Welcome to the latest episode of our brand new XPRIZE podcast series - Not Going Back To Normal, Imagining Life After COVID-19 featuring Chris Classen.This June marks 50 years since the first permitted Pride Parade, taking place in Los Angeles in 1970, an audacious act in a time when your sexuality could leave you in handcuffs. In this week’s episode, Chris reflects on the beginnings of Pride, and with guest John D’Amico, former mayor and current council member of the City of West Hollywood, and explores all the ways things have changed since those first steps helped spread a unique brand of radical optimism -- despite the challenges faced in the fight for equity. As Vice President of Events & Experiences at XPRIZE, Chris Classen drives engagement and enthusiasm for the XPRIZE experience and oversees its annual Visioneering event. Prior to joining XPRIZE, he served as the President of Christopher Street West, the non-profit organization that produces the annual LA Pride Festival and Parade, and most recently worked with Google on top-tier events. During his career he has driven events and created strategic partnerships with brands like W Hotels, Delta Airlines, Prada, B&B Italia, and the LA Dodgers. After receiving a BFA in Art & Design from the University of Nebraska he moved to Los Angeles for his Masters in Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI_Arc). He has received accommodations from both the City of Los Angeles and the City of West Hollywood for his cultural and economic contributions.As a resident of West Hollywood for more than 25 years, Councilmember John D’Amico’s love of West Hollywood has only grown with time. Councilmember D’Amico has an unwavering commitment to issues that reflect the spirit of what makes West Hollywood unique. For more than 20 years, Councilmember D’Amico has participated in city leadership as a member of Advisory Boards and Commissions, and for the past several years, as a member of the City Council. He is helping shape the city we are becoming. As an architect and Project Manager, Councilmember D’Amico understands the vital importance of balancing development and livability, particularly in West Hollywood, where residents have come to love the special, “urban village” atmosphere. Professionally, Mr. D’Amico has more than 20 years of experience in large-scale project planning management at UCLA, ABC, the Walt Disney Studios, and the affordable housing developer, Los Angeles Housing Partnership. At LAHP, he was responsible for overseeing the renovation and construction of well over 300 affordable housing units. Formerly, Mayor D’Amico was the co-Director of Policy and Planning at AIDS Project Los Angeles. Councilmember D’Amico holds two Master’s Degrees, one in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Houston and the other in Aesthetics and Politics from the California Institute of the Arts.Enjoy listening and if you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you get your pods.LinksLA Pride - https://lapride.org/Virtual Pride Events Around the World - https://proudlyresilient.com/ XPRIZE - https://xprize.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.