Hey fam,I’ve always considered myself not to be the “Vegas type”: 1. I don’t and won’t gamble, 2. I find that bright lights and flair induce headaches, and 3. the whole what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas “mantra” is challenging when you are a blogger and non-fiction writer who has made a creative living as a “truth teller”. But I’m gonna do it… Paris in Vegas… and I’m VERY excited about being there.The prospect of a LGBT family-friendly grown-folk PRIDE for people of color and allies is something that has been sorely lacking over the past few years in the Black Pride circuit. I used to love DC PRIDES in the 90s. We were visibly a community at Banneker Field. Few in the Nation’s capitol that weekend (except for Black Pride apologist, Wale) could deny our presence right there in the heart of DC’s historical Shaw district: U Street, Howard University, all the sights, sounds, and smells familiar to people of the African diaspora. And many of us will be there in Vegas, in full color– a rainbow color a bold adinkra symbol mirroring our pride in our cultural heritage and same gender loving-ness. :-)  We arrive to ARISE.I’ve been through Vegas tons of times on layovers to Cali, and even spent a day or two there with a dear friend, Troy, who had just relocated to Vegas from Oakland back in 2003 or 2004 (I forget which year, actually). He lived in a Vegas neighborhood, not off the strip. I didn’t even see the strip. I didn’t so much mind actually. Good R&R with a great friend grounded my (perhaps) unorthodox experience of  Las Vegas. It was what i needed back then, exhausted from a life trying to balance being a Hip Hop iconoclast and a professional existence as an educator and Youth Advocate.This time I’ll be performing an exciting set of music I’ve created over the years, mixed in with a little Spoken Word/poetry. I’ll also be catching up to friends, new and old, among them a few I have not yet met in person, though we’ve been friends for some time in social networking circles. I’ll also be having fun.If in Vegas, or close (Californians have no excuse, really), please consider coming to support Glenn Alexander and MacArthur Flournoy’s vision. I’ll be there, with a smile and a big hug. I’ll be joined by a dear and special friend SkudR, who will be helping me with background vocals on sets…and enjoying the weekend. We gotta show ya’ll how we do things in TEXAS.In love and light…Tim’m