May 15, 2009   | COMMENTS     

Daryl Wilson admits he messed up.

The local events promoter — who has a track record of bringing big-name entertainers to D.C. for LGBT events — has reunited with his Black Pride colleagues after an estrangement that found them competing for attendees last year.

“I’d been working with them for 10 years,” Wilson says. “I got frustrated with some of the way things were going and I felt I wasn’t being recognized.”

Black Pride organizers are happy to have the differences resolved.

“I really think that most of the people in the community are excited about the bickering coming to an end,” says Khalid Parker, this year’s Black Pride president. “Daryl has been very helpful and for the most part we have received pretty good feedback and people are happy to see us working together.”

Last year Wilson surprised D.C. Black Pride organizers when he announced he would run Chocolate City Fest, a similar celebration, the same weekend. Wilson admits now it was a mistake.

“The decision I chose to go with was the wrong decision,” Wilson says. “The separation caused such a blow-up and, over the summer, I realized that we should be coming together and doing things more closely … to really make a well-put-together package.”

Members of the community are relieved that the bickering has ended.

“It’s very good. That’s the bottom line,” says Brian Watson, program director of Transgender Health Empowerment, who is planning a Black Pride-related pageant. “I know the turmoil that went on before with Darryl doing his own events. I’m just glad with the economy being the way it is that we’re not pulling people in two directions with different events.”

With the problems resolved, both parties are looking forward to putting on a week-long series of events that they hope will engage and excite the black LGBT community.

This year’s Black Pride weekend, themed “Pure Love,” is hosted by Renaissance M Street Hotel (1143 New Hampshire Ave., NW) and runs May 21 to 25, although some events are scheduled for as early as the 17th. Events will take place at various locations throughout the city. 

Wilson says guests should expect “high quality” functions in some of the “finer” venues in D.C.

“People who know me know that my drive and motivation for what I do is watching everybody have a good time,” Wilson says. “When people spend their money, I want them to feel like they got something for their money.”

Wilson promises high-energy parties that will feature guest appearances by various entertainers including singer Mya and television personality Demarco Majors.

But organizers at D.C. Black Pride said the celebration will focus on more than dance parties. For example, this year’s Pride will feature the Mr. and Miss DC Black Pride pageant at Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th Street SE), where participants will compete in formal wear and talent competitions.

“We try to make sure to think of creative ways to engage the community,” Parker says. “A lot of times the fun events and workshops overlap so that people have the opportunity, since they’re already in the area, to check out other things that might be going on.”

Although Parker is optimistic about the success of this year’s events, he admits that he has been facing some obstacles, including getting sponsors for the celebration.

“With the economy the way that it is, the challenging part has been raising money,” Parker says. “A lot of people in the community are not aware of the time, energy and money that it takes to put on an event.”