Nation's Leading LGBTQ+ Media Firm Named Official Media Sponsor of the World's First Trans Laureate Program
Partnership unites equalpride’s family of brands with a groundbreaking initiative that uplifts transgender artists through civic engagement and community storytelling
Rochester, NY | New York, NY | July 17, 2025 — The Kingdom of Navassa announced today that equalpride, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ media company and publisher of Out, The Advocate, PRIDE, and more, will serve as the exclusive media sponsor for the Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program. The collaboration will amplify the voices and creative works of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive artists across equalpride’s unmatched portfolio of print, digital, social, and event platforms.
“From the Harlem Renaissance to the ballroom scene and beyond, trans brilliance has always shaped culture,” said Marie-Adélina de la Ferrière, founder of the Trans Laureate Program and the Kingdom of Navassa. “Partnering with equalpride, whose brands have chronicled LGBTQ+ history for decades, ensures our laureates’ stories reach the widest possible audience. Together, we are turning visibility into tangible opportunity.”
Under the sponsorship, equalpride will:
Provide editorial coverage of the Laureate’s journey—including profiles and multimedia spotlights—across Out and The Advocate.
Produce an exclusive interview timed to the inaugural Laureate’s public debut.
Amplify program to more than a million monthly readers and followers across equalpride’s family of brands.
“Equalpride was founded on the belief that authentic queer storytelling changes hearts, minds, and policy,” said Mark Berryhill, CEO of equalpride. “The Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program embodies that mission by centering trans artists as cultural ambassadors. We’re honored to lend our platforms—and our megaphone—to this visionary initiative.”
The Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program is made possible by a generous grant from the Trillium Health Foundation and amplified by equalpride, official media sponsor. Additional funding is made possible by the support of family & friends of the Kingdom of Navassa, and contributions from individuals to the Trans Laureate Fund.
About the Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program
Launched in 2025, the Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program selects one transgender, nonbinary, or gender-expansive artist each year to serve a 12-month term as cultural envoy. Backed by an honorarium and programming fund, the Laureate creates public artworks, leads workshops, or documents community narratives, demonstrating the transformative power of art in advancing justice.
About equalpride
equalpride is the largest LGBTQ+ media company in the United States, reaching millions through iconic brands including Out, The Advocate, PRIDE, Out Traveler, and Advocate Originals. Through award-winning journalism, live experiences, and deep community engagement, equalpride elevates queer voices and drives cultural change.
About the Kingdom of Navassa
Established in 2017, the Kingdom of Navassa is a visionary micronation that has maintained a royal mission to create, advocate, and support initiatives that empower and uplift communities. From its Crown Sirène Coffee and Flower City Queens drag calendar to the world’s first Trans Laureate Program, Navassa channels bold ideas into real-world impact, proving that small groups can stir tide-worthy change.
Condolences to the Victims of the Texas Floods
The Kingdom of Navassa extends its deepest sympathy to the residents of the State of Texas who have been so grievously affected by the catastrophic flash floods that swept through the Hill Country and wider central-Texas region.
We stand in sorrow with the families who mourn, with the first responders and volunteers engaged in search-and-rescue operations, and with all communities now grappling with loss, displacement, and uncertainty. We commend the courage of the emergency services and the steadfast spirit of neighbours helping neighbours in this hour of trial.
We invite all Navassians, and all people of goodwill, to hold the affected communities close in thought and prayer, and, where possible, to channel support to reputable relief organisations working on the ground.
May comfort find the bereaved, healing reach the injured, and resilience guide the rebuilding that lies ahead.
Statement on the Passage of the U.S. Budget Bill
The Kingdom of Navassa has undertaken a rapid assessment of the newly-passed “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Our preliminary analysis makes plain what many on the ground already feel: an alarming spectrum of communities—immigrant families, queer and trans people, religious minorities, working-class neighborhoods, and rural collectives alike—now face heightened social and economic burden.
Yet the darker the policy landscape grows, the brighter our obligation to one another becomes. No law or statute, however sweeping, can extinguish the power of solidarity forged across color, culture, or creed.
We therefore:
1. Call upon local and international partners to redouble mutual-aid networks that address food security, housing stability, and legal defense.
2. Urge faith and cultural institutions to keep their doors open as safe harbors for those newly targeted.
3. Invite every resident and ally to turn compassion into concrete action, whether by volunteering time, sharing resources, or amplifying marginalized voices.
History teaches that communities who stand together write their own future. Let us write one defined not by the fear this bill intends to sow, but by the collective courage with which we sow justice.
A Groundbreaking Transgender Laureate Program Launches this Pride Month
The first-of-its-kind initiative will name an annual transgender cultural ambassador empowered by an honorarium and community program fund.
NOTE: The original announcement mentioned candidates must be at least 21 or older; we have since updated the age requirement to at least 18 years of age or older.
Rochester, NY | June 16, 2025 — The Kingdom of Navassa (Navassa) today unveiled the Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program. This pioneering platform uplifts transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive individuals through civic engagement, artistic expression, and community storytelling.
Named for a local trans woman, community activist, and ballroom advocate, Bernadine Casseus, the program arrives amid escalating anti-trans rhetoric to "place trans brilliance center-stage," said founder Marie-Adélina de la Ferrière, founder of Navassa and the late Ms. Casseus's niece.
"The Trans Laureate embodies our belief that art can heal, unite, and catalyze change," de la Ferrière noted. "Securing an inaugural Pride Grant from Trillium Health Foundation shows that our region stands behind trans creatives—but lasting impact will take collective effort. Through this program, Navassa is doubling down on culture as community care."
Program Highlights
One-year term (Jan 2026 – Dec 2026) — The Laureate will curate public programs—performances, readings, workshops, or exhibitions—while representing the Laureateship locally and beyond.
$5,000 inaugural-year budget — Funds cover the Laureate's honorarium, community programming, and operational support.
Robust timeline — Applications open today and close September 6, 2025; finalists will be interviewed in the fall, with the inaugural Laureate announced during Trans Awareness Week this November.
Broad eligibility — Applicants must be 21+, identify as transgender, nonbinary, or gender-expansive, and demonstrate a track record in community engagement, arts, humanities, or storytelling.
Community Impact & Sister Initiatives
The Laureate Program builds on Navassa's slate of grassroots projects that merge art and civic imagination—including Flower City Queens, a calendar fundraiser showcasing drag artists from across Greater Rochester, with a portion of the proceeds supporting LGBTQ+ initiatives in Greater Rochester and Haiti. The Bernadine Casseus Trans Laureate Program extends this vision, providing a platform for one trans individual to inspire, educate, and convene.
Funding & Partnerships
The program has already secured $2,500 through a Pride Grant from the Trillium Health Foundation, one of several awards supporting LGBTQ+ initiatives in the Greater Rochester area. To ensure the Laureate's long-term sustainability and amplify its public reach, Navassa welcomes collaborations with cultural institutions, foundations, and individuals who share a commitment to trans-led programming. A GoFundMe is currently accepting contributions.
How to Apply
Prospective applicants should submit a personal statement (800–1,000 words), résumé/CV, up to five work samples, and two letters of support via the program portal no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on September 6, 2025. Applicants can apply at kingdomofnavassa.org/laureate.
About the Kingdom of Navassa
The Kingdom of Navassa is a visionary socio-cultural initiative that merges art, ceremony, and public service to center marginalized bodies in healing and joy. From the Flower City Queens drag calendar to its new Trans Laureate Program, Navassa re-imagines civic leadership through creativity and community collaboration.