Image courtesy of the Santa Clara River Valley (SCRV) Pride Committee.
SANTA CLARA RIVER VALLEY — The Santa Clara River Valley (SCRV) Pride Committee is proud to announce SCRV Pride Week 2026, a weeklong celebration of LGBTQ+ pride, visibility, inclusion, and community. The week will bring together residents, families, allies, businesses, public agencies, and community-based organizations from throughout the region for a series of events that celebrate diversity, honor local leaders, and strengthen community connections.
SCRV Pride Week reflects the Santa Clara River Valley’s commitment to creating a community where all people are welcomed, respected, and empowered to thrive. This year’s celebration will feature the SCRV Pride Mixer, a City of Santa Paula Pride Proclamation, and the annual SCRV Pride Brunch, highlighting the power of community, advocacy, and belonging.
SCRV Pride Mixer: The SCRV Pride Mixer will take place on Thursday, June 18, 2026, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the fabulous Parque 1055, located at 1055 East Main Street in Santa Paula. The celebration begins with the SCRV Pride Mixer, a fundraising gathering designed to bring together LGBTQ+ community members, allies, supporters, businesses, and community leaders in a welcoming and festive atmosphere. The mixer provides an opportunity to build relationships, foster partnerships, and strengthen support for LGBTQ+ inclusion throughout the Santa Clara River Valley. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tommy J. Weisbecker Scholarship Fund, which supports LGBTQ+ youth pursuing higher education and continuing Tommy’s legacy of service, advocacy, and community engagement. Guests can look forward to an evening of good vibes, great company, delicious bites, raffle prizes, and a cash bar, all while supporting an important cause that invests in the future of LGBTQ+ young people in our community. Community members are encouraged to attend and celebrate Pride while helping raise funds for the next generation of leaders. To RSVP, text 805-625-1218. Attendees will enjoy networking opportunities, community engagement activities, and conversations that promote belonging and collaboration among diverse sectors of the community.
Pride Proclamations: As part of SCRV Pride Week, the City of Santa Paula will formally recognize LGBTQ+ Pride Month during the Santa Paula City Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 starting at 6:30 p.m., through the presentation of a Pride Proclamation. The proclamation reflects the City’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all residents while recognizing the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals and families to the social, cultural, and economic vitality of the Santa Clara River Valley. Community members, allies, and supporters are encouraged to attend the City Council meeting and join local leaders in celebrating this important recognition. The proclamation serves as a meaningful reminder of the progress achieved toward equality and reaffirms the community’s commitment to ensuring that every resident is treated with dignity, respect, and belonging.The City of Fillmore issued a Pride Proclamation the previous week.
SCRV Pride Brunch & Community Resource Fair: The signature event of SCRV Pride Week is the annual SCRV Pride Brunch & Community Resource Fair, a celebration of community, leadership, and inclusion that recognizes individuals whose contributions have strengthened the lives of LGBTQ+ people and their allies throughout the Santa Clara River Valley. The event is scheduled for Sunday, June 21, 2026, beginning at 12:00 p.m., at the beautiful Palazzio Event Center, located at 814 East Main Street in Santa Paula. In addition to the brunch program, attendees can connect with local nonprofit organizations, public agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and community groups participating in the Community Resource Fair. The fair showcases programs, services, and resources available to LGBTQ+ individuals, families, youth, seniors, and allies throughout the region. Admission is free and no RSVP is required. Community members are encouraged to come as they are, show off their Pride colors, and join friends, neighbors, and allies for an afternoon of celebration, inspiration, and community connection. Guests can enjoy a complimentary brunch while learning about local resources, celebrating community achievements, and honoring the individuals who continue to advance inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity for all.
“At a time when public support can feel uncertain and online spaces are often filled with noise, division, and judgment, showing up for one another matters more than ever. Pride is more than a celebration—it is a promise to our youth that they are not alone. It is a declaration that they belong here, that they are seen, valued, and loved by their community. Through events like SCRV Pride Week, we create spaces where young people can safely express themselves, find support, build connections, and embrace who they are with pride and confidence. That message of belonging can change a life.”— Brittany Botts, Chair, SCRV Pride Committee
This year’s brunch will feature internationally acclaimed filmmaker, entrepreneur, and advocate K. Rocco Shields as the event’s Inspirational Speaker. Shields is known worldwide for her groundbreaking film Love Is All You Need?, which has reached more than 200 million people and sparked global conversations about empathy, identity, and inclusion.
