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Dujuana Sharese
Dujuana Sharese, explosive spoken word artist and advocate for performance art, hails from
Chill Town, Jersey City, NJ. She is Founder of The Cypher Movement (theme slam),
VOM (visual open mic) and Sound Lounge (Featuring the Hottest underground bands with Musical Competitions).
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Lady Marisa Lady Marisa, Miss Gay New Jersey 2006, has been entertaining since 1996 and can be found throughout the Tri-State area performing for charity events, parties, special guest performances at various clubs as well as hosting her own shows. Her career gained notice after performing for several charity events in Asbury Park, NJ. What she didn’t know at that time was how those charities would benefit her future career in drag. This 5 foot 7 size 2 Capricorn also enjoys making some of her costumes, working with new music, hot dancers, working on her website and getting email. Marisa is noted for impersonating famous characters such as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Joan Rivers, Britney Spears, Annie Lenox, Lucille Ball and Cher. Not only does she drag, she is a "man" by day. As Anthony, he has a career in the computer industry as a technical guru and computer programmer. |
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LikeWize Broooklyn native DJ LikeWize has called Jersey City home for more than five years. He is currently a resident DJ at Jersey City’s LITM Lounge where he works the Friday night crowd into a frenzy with his high-energy combination of rock, new wave, hip hop and pop. DJ LikeWize considers it his duty as a DJ to push the envelope – he gets the best response when he plays music that won’t let you sit down or carry on a conversation. All you can do is dance! |
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Assemblyman Reed Gusciora Assemblyman Reed Gusciora will be delivering the Keynote Address at this year's Jersey City Pride Festival. Mr. Gusciora is the Vice Chair of both the Consumer Affairs and Judiciary Committees as well as serving on the Appropriations committee. Reed he was the author of the Marriage Equality legislation that was presented in October of last year and he is the only out LGBT member of the NJ State Assembly. |
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Mayor
Jerramiah T. Healy
Jerramiah T. Healy is a life-long resident, an advocate of Jersey City,
and a long time supporter for LGBT rights. At an early age, his Irish immigrant parents
taught him a strong work ethic and a sense of value, and moral integrity. These character
strengths have played an integral role in his persona in Jersey City throughout his years
as a husband, father, and public servant.
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County Executive Thomas A. DeGise County Executive Thomas A. DeGise took office in November, 2002.
Prior to his tenure as County Executive, Mr. DeGise was Jersey City's longest serving
Municipal Council President, holding that office from 1993 to 2001. Mr. DeGise entered
public life as a community leader during the 1980's, founding the New #28 School
Neighborhood Association and eventually chairing the Heights Coalition of Neighborhood
Associations (HCNA), a group dedicated to improving quality of life in city's Heights
Section.
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| Moment of Silence | |
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Rabbi Kenneth Brickman Rabbi Kenneth Brickman has been an ordained Rabbi for more than 25 years;
he has served as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth-EI in Jersey City for more than 17 years.
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| Entertainers | |
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Gina Fletcher - Singing the National Anthem Gina Fletcher’s sound is a unique fusion of gospel,
jazz and R&B that she calls “Music for the Soul” |
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AJA
Aja, with her extensive range of sounds - from dance tracks to tear jerker ballads - along with her
Puerto Rican roots, has the perfect base for one of a kind performance that can bring any crowd to
the pinnacle. Her voice has been compared to Tony Braxton, Whitney Houston and India, but her sound
is unique and truly original.
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Akil
Singer-songwriter and composer Akil works and resides in Paris and LA. He has collaborated with the likes of David Guetta, Roni Size, Duane Harden, Alexandre Auger, DJ Reverb (protégé of Peter Gabriel) and countless others. His singles “Everything You Need” and “Save My Soul” were top 10 European hits in early 2007. His huge vocals and charisma make for a show that is one part gyration, one part inspiration, one part sensation, and one part temptation. Audiences are sure to have fun and work themselves into a frenzy. |
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Brian Kent
Brian Kent is conquering the dance world.
Music samples: www.myspace.com/briankentmusic |
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Byanca LoveStorm Jersey City Pride is proud to introduce young, up and coming female illusionist Byanca LoveStorm. A native and lifelong resident of Jersey City, Byanca incorporates gospel, R&B and pop into her show-stopping performances. She has performed at various clubs, charity functions and many special events on the East Coast, and could not be happier to be part of the Jersey City Pride lineup! |
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Corey Andrew
Independent recording artist Corey Andrew, a Jersey City resident whose musical talent has been praised in
several publications including Next, HX, Gay City News and the Boston Globe now adds political activist to
his resume. An opponent of the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask – Don’t Tell” policy, Andrew recently gained
national notoriety upon releasing copies of a 3-day e-mail exchange exposing the homophobic and racist rants
that a U.S. Army recruiter released upon him when she learned he was openly gay and African-American.
