A historical archive of events for which the incomparable Rayceen Pendarvis - "Goddess of DC" - has either hosted or participated in some other capacity.
IN A HURRY.....ENTER A NAME, EVENT, ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER SEARCH QUERY INTO THE BOX BELOW AND CLICK "SEARCH."
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to be the opening speaker at Brave Soul Collective Presents: "EXPOSURE". Founded by spoken word artists Monte J. Wolfe, Erik Chambers, and Tim'm T. West, Brave Soul Collective is an arts organization that focuses on HIV/AIDS outreach through the performing and literary arts.
The show aimed to deliver Brave Soul Collective's signature brand of thought-provoking theater, in honor of "I Will Be Heard" National Day of Action, and National HIV Testing Day.
Pendarvis was followed on stage by several artists including Monte J. Wolfe, Jared Shamberger, and others. The evening ended with light refreshments and a lively Q&A exchange among the cast, artists involved with the production, and the audience.
The event was presented by Brave Soul Collective in partnership with The Counter Narrative Project and Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc. The festivities were held at The Fridge in Washington, DC. Click below to view a collection of images.
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to give a workshop presentation at the Mayor's Sixth Annual Senior Symposium. The event was themed “Enrich, Empower, Engage,” and Pendarvis did just that with an informative presentation titled “Ask Rayceen: Everything You Want to Know About LGBTQ, But Are Afraid to Ask”.
Mayor Muriel Bowser greeted nearly 900 attendees at the free event, which featured dynamic speakers, educational workshops, health screenings, senior resources and additional information from over 80 exhibitors.
Pendarvis was also commissioned to host the event's lunchtime entertainment program which featured classical violinist Roy Hill, singer Quineice, and dancer Faericka.
The symposium also featured additional guest speakers including Dr. Patricia Davidson, who spoke on “Matters of the Heart,” and Rawle Andrews, Jr., Regional Vice President with AARP, who shared “Reclaiming Your Inner David: Finding Purpose and Promise in a World of Goliaths.”
Most of the entertainment portion was presented by Team Rayceen and others, with the remainder of the event being presented by the D.C. Office on Aging.
All of the festivities were held at Ballou Senior High School in Washington, DC.
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to host Reel Affirmations XTRA Presents: KIKI. Writer/Director Sara Jordenö's documentary focused on seven characters from the Kiki community over the course of four years, using their preparations and spectacular performances at events known as Kiki Balls as the backdrop.
The film also delves into their battles with homelessness, illness and prejudice as well as their gains towards political influence and the conquering of affirming gender-expressions.
In KIKI, we meet Twiggy Pucci Garçon (pictured above - right), the founder and gatekeeper for the Haus of Pucci. We also meet Chi Chi, Gia, Chris, Divo, Symba and Zariya. Each of these remarkable young people represents a unique and powerful personal story, illuminating the Kiki scene for LGBTQ youth-of-color.
The PRIDE film screening also featured a Q&A session with Writer/Director Sara Jordenö and one other guest, which was moderated by Rayceen Pendarvis.
Reel Affirmations - Washington DC’s International LGBT Film Festival - is one of the largest LGBT film festivals (in terms of attendance) in the United States. Each month the organization consistently offers new and exciting international, documentary, short, and feature films, as well as panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As, and various celebrations.
The Trevor Project served as the community sponsor for the screening which was held at the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. Click below to view a collection of images.
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to be a special guest during the QT Night of Healing & Resistance. Host for the evening, Monroe, was joined by Lourdes Ashley Hunter, who served as the event's curator.
The show featured several participants, including songstress Aurora Antonia Lloyd, multi-talented artist Kisha “DejaVu” Allure, social advocate Shareese Carmella Mone, and writer Francisco-Luis White. The event aimed to support the No Justice No Pride movement while also honoring the work of trans women of color. Curator for the evening, Lourdes Ashley Hunter, stated “Our space honored ancestor, land and the heritage of so many who have given their lives for so many of us to be visible today... Trans women of color, queer folk, artists, activists, cooks, fat, Black, disabled, seniors, youth... ALL OF US!”
The show was organized as a fundraiser and successfully managed to raise over 5,000 dollars, which was designated to support the work of Trans Women of Color Collective.
The event was presented by Resist This and Trans Women of Color Collective and held at The Festival Center in Washington, DC.
Click below to view a collection of images.
Click below to view a mini-documentary created by ThinkProgress which features highlights from the event.
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to co-host the Masquerade Benefit Reception for Non-Profit Empowerment Enterprise II, Inc. The event served as the welcome reception for the 2017 Inclusive Church Conference and was co-sponsored by Rev. Dr. Aaron B. Jones-Wade and The Community Church of Washington, DC.
The reception was organized as a fundraiser for the Non-Profit Empowerment Enterprise II Summer Youth Program and featured a silent auction of paintings by local artists, lite hors d'oeuvres, libations, a live band, special entertainment, photos, and much more.
Although originally scheduled to be held at the Human Rights Campaign Building, just prior to the event, the reception was relocated to The Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters in Washington, DC.
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to co-host the Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo, and was joined by comedian Anthony Oaks. The event is considered Washington's leading wedding expo for same-gender loving couples and their allies.
Attendees experienced a one stop shop for planning a beautiful wedding, with over two dozen of the area's best LGBT-affirming wedding vendors. The expo also featured informative workshops with topics relevant to the LGBT community as well as over $5,000 in prizes and giveaways.
The expo allowed attendees to stay informed of the latest wedding trends, while also experiencing the camaraderie of hundreds of other like-minded LGBT couples and their families.
The event was held at The American Institute of Architects National Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Rayceen Pendarvis was invited to host Story District – Out/Spoken: Queer, Questioning, Bold and Proud True Stories Through an LGBT Lens.
Story District is a monthly storytelling series held at various venues within Washington, DC. The program is one of the most well-known and respected storytelling organizations in the nation. In fact, Story District was named the “gold standard” in storytelling by the Washington Post. The organization was also nominated for the 2012 DC Mayor's Arts Awards for Innovation in the Arts.
Story District's mission is to turn good stories into great performances, to be a platform for diverse perspectives, and to serve as a pipeline and training ground for new voices and talent in storytelling.
The event marked the sixth annual Pride show and was held at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. Click below to view a collection of images.
