LGBTQ+ Mural Unveiling and Door Opening Celebration
LGBTQ Mural and New Front Door
The outpouring of support, pride, and love we experienced on August 21st, 2021 was truly amazing. We want to thank everyone who made this mural, new front door, and A Weekend of Pride possible. Thank you, with all of our hearts.
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For over 8 months, a dedicated group of organizers and community members worked to make this possible. On August 21st, our entertainers, drag queens, event staff, and numerous volunteers helped us pull off something incredible. From the start, over 25 businesses showed their support through sponsorships and other resources. Of course, we also had an amazing artist!
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This was truly an entire community coming together and we could never list everyone, but just know you will live in our hearts forever. Thank you to everyone who helped us make history!
A New Dawn
On August 21st, 2021 we unveiled Green Bay's first LGBTQ+ Mural and reopened our front door. We were joined by Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, and other representatives.
This project received generous support from the Canary Fund, Dave & Busters, Napalese, the arts community, the business community, and so many other people/organizations. The mural, and front door, were made possible by the hard work and support of LGBTQ+ community members, local organizations and businesses, and the City of Green Bay!
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On the same day of the mural unveiling, we reopened the new front door at Napalese. In 1999, when Naps moved to its current location, some less than savory characters would kick open the front door and throw fireworks and trash into the bar. These fear tactics became so frequent that the front door was sealed. Since patrons have entered the bar through a side door in the parking lot.
In 2021, Green Bay’s Redevelopment Authority approved a façade grant for our mural unveiling and door opening celebration. This grant allowed us to secure a new front door for Napalese and pay for some of the cost of the mural.
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Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich presented Napalese with a proclamation affirming the LGBTQ+ community and together, with thousands of community members, we ushered in a new day of LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance in Green Bay!
Congratulations to the selected artist!
Loschue (Chue) Lo, is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He discovered his passion for art at an early age. Throughout years of schooling, he has explored and experimented with a wide variety of mediums, including photography, ceramics, woodworking, printmaking, drawing, and painting. Currently attending the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Chue is a Studio Artist focusing on oil painting. His main body of work expresses the complex relationship between racial and sexual identities as a Queer, Hmong person.
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His current approach explores today’s social issues with conceptual designs of what painting could mean to himself as well as to his audience. A recent example of his painting, The Bride and Her Mother (pictured here), focuses on being a first-generation, Hmong-American bride. This painting also addresses the common struggle of gender roles/expectations while also capturing the intimacy of a Hmong wedding.
Lo is expected to graduate in December of 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and he plans on pursuing his Master of Fine Arts to further his knowledge and skills of painting. He hopes to continue exploring and experimenting with painting and other mediums as a means of addressing social and political topics.
Don't miss a thing! Check out our Instagram or follow us on Facebook (@Napalese), for the most current updates about new events, drag shows, and community happenings!
A Weekend Filled With Fun!
Amazing Entertainment
We were joined by some fabulous entertainers on August 21st. These people made the day a true celebration!
Our Voices: LGBTQ+ Stories of Northeastern Wisconsin
On August 20th, 2021 during A Weekend of Pride, UW-Green Bay's Archives officially launched Our Voices: LGBTQ+ Stories of Northeastern Wisconsin. Thanks to the hard work of the archives department, the LGBTQ+ community, and its allies, LGBTQ+ history in Northeastern Wisconsin is being preserved for generations.
Opportunity for Trans Youth, Families, and Allies
As part of the Green Bay Weekend of Pride and LGBTQ+ Mural Unveiling and Door Opening Celebration, there was a supportive, safe, meet and greet for transgender and gender non-conforming youth, their families, adults, and allies. This educational opportunity was held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Green Bay, located at 1313 Main Street.
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We want to thank everyone who gave their time, energy, and other resources to this opportunity. Megan Marchant, VP of PFLAG Manitowoc County, Rachel Maes, Jasmine Lammers, LPC, of Transformative Services LLC in Sheboygan, PFLAG Door County, Sherman Counseling, and Positive Voice!
Thank you to our sponsors!
These sponsors and collaborators made this LGBTQ+ Mural Unveiling and Door Opening Celebration possible!
