dancers in the outdoor patios at Beaches WeHo, Heart WeHo, and Stache. Why aren’t they getting fined?”
Director of Community Safety Danny Rivas stated that information-sharing on code enforcement matters is limited. “What I can share is that City staff received a reported concern last Friday evening, May 31, that businesses in the Rainbow District may have been performing entertainment in areas where they had not received approval,” he stated. “The City’s code enforcement team works with businesses when concerns emerge, and the team always makes attempts to gain voluntary compliance.”
According to Rivas, a warning was provided on Friday evening, May 31, regarding entertainment occurring in an area without approval. “The following day, on Saturday, June 1, Micky’s continued with entertainment in the area for which they had been warned the day prior. As a result, City staff issued a citation on Saturday, June 1.”
He added that Beaches WeHo had acquired a special event permit allowing entertainers to perform, and City staff was not made aware of any concerns regarding Stache.
“Regarding street vendors selling hot dogs, City code enforcement officers were deployed,” he added. “They addressed unpermitted street vending, among other issues, on Friday, May 31; Saturday, June 1; and Sunday, June 2, each day between the hours of 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. The City did receive reports of unpermitted street vending prior to the 6 p.m. deployment on Saturday, June 1, and we immediately responded to those reports upon conclusion of a late afternoon public safety briefing that day.”
Rivas also stated that it is important to remind the community that it is extremely challenging to address unpermitted street vending, as the State of California passed Senate Bill 946 in 2018 and Senate Bill 972 in 2022. These bills have placed limitations on the ability of municipalities to address unpermitted street vending.
Niemeyer says he disagrees with the citation. He thinks it is incorrect and inconsistent with past years, and he has every intention of contesting the fine with West Hollywood City Hall.
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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appea
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
West Hollywood
WeHo Pride Arts Festival kicks off with Life in Pictures exhibition
This exhibition is part of the 2024 WeHo Pride Arts Festival featuring LGBTQ+ dance, visual art, performance, literary arts, & more
By Mike Pingel | WEST HOLLYWOOD – WeHo Pride Arts Festival kicks off Friday, June 14, 2024, with LGBTQ+ photography exhibition, Vitam Picturarum (Life in Pictures), exploring the quotidian – framing a snippet of everyday life of and through our queer lens. Expounding on existential issues, tribalism, creativity, love, joy, and more, from the humdrum to the fantastical, with a presentation of well over 30 local and international artists.
The opening reception will take place on June 14, 2024, from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Plummer Park, Long Hall, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., featuring a DJ and literary performance by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng.
This exhibition is part of the 2024 City of West Hollywood’s WeHo Pride Arts Festival and the Queer Biennial, formed in 2014 with a mandate to present and champion a more equitable representation of ever-expanding LGBTQ+ and BIPOC diasporas. The Queer Biennial presents full-fleshed, alternative art experiences representing a wide range of disciplines, including art installation, performance, and film.
There is some free parking at Plummer Park. However, attendees are strongly encouraged to take public transit or rideshare.
WeHo Pride Arts Festival will take place Friday, June 14, 2024 to Sunday, June 16, 2024 at various locations throughout the City of West Hollywood. First launched in 2008, and formerly known as the One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, this year’s Arts Festival will feature a stellar range of LGBTQ+ dance, visual art, performance, literary arts, and more. More information will be available in the coming weeks at www.wehopride.com.
WeHo Pride celebrations during June 2024 will include a diverse array of LGBTQ+ community groups as part of visibility, expression, and celebration. The City of West Hollywood invites community groups to take part in WeHo Pride 2024.
Since its incorporation in 1984, the City of West Hollywood has become one of the most influential cities in the nation for its outspoken advocacy on LGBTQ issues. Home to the “Rainbow District” along Santa Monica Boulevard, which features a concentration of historic LGBTQ clubs, restaurants, and retail shops, West Hollywood consistently tops lists of “most LGBTQ friendly cities” in the nation. More than 40 percent of residents in West Hollywood identify as LGBTQ and three of the five members of the West Hollywood City Council are openly gay or lesbian.
Pride is deeply rooted part of West Hollywood’s history and culture. In fact, Pride events have taken place in West Hollywood since 1979, five years before the City of West Hollywood was incorporated as a municipality. The City’s embrace of Pride is part of its advocacy for nearly four decades for measures that support LGBTQ individuals, and the City is in the vanguard on efforts to gain and protect equality for all people on a state, national, and international level.
The City of West Hollywood is one of the first municipalities to form a Lesbian & Gay Advisory Board (now LGBTQ+ Commission) and a Transgender Advisory Board, which each address matters of advocacy. As part of its support of the transgender community, the City has a Transgender Resource Guide available on the City’s website.
In 2022, the City of West Hollywood inaugurated WeHo Pride with programming that represents a diverse array of LGBTQ community groups as part of visibility, expression, and celebration. West Hollywood is a community of choice for LGBTQ people from throughout the world and WeHo Pride embraces a source of deep connection for its LGBTQ history and culture.
More information: www.wehopride.com/artsfestival.
