For the first time in Tucson’s history, Latino Pride lit up the MSA Annex on Saturday, giving an often underrepresented community the opportunity to shine.

The celebration brought together LGBTQ+ Latinos, allies and community members for a day filled with music, culture and connection.

Tucson drag performers paid tribute to iconic Latino music artists like Jenni Rivera and Selena Quintanilla, with the stage also featuring high-energy performances from Dev and La Sonora Dinamita, a Colombian cumbia band.

DJ Shorty, resident DJ at local LGBTQ bar IBT’s, also performed at the event after playing at last year’s Latino Pride celebration in Phoenix.

DJ Shorty got his start more than 20 years ago, spinning tracks at Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness, a popular queer nightclub in Tucson that closed in 2011.

“There’s such a large Latino community but they don’t really have anything that’s catered towards them,” he said. “When I get the opportunity to play music that they like and they’re familiar with, I try my best to put into it as much as I can to make sure everyone’s enjoying it.”

Steve Gallardo, a volunteer with the Maricopa County-based Latino Pride Alliance, helped plan and execute the event.

“We anticipate this will be the largest gathering of Latino LGBTQ+ individuals in Tucson at one time,” Gallardo said. “We’re so excited.”

While the event was geared toward Latinos, Gallardo emphasized that it was also meant to be a celebration for the entire community.

“We’re celebrating the Latino community and the LGBTQ community, but of course we want everyone to enjoy it," he said.

Latino Pride Alliance works closely with groups including Gay-Straight Alliance organizations on school campuses to provide help and resources to LGBTQ+ Latinos across the state.

He said that young Latinos often struggle to find accessible, culturally competent support.

“The purpose of the organization was to help them address whatever social or economic challenges they may have,” he said. “There are so many programs and services that are offered by the state, the country and the city that many of them don’t know about.”

Representatives from outreach organizations, including the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and the Pima County Health Department, were on site to provide information about resources available to the community.

“If someone is in a domestic violence situation or has a health care issue, we’re hoping that they pick up a business card or pamphlet at the event and make a call,” Gallardo said.

Attendee and Tucson native Yvonne Arviso said she had never experienced anything like the event before.

“I’ve been to a lot of gay pride events and I felt like I was part of (them,) but I also felt a disconnect. You don’t see as many brown people,” Arviso said. “I feel like now I’m being seen and we all see each other on the same level.”

Lisa Orozco, another attendee, shared similar sentiments.

“To have our music, our food, our people at this event makes us feel part of the gay culture that is normally very Americanized,” Orozco said.

She said that in her experience, being gay was a taboo subject in Latino culture, and growing up, there weren’t widely used or affirming Spanish words to describe LGBTQ+ identities.

“People made up their own words,” she said. “I’m very grateful to have this event and I hope it continues to grow here and in every small town and city in Arizona.”

Gallardo said he hopes to make it an annual event in Tucson and host Latino Pride events in cities like Flagstaff and Yuma.

He said events like these are especially necessary in today’s political climate.

“Right now, diversity, inclusion, equity has been attacked … we should be continuing to promote this type of environment in our communities and in our neighborhoods,” he said. “At the end of the day, I’m hoping people walk away feeling included, feeling loved and definitely feeling respected.”

Isabela Gamez is a University of Arizona alum and Tucson Spotlight reporter. Contact her at gamezi@arizona.edu.

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