Keynote Speaker for 9th Annual SOY New Year Announced!
Shades of Yellow is proud to announce that the Keynote Speaker for our 9th Annual SOY New Year will be former Vikings NFL Player Esera Tuaolo!
Here is more information on Mr. Tuaolo:
Esera Tavai Tuaolo was born on the Island of Oahu and now
resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Esera
played in the National Football League (NFL) for 9 years after being drafted by
the Green Bay Packers in 1991 in the second round - 35th pick
overall. After leaving the Green Bay
Packers in 1992 Esera went on to play with the Minnesota Vikings, the Jacksonville
Jaguars, the 1998 Super Bowl contender Atlanta Falcons and later ending his
career with the Carolina Panthers.
Esera Tavai Tuaolo broke stereotypes as an athlete in
multiple ways. First, as a recording artist, being featured on albums with renowned
country and rap artists, as well as releasing his first album, “ESERA”. Later
in his career, in 2003, he shocked the world when he announced on HBO REAL
SPORTS with Bryant Gumble that he is part of the LGBT community. Being Gay does not define the type of person
Esera Tuaolo is; being an incredible human being does. Though he has thought of walking through the
valley of death a million times by trying to commit suicide, he was freed by
three words “I AM GAY”.
Esera is also a father of two beautiful twins, Mitchell and
Michele. As an advocate, Esera travels the country, educating people on
homophobia and sharing his life-long experiences of a gay athlete living in a
masculine world of football, hoping that his life story will help save lives.
Esera’s message is: “Hate in any form is wrong.”
In 2006 Esera also wrote a book entitled “Alone in the
Trenches” an autobiography of his life growing up with a secret that nearly
took his life, but at the end comes out victorious because he is alive. His mission now is to save lives and to
spread his music around the world.
Purchase discount event tickets here:
Limited VIP tables (seats 8) available for $200, including VIP meet-and-greet with Esera, front table seating, & name in program and online.
Email community@shadesofyellow.org to reserve.
Call for Drag Ball Contestants for SNY 2013!!
Shades of Yellow (SOY) will be hosting our 9th
Annual SOY New Year on March 2, 2013 from 5:00-9:30 PM. The theme for SOY New
Year 2013 is “MasQUEERade: Identities Within”.
MALIA'S DRAG BALL COMPETITION
For the first time ever, we are hosting a DRAG BALL, in which contestants will perform to their favorite songs in DRAG in hopes to win the grand prize of $100 and title of SOY New Year 2013 Drag Ball Champion! The fabulous Malia will be hosting the show, which of course means it will be a show you do NOT want to miss!! Contestants, bring your A game!! Drag Kings AND Queens welcome and encouraged!!
To download the application form and criteria, CLICK HERE.
Just released! "72 Days" a spoken word piece by Kevin Yang is an open letter to Kim Kardashian as he ponders how to vote on the marriage amendment on Nov. 6th.
There's only a few days until elections. Please share this video with your friends/family and post to your social media sites!!