May 10, WEST HOLLYWOOD – This week, the Board of Directors of Christopher Street West (CSW), the 501(c)3 non-profit that produces the annual LA Pride Festival and Parade, unanimously elected Estevan Montemayor as the next CSW Board President, effective immediately. This leadership change comes on the heels of the recent announcement that Madonna Cacciatore will become the organization’s first full-time Executive Director in more than a decade. Her tenure will begin on July 1, 2018.

“Thanks to Chris Classen’s leadership over the past three years and the incredible work done by the all-volunteer CSW Board of Directors, this LA Pride Week 2018 – including the annual LA Pride Festival and Parade – is on track to be one of the most successful in decades,” said Estevan Montemayor, CSW Board President. “I look forward to working with Madonna and the entire Board to continue evolving our organization, create new and engaging programming, and grow our fundraising efforts while still being inclusive, transparent, and representative of our community in everything we do. That is at the heart of our mission.”

CSW’s mission is to create safe and inclusive spaces for self-expression, inspire an authentic sense of activism in the continued fight for equality, and celebrate the unique heritage and diverse cultures of Los Angeles’ LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

This year’s pre-Pride ticket sales are stronger than ever, thanks in part to the diverse array of artists, including two popular female headliners as well as a number of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender performers across all of the LA Pride Festival’s three stages. Corporate sponsorship revenue for the 2018 LA Pride Festival has already exceeded the prior year – and is on-track to reach a new all-time high for the organization. Revenue from the LA Pride Festival and Parade will be used to create new programs and events that aim to further CSW’s mission. The organization’s annual tax returns are published on the LA Pride website as they are made available. Following the 2018 LA Pride Festival and Parade, Montemayor and Cacciatore will lead an effort to engage community members and leaders in a review of CSW’s programming, vendor relationships, and operations.

Montemayor succeeds former Board President Chris Classen, who stepped down from his role of President after three years of service. Classen will remain on the CSW Board to transition his duties and share institutional knowledge with both Montemayor and Cacciatore.

Montemayor joined the CSW Board in October 2017 as part of a new class of 8 Board members. He is currently the Director of Communications and External Affairs for Los Angeles Councilmember David Ryu, representing Council District 4. He has served in senior management positions for numerous political and advocacy campaigns. From 2015-2017, he served as a member of the Public Safety Commission in the City of West Hollywood, where he’s also lived for the past six years. In addition, he worked on the communications and research team for the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), the sole sponsor of the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8. He currently serves as a Delegate to the California Democratic Party. A native of San Diego, Estevan graduated with a B.A. in Theater from UCLA.

To purchase tickets to for this year’s LA Pride Festival, LGBT Night at Universal Studios, or LGBT Night at the LA Dodgers or to register to walk in the annual LA Pride Parade, please visit lapride.org. To stay up-to-date on all things LA Pride, follow @lapride or #JUSTBE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About Christopher Street West (CSW) & LA Pride

Christopher Street West (CSW), a 501(c)3 non-profit, organized the world’s first permitted parade advocating for gay rights on June 28, 1970, as a response to and in commemoration of the Stonewall Rebellion on Christopher Street in New York City the year prior. Since then, we have built a rich history as an active voice for the LGBTQ+ community across the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Today, we continue to produce the globally-recognized LA Pride Parade and Festival every June in the City of West Hollywood. We also organize a number of events throughout the year with our non-profit, philanthropic, community, and corporate partners. Visit lapride.org for more information.

Media Contacts

Elsa Remak
CK&D Public Relations
[email protected]

Brian Rosman
CSW Board Member
[email protected]

All requests for media credentials for the LA Pride Festival and the LA Pride Parade must be sent to [email protected] no later than Monday, June 4, 2018. Please note that we receive a large number of requests each year. Unfortunately, we cannot fulfill all requests – even though we’d love to be able to!

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