Windows Preconcert Event:

Creating Community in Times of Change

Join us for an inspiring community dialogue that explores how contemporary LGBTQ+ individuals create strength, joy, and belonging in challenging times. These are themes that resonate powerfully with Jonathan Larson’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT. Moderator Phillip Alexander Downie, inaugural CEO of MoCo Pride Center and Emmy-nominated creator, will facilitate this vital conversation about resilience, community-building, and the current state of LGBTQ+ health and wellness. As Co-Chair of Montgomery County’s Anti-Hate Task Force and the Coalition for Inclusive Schools & Communities, Downie brings extensive experience advocating for marginalized communities and combating bias while fostering spaces where everyone can live authentically.  

Downie will lead a conversation on questions like how queer communities today foster connection and mutual support in the face of rising challenges; the transformative power of chosen family and authentic living; and how arts and storytelling build solidarity and amplify underrepresented voices. The panel will also discuss current health disparities in the DMV and resources available to LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Special Opening:The panel will kick off with a short drag performance celebrating the vibrant spirit of self-expression and community that defines both RENT and the LGBTQ+ experience.