In partnership with METAPRIDE LAND and Mastercard, Decentraland kicks off Pride Month with a series of virtual events, parties and headlining performances, including international music icon Thalia and Pussy Riot’s UnicornDAO.
The Decentraland metaverse today announced the launch of the first permanent Web3-powered digital space for the global LGBTQIA+ community.
Decentraland will host Metaverse Pride, a month-long celebration featuring curated content, entertainment from international music icons and experiences to celebrate and amplify the voices of this community.
Metaverse Pride will be presented in partnership with METAPRIDE LAND, Mastercard and Teleperformance.
“It’s an honor to get to build the future of the Internet with Decentraland, but with it comes the tremendous responsibility to ensure we are building a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for everyone, everywhere,” says Iara Dias, Director of Metaverse Pride at Decentraland. “We’re thrilled to kick off Pride Month by showing that, yes, even in the metaverse LGTBQIA+ people exist, we’re here, and we’re all part of the Web3 revolution.”
Metaverse Pride is a testament to Decentraland’s commitment to creating an inclusive and open metaverse. As our world reopens and welcomes the opportunity to reconnect with others at in-person events, Metaverse Pride will be a welcoming space for those in places where Pride celebrations are not accessible.
Pride is a worldwide celebration, but 69 countries currently criminalize sexual and gender minorities. Decentraland prides itself on being a safe, welcoming and accessible space for members and supporters of the global LGTBQIA+ community to connect, celebrate and build the future of the metaverse.
Metaverse Pride Parade
The Metaverse Pride Parade will begin on June 11 at 21:00 UTC, followed by performances on stage in the parade area.
It will be live 24 hours a day from that time until the end of June, allowing new visitors the chance to witness the celebration whenever they visit Decentraland:
- Pop superstar Thalia will have her own brand new float during the parade and will be joined by other blockchain projects such as Immersive Kind, Known Origin and others.
- Fashion brand Original Penguin has created a physical Pride collection to support the AllOut organization, and is bringing its digital cufflinks for Decentraland users throughout Pride month.
- HUG, Web3’s friendliest community of creators and collectors, presents a huggable Glitter Robot, which is a nod to its mission to level the playing field in Web3 and build inclusiverse.
- The Web3 community, MyBFF, will feature community-designed floats that will dazzle the senses. Started by more than 100 leaders from different sectors, BFF is an open access community with a mission to help women and non-binary people get educated, connected and empowered on Web3. BFF is proud to include its colorful Zeppelin float in the parade.
- Other Web3 communities, such as UnicornDAO and QueerCapita, feature designs made to reflect the diversity of the digital design space.
Musical performances
Metaverse Pride will feature a wide range of musical performances and experiences throughout the month, including:
- Multi-award-winning international artist Thalia will headline the first weekend of Metaverse Pride, where she will perform four of her most iconic songs, “Arrasando,” “Piel Morena,” “Amor a la Mexicana” and “A Quién le Importa.” After the performance, three Thalia wearables will be launched and one will be given to each person attending the parade. In addition, a 6-minute medley of Thalia’s performance on Ellas y Su Música will be played at the Virtual Stage Concert.
- Puma Camillê, a black-indigenous queer Brazilian capoeira dancer, will perform his signature vogue-capoeira fusion dance.
- Non-binary tango musician and activist FIFI will premiere a special performance during the Metaverse Pride Parade.
Additional surprise celebrity music and entertainment experiences will be announced throughout Metaverse Pride.
METAPRIDE LAND will host a sister Pride festival during New York Pride as well as Decentralandia. Jake Resnicow and Matt Stevenson have partnered to bring the festival to a global audience and ensure that LGBTQIA+ people around the world can celebrate Pride from the safety of their homes.
Performances by Galantis, Above & Beyond, Aquaria, Gottmik, Violet Chachki, SG Lewis, Spencer Brown, LP Giobbi, Ty Sunderland and more than 20 other artists and performers will be streamed live on Decentraland. The live event will take place at Avant Gardner in Brooklyn, NY on June 25.
“Jake and I are thrilled to present METAPRIDE LAND, the first truly hybrid pride festival,” says Matt Stevenson. “
Taking place in real life and in the metaverse, people from around the world will be able to come together to live out loud, celebrate our unique differences and elevate our love as a powerful community.”
Mastercard Pride Plaza
The Mastercard Pride Plaza will include candid conversations with LGBTQIA+ thought leaders, an exhibit of unique NFT wearables from LGBTQIA+ artists, and the opportunity to engage and connect with other community members in a space where attendees are encouraged to be their true selves.
Throughout the month, Mastercard Pride Plaza will host ongoing events and activities, including the opportunity to see letters to the younger crowd, take a real selfie on one of three unique Parade floats, and ride in style through the flying cannons.
“As the gap between the physical and virtual world narrows, now is the time for brands, communities and individuals to step up and ensure that we are creating inclusive, diverse and accepting spaces for everyone, regardless of where they are,” said Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard. “As a proud and long-time supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, Mastercard is thrilled to collaborate in building an experience in the virtual realm where people can be their true selves – there is nothing more priceless.”
NFT panel discussions and galleries
Not to be missed is the Pride Panel Series, which will consist of panel discussions with media celebrities and queer icons hosted by curators at numerous Decentraland locations.
“Bringing Pride Month into the metaverse is an opportunity to open up localized LGBTQIA+ narratives to a global and decentralized audience. Through Decentraland’s roundtables, we are excited to explore topics relevant to all colors of the rainbow LGBTQ Flags, highlighting LGBTQIA+ voices often marginalized in the Web3 space, creating a space for trans and NB communities, BIPOC communities, and even collaborating with CyberBaat to create a roundtable highlighting queer artists working and living in Africa,” said David Cash, curator, Decentraland Foundation.
On June 5, Cash Labs Gallery will host the first of several exhibitions throughout the month highlighting the work of Mike Ruiz, queer icon and celebrity photographer, and his latest NFT collection “Leathermen.”
On June 11, Cash Labs will launch a gallery takeover by UnicornDAO, which raised $4.5 million to purchase artwork by female-identified, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ women, featuring some of the hottest Queer talent on the Web3, including Pussy Riot themselves.
On June 28, Cash Labs will launch another gallery takeover exhibition that will put the spotlight on Vogue culture in collaboration with the Disruptive Eves NFT project.