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Mike Pingel has written six books, Channel Surfing: Charlie’s Angels & Angelic Heaven: A Fan’s Guide to Charlie’s Angels, Channel Surfing: Wonder Woman, The Brady Bunch: Super Groovy after all these years; Works of Pingel and most recently, Betty White: Rules the World. Pingel owns and runs CharliesAngels.com website and was Farrah Fawcett personal assistant. He also works as an actor and as a freelance publicist. His official website is www.mikepingel.com
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
West Hollywood
2024 WeHo Pride Parade on KTLA 5
Tens of thousands of people gathered in West Hollywood on Sunday for the annual WeHo Pride Parade live streamed on KTLA
WEST HOLLYWOOD – Tens of thousands of people gathered in West Hollywood on Sunday, June 2, for the annual WeHo Pride Parade. Legendary pop singer Cyndi Lauper (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, True Colors) was named the 2024 WeHo Pride Parade Lifetime Ally Icon and joined KTLA’s live broadcast.
The 2024 WeHo Pride Parade on KTLA was live streamed on Sunday afternoon.
Watch:
West Hollywood
Typewriters return to WeHo Pride for 5th annual Pride Poets
By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – This WeHo Pride, be on the lookout for typewriters. LGBTQ+ poetry group Pride Poets will be standing by waiting to listen to your story and turn it into poetry, on the spot, for you to take home.
Pride Poets celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, an accomplishment for this first-of-its-kind program which uplifts the voices of LGBTQ+ writers in direct dialogue with their community. In an age of book bans and LGBTQ+ censorship across the country, Pride Poets gives the community a chance to connect and support these writers, and for the writers to serve their community directly and hear their stories.
You might get a poem from Lambda Literary Award-winner Victor Yates, who himself was a poem-recipient in the program’s first year. Says Yates, “I stumbled across Pride Poets in 2019 and was blown away. It was this moment of literature, and honestly a break, in the middle of the Pride to get to sit down with a poet and have your own life turned into a poem and given back to you – I knew I had to be part of it the next year.”
In its 5 years, Pride Poets has worked with over 200 poets to write more than 3,000 poems for the public. During the pandemic lockdowns, when festivals disappeared, Pride Poets operated a hotline that received over 500 calls during Pride weekend. “This was my Pride, this year,” said one caller, who was isolated in the hospital. Another used the poem written for her and her fiance as the vows for their Zoom wedding. And at the festival, one in every ten or so people who receive a poem cry.
“Writing custom poems for strangers is a revelation,” says Catherine Gewertz, a founding member of Pride Poets, who covers the education beat as a journalist when she’s not churning out poems on a typewriter. “In an age of isolation, it creates surprising, tender bonds that come from feeling seen. As the poet behind the typewriter, I get the gift of these unexpected connections, and the experience of deepening my writing in surprising ways.”
The group is the brainchild of Brian Sonia-Wallace, who started writing for strangers a decade ago at a typewriter and now runs typewriter poetry company RENT Poet. “We write at a lot of straight weddings and corporate events,” Sonia-Wallace says, “so it’s been meaningful to bring this transformative practice back to my community.” Sonia-Wallace has just been announced as a 2024 Rainbow Key Awardee for this work by the City of West Hollywood, where he formerly served as Poet Laureate.
Sonia-Wallace isn’t the only Pride Poet to become a Poet Laureate, with founding members Carla Sameth (Altadena) and Jen Cheng (West Hollywood) receiving this title in the years since the group started and helping to change the narrative of poetry from an ivy tower eccentricity to a powerful tool for community organizing.
In addition to bringing together established writers, Pride Poets serves as an incubator for emerging LGBTQ+ talent, supporting participating poets in publishing, performing, and teaching. Beyond Pride, members have supported each other in writing and beyond, from appearing on a game show together to attending a gay rodeo.
Ironically, many Pride Poets say their experience writing poetry is what has brought them to Pride for the first time, or the first time in a long day. Poets are famously introverts, and Pride can be overwhelming. Equally ironically, many of the poets have embraced their identity as poets for the first time since starting this practice. Many have other writing careers as novelists, journalists, screenwriters. Even founding member Hank Henderson, who ran LGBTQ+ literary series Homocentric at Stories Cafe for ten years, marveled, “I wrote more poems in two days at Pride than I had in the two years before that.”
Pride Poets will be at Booth 135 on Santa Monica Blvd between Huntley and Westbourne 12-7pm, June 1 and 2.
Confirmed poets for 2024 include:
Priya Chatwani; Syd; Catherine Gewertz; Victor Yates; Jen Cheng; Jay Baldwin; Alexia Jasmene; Michael Narkunski; Timothy Nang; Tee; DW; Valerie, darling; José Rios; Jeffrey McCray; Jair Bula and Hank Henderson.
Pride Poets receives funding from the City of West Hollywood. Arts Coordinator Mike Che says, “It’s rare that governmental art funders get to see firsthand the emotional impact of the projects they help bring to life. Throughout the last five years I’ve been blessed to have seen countless tears, hugs, and genuine smiles as a direct result of the amazing work of Pride Poets.”
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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appea
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The preceding article was previously published by WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
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