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Thank you @cbsla and @laurenpozen for coming to speak to the community 🩷 
Now, we all know ya girl loves her news and always has something to say 🎤 Soundbite expansion…BUCKLE UP 🗣️

Some people are calling this year’s LB Pride a shitshow due to the epic failure of the LB Pride Organization’s ability to secure the proper permits and pay the proper fees thereby not allowing the festival (and only the festival) to take place at literally the last minute. And then to have the audacity to place the blame on the City…while providing zero receipts. Zero transparency. GIRL! So embarrassing. 
BUT HEAR ME OUT…plenty of us know that our festival has been stale, at best, for several years now and we have DESPERATELY NEEDED TO CHANGE THINGS UP. 
Big changes rarely come from doing things because “that’s how they’ve always been done”. Big changes oftentimes come out of chaos.
I truly believe the Organization’s disorganization is a blessing in disguise. As Josh Beadel, owner of @breakfastbarlbc and @theharelb, said, “lemonade out of lemons”. Something our community knows how to do well. 

We don’t need the festival we’ve always had. This year was proof of that!
The City came through. @councilwomancindyallen came through. @jewelslongbeach came through. And an event with vendors and drag performers was instantly put together in Bixby Park. 
The @biggaypicnic on The Bluffs was packed in the gayest and most gorgeous way. Local businesses and bars were a hustle bustle of queer support from morning until night. Money went into the pockets of the community, not corporate bullshit. Broadway/The Gayborhood was good vibes central. And of course, OUR PARADE WAS PARADING!

It can’t be just me who thinks Pride 2026 felt more authentic and more community centered than it has in quite some time. 
IMO, this is the beginning of a new way of doing LB Pride weekend! 
Soooo thank you, LB Pride Organization, for fucking shit up! Now kindly dismantle yourselves and step aside. But not before refunding allll the people because WHERE IS THAT MONEY?! 

If you’ve read this far, I want to assure you that neither CHAT GPT nor AI were used to make this post 💅
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