One of his top priorities is to engage communities through arts programming, which includes bringing emerging artists to the Center’s various locations, such as Center South in Leimert Park, Mi Centro in Boyle Heights, and Trans Wellness Center in Koreatown, to teach workshops and classes for free or at low cost.
Muñoz-Proulx will oversee both of the Center’s live performance venues-the 200-seat Renberg Theatre and the 50-seat black box Davidson/Valentini Theatre-located in The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, including The Village’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries. I’m honored to be called to service to champion this next chapter of inclusive, cathartic, healing, and joyous storytelling and community arts programming with, by, and for our community.” “As a queer, Latinx, millennial arts leader, seeing powerful LGBT stories onstage has viscerally impacted my life and creative practice. “This invitation to serve as the next Artistic Director of the Los Angeles LGBT Center is a dream come true,” said Muñoz-Proulx.
He also has served on the Latinx Theatre Commons National Advisory Committee and the LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Rules Committee. Muñoz-Proulx is an Ovation Award-nominated director who is currently Director of Cultural Programming at A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena. Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx will be the next Artistic Director of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s highly-acclaimed Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center in Hollywood. Our whole community looks forward to seeing Karine deliver for our nation and represent every LGBTQ person with pride.” To have an out queer person of color speak for the President of the United States says everything about Karine’s talent and heart, and recognizes that LGBTQ people can belong, contribute and succeed in every room. There are few jobs more visible or more important to our democracy than to share information with the White House press corps and answer their questions. GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said on Twitter: “Karine Jean-Pierre is a brilliant communicator and person of tremendous intelligence, humor and poise, skills that will serve her and our country well in her new role. Jean-Pierre authored the political memoir Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America. She has also served as Chief Public Affairs Officer for and as an NBC and MSNBC Political Analyst. Jean-Pierre has an accomplished background as a communications leader, from work in the Obama White House to presidential campaigns and local politics. Earlier this year she denounced memos from Texas Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton falsely and harmfully targeting families of transgender youth: “No parent should face the agony of a politician standing in the way of accessing life-saving care for their child.” Last month, Jean-Pierre spoke out against anti-LGBTQ legislation in states across the country. In October 2021, Jean-Pierre led the White House in participating in GLAAD’s Spirit Day, and spoke during the White House press briefing about Spirit Day’s power of visibility for LGBTQ youth: “I could only hope that young people who might be watching or see clips of this briefing will know that they are supported and represented in the highest levels of government today.” Video here. Jean-Pierre previously served as Deputy Press Secretary for the Biden White House.Īs Deputy Press Secretary, Jean-Pierre was the first out LGBTQ woman, and second Black woman, to lead a White House briefing in May 2021. GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to the announcement that Karine Jean-Pierre will become White House Press Secretary, the first Black woman and first out LGBTQ person to serve in the role.