Persad Festival: Performing for a cause

A group of people, including a woman pushing a stroller and a child on a scooter, walk through a festival location with green tents in the background. — [Courtesy of Persad Center] Over 400 people gathered in the Persad Center parking lot for Persad Festival. The event had numerous performers including Drag Queens, singers, dancers and workout instructors.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi | a&e editor

“Persad you look beautiful! Do I look beautiful?”

Warren Munroe, dressed in an all gold jumpsuit and fur coat, spun around the stage, whipping their honey blonde hair around. The Drag Queen wasn’t just performing, they were celebrating and bringing together the LGBTQ+ community.

The Persad Center is a local human organization service, dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ community and people with HIV/AIDS. Last weekend ,the organization hosted Persad Festival in the center’s parking lot. With just under 400 attendees, the goal of Persad Festival was to bring people together to highlight community resources and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

When Munroe was invited to perform at the event, they graciously accepted the offer.

“I love celebrating community events. I love celebrating the community in any way I can. It feels like family,” they said.

Munroe’s mother was an opera singer, so music runs in their blood, they said. The performer’s goal for the event was to excite the crowd, and from the applause and cheers it seems like they accomplished that.

“I want to make them move a little bit, make them feel something,” they said. “Especially in light of everything that’s going on in America right now. I wanted it to feel like a cookout.”

As the set continued, Munroe took off their coat and tan cowboy hat, which was previously protecting them from the light drizzle. They then jumped off the stage in an effort to get closer to the crowd.

All of the songs Munroe played were from Beyonce’s “Act II: Cowboy Carter” album. The set list was a mix of slower songs such as “BLACKBIIRD” as well as upbeat songs like “JOLENE”.

“You all look so beautiful, thank you for being here, give yourself a round of applause,” Munroe told the audience at the end of their set.

Founded in 1972, Persad Center aids the LGBTQ+ community in numerous ways. They provide outreach by connecting those in the community with personalized resources. Through education and harm-reduction it helps prevent sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, depression and other risks that are prevalent among the LGBTQ+ community.

A crowd gathered at the Persad Festival in a parking lot, visiting various vendor booths under white tents. People engage with vendors and participate in activities, with colorful displays and promotional materials visible. — [Courtesy of Persad Center] Numerous vendors were present at the event. Many booths were offering free merchandise and information packets on the cause.

In addition, Persad offers training services to help organizations work with LGBTQ+ customers and employees. With 20 licensed therapists, they provide professional and affordable counseling. More than 40% of their clients use Medicare.

Liz McBride, a former Persad therapist and Duquesne alumnus, wasn’t there to work, but to perform. McBride worked at Persad from 2018 until the end of last summer. She has a passion for working in the clinical mental health sphere, but also a passion for music. The singer and songwriter has been playing guitar since the age of 8. The musician has a particular love for 70s folk music, playing Jim Croce at the event.

“If I wasn’t doing therapy, I think I would be a YouTuber of some type or doing something with music,” she said.

Although she moved into private practice, Persad will always have a special place in the Duquesne alumna’s heart.

“When they asked me to perform I jumped at the opportunity. Today feels like a homecoming,” McBride said.

The festival didn’t just have continuous live music. It also hosted big name vendors such as Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Attendees could get small tattoos inside, shop thrifted clothes, let their creative side take hold by drawing with sidewalk chalk or just mingle with friends and enjoy barbecue style food.

Everything was entirely free. Marty Healey, Persad CEO and Duquesne alumnus, said that the decision to keep the event free to the public wasn’t difficult to come to.

“When the majority of your clients are in the Medicaid world, you realize any cost is prohibitive,” Healey said. “It was never really a question as to whether it would be free or not.”

Accessibility and acceptance is what Persad Center was built on, so when it came to organizing the event; those same ideals were at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

“We wanted an event that has no barriers for people to come and enjoy themselves,” Healey said.

Charlotte Shields-Rossi can be reached at shieldsrossic@duq.edu