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En Guard! En Guard!, New York’s First and Only LGBT Winter Guard, Color Guard and Twirling Corp. was the dream of Director Scott Redhead that has become reality with the assistance of Head Instructor Carl Kreft and Banner Instructor Christi De Larco. The mission of En Guard! is to bring together members of the LGBT community with prior winter guard, color guard or twirling experience with those who have a strong desire to learn these pageantry activities. To date the group has performed at the Heritage of Pride Parade in Manhattan, Queens Pride Parade, Brooklyn Pride Parade, AIDS Walk New York, Folsom Street East, and at the Harvey Milk LGBT High School. They have also done half-time shows for the Gotham Gay Volleyball Team, the Rambler’s Gay Soccer Team, and NYC’s Gay Football and Basketball teams. En Guard! is looking forward to entering into competitive winter guard shows in the greater NYC area in the upcoming 2007-2008 winter guard season. |
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Miss Angelina and the Jersey Girls
Who's that new chick that Dame Dash, Q-Tip and Slick
Rick are all listening to? Miss Angelina, The Sassy Lady Rapper, servin’ up
a fresh dish of new wave Hip Hop with that old school flava! Her irresistible
music includes the sounds of Latin, Bollywood, Arabic, Reggae, Hip Hop, and
Electronic fused together to make hit songs you can't help but groove to.
Her charismatic live show is what truly sets her apart from the others. Along
with her sultry back-up singers and dancers, The Jersey Girls, she tantalizes
crowds everywhere with her vivacious stage presence and killer style. |
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J Dymond$
In many ways the ideal East Coast Lesbian rapper, J Dymond$ has endured substantial obstacles
throughout her young yet remarkably dramatic life. The product of a broken home in Jersey City
Heights, J Dymond$ turned a negative path into a positive one, giving people that can identify
with her a new way out.
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Jason Walker
At the age of 24, Jason Walker left his native Pittsburgh for New York to break into the dance
music scene, but met many obstacles along the way. The industry simply didn't know how to
market a skinny white boy with the pipes and personality of a full-figured soul sister.
But when Walker was taken under the wing of famed record producer Junior Vasquez, people
began to take notice.
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Nekked NEKKED is JC and Sinn - songwriters and performers by trade, boyfriends in life. JC and Sinn left their day jobs last year to concentrate on their music. NEKKED is currently performing around the country - recently they've been heard at Eagle Bar New York, CBGB's in New York, and The Eagle in Nashville, Tennessee. NEKKED recently combined forces with the acclaimed string quartet "Ethel" in a New York City concert at the World Financial Center. In 2007 NEKKED won the GayVN award for "Best Music 2006," for music written for "Michael Lucas' La Dolce Vita." NEKKED's new CD "A Barrier of Skin," and their dance remix single "Breathe," are available on iTunes, CDBaby.com, and on their website, www.nekked.net |
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Parlour Productions Parlour Productions
is a totally volunteer experimental theatre company performing to benefit
local Jersey City organizations. |
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Sister Funk For the past 6 years, Sister Funk, one of the
nation’s hottest, all-female bands has been headlining PRIDE
events, music festivals & concert arenas performing songs off their
3 independent, original CDs. With a sound & style best described
as commercial pop/rock, Sister Funk has been compared to artists
like The Pussy Cat Dolls, Scissor Sisters and Maroon. CURVE Magazine
(Jan. 2007) describes Sister Funk as “provocative, high energy,
and entertaining, these women put on a hot show”. According
to Conch Key West Chronicle (Sept. 2006), “Sister Funk, this
incredible female group, absolutely stunned hundreds of concert-goers
on Duval St., proving themselves not only the hottest girl group
to hit the Southernmost City but impressed even seasoned rockaholics”. |
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Tomas
A recording artist, music producer, choreographer and actor, Tomas has been doing his thing
for some time. As the president and founder of Tomasian Ent!, an Internet-based entertainment
company located on the web at www.tomasianent.com, this long-time Jersey City resident not
only promotes his own work but also helps to showcase the work of other LGBT and LGBT-friendly
artists through track remixing, choreography and the te! OUTLOUD Series highlighting the music
of LGBT musicians.
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Virago Virago is Amy Schindler and Maire Tashjian, an original, high-energy
acoustic guitar and percussion duet. The core of their music is rock that pulsates with
undercurrents ranging from American blues to Afro-Brazilian samba. They keep their audience
entertained by interacting with them as they play an array of different styles.
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Hudson Pride Connections' YouthConnect Hudson Pride Connections (HPC) is the only community-based
501(c) (3) organization in Hudson County, NJ that provides targeted
social services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)
residents of Northeastern NJ with unique and dynamic services
to bridge the gap for the underserved lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
communities and all people living with HIV. HPC was founded in 1993
to provide supportive social services, prevention, outreach, advocacy
and development training for other service providers to educate, empower,
and unite all of our communities.
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Check back soon for updates to this year's Entertainment Line Up For performance information contact: Michael Dzenis, Entertainment Coordinator at: entertainment@jclgo.org For
media information contact: Jim DeAngelis, Media Coordinator at: media@jclgo.org
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