The festival will celebrate transgender culture and raise funds for leading transgender health programs.
The first annual TransNation festival has been announced by St. John’s Well Child and Family Center. The center created one of the largest transgender health programs in the United States.
The three day festival is a celebration of transgender artistic and cultural achievements. It will include a film festival, benefit art exhibition and beauty pageant in in LA.
Beginning on October 20, 2016, TransNation Festival is an unprecedented national convergence of politicians, entertainers, trans* activists, and advocates in support of transgender health and human rights.
Jim Mangia, CEO at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center said, “We are excited about the announcement of TransNation—a festival created by our transgender staff—to celebrate transgender culture and shed light on the barriers this community faces with the hope that stakeholders will begin to better understand this community and make changes to empower them to thrive.”
The festival will kick off with a two-day film festival. It will showcase the best in new and repertory trans* related cinema with filmmakers and special guests in attendance.
TransNation will continue on Saturday by launching the 15th annual Queen USA national transgender beauty pageant at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel in downtown LA.
Produced by pioneering transgender activist Karina Samala, this pageant is a long beloved mainstay of the local community.
With the support of St. John’s Well Child and Family Center, this year’s Queen USA will expand its reach to become a national transgender pageant, selecting contestants across all fifty states as well as the Native American Nations.
Queen USA explores and redefines traditional notions of beauty and will feature an unforgettable night of entertainment with national contestants, live performances, celebrity hosts and judges. Pageant winners will receive significant cash prizes and special awards honoring contemporary trans* pioneers and advocates.
Applications for Queen USA contestants are now open and will close after 11:59PM on September 7, 2016.
Click here for more information and to apply.