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.