“Tommy Weisbecker and I shared a common calling—we both believed that stories have the power to change hearts, open minds, and transform communities. Tommy did that from the pulpit, inspiring people through faith and compassion. I did it through film, using storytelling to help people see the world through someone else’s eyes. This Sunday, I have the privilege of standing in Tommy’s community to honor his legacy and, in a way, do both.”— K. Rocco Shields
The event will also honor Sal Fuentes with the SCRV Pride Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his historic role in advancing civil rights protections for people living with HIV/AIDS and helping pave the way for greater equality and healthcare access through one of the earliest successful Americans with Disabilities Act cases addressing HIV discrimination.
“The greatest lessons in my life have come from moments when I had to choose between fear and courage. In 1992, I chose to speak up because I believed that no one should be denied care, dignity, or opportunity because of who they are or a medical condition they live with. Receiving this award is deeply meaningful because it recognizes not only my journey, but the journey of an entire community that refused to be invisible. I accept this honor with gratitude and with hope for the generations who will continue building a more compassionate and inclusive world.”— Sal Fuentes, 2026 SCRV Pride Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Thank you to the following sponsors for their investment and support of the LGBTQ+ community. Jose Luis Melgar & Gilbert Moreno of Palazzio Event Center, Nanni and Deeda’s Toys & Gather & Play Cafe, Premier America Credit Union, Ventura County Credit Union, Michael S. Solarez of Estate Security Services, Inc., Stonewall Democrats of Ventura County, Pedro A. Chavez, Maria Esther Luna, Mia Martinez, and John Procter.
Inspirational Speaker: K. Rocco Shields
The SCRV Pride Committee is honored to welcome K. Rocco Shields as this year’s Inspirational Speaker. Shields is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, entrepreneur, author, and advocate whose work has transformed conversations about empathy, identity, inclusion, and social change. A member of the Directors Guild of America, she began her career in Hollywood as a script supervisor, working alongside renowned filmmakers including J.J. Abrams and Gore Verbinski.
Her rise as a global advocate began with the groundbreaking short film Love Is All You Need?, which challenged audiences to experience prejudice from a new perspective by imagining a world where being gay is considered normal and being straight is viewed as the deviation. The film’s deceptively simple premise sparked a worldwide conversation about empathy, discrimination, and acceptance. Since its release, the film has reached more than 200 million people in twelve languages and has been incorporated into educational curricula in schools across four continents. The feature-length adaptation earned more than 30 international film festival awards, received a Certificate of Merit from the United States Congress, and premiered at both the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Brooklyn Film Festival. As a self-described “activist by default,” Shields has demonstrated that storytelling can inspire meaningful action. When educators faced professional consequences for sharing her work, including a teacher in Florida who lost his job after screening the film, Shields traveled across the country to stand beside him and advocate for inclusion and understanding.
Following the loss of her father to addiction and mental health challenges, Shields founded Genius Academy, an AI-powered simulation platform designed to train future therapists and counselors to navigate difficult conversations with empathy, confidence, and compassion. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Variety, NBC News, CBS, Fox, Yahoo! Movies, and The Washington Blade, among many other national and international media outlets. She has spoken at SXSW, SXSW EDU, universities nationwide, major mental health conferences, LGBTQ+ advocacy events, and innovation forums, and she currently serves on the SXSW EDU Advisory Board.
Her appearance at SCRV Pride Week carries special significance. Shields is speaking in honor of her late best friend, Tommy Weisbecker, a dedicated member of the SCRV Pride Committee whose passion for supporting LGBTQ+ youth continues through the Tommy Weisbecker LGBTQ+ Scholarship Fund, administered by One Step A La Vez. Through her keynote address, Shields will celebrate Tommy’s legacy while inspiring attendees to embrace empathy, courage, and community action.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Sal Fuentes
SCRV Pride is proud to present the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award to Sal Fuentes, whose courage and advocacy helped advance civil rights protections for people living with HIV/AIDS and contributed to greater healthcare equity throughout California and beyond. In 1992, Fuentes became the plaintiff in a landmark civil rights case after seeking treatment for an injury at a Ventura County urgent care clinic and being denied medical care solely because of his HIV status. At a time when misinformation and fear surrounding HIV/AIDS remained widespread, Fuentes chose to challenge the discrimination he experienced rather than remain silent.The clinic ultimately agreed to compensate Fuentes for the harm he suffered, making the case one of the earliest successful applications of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to address discrimination against individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The impact of the case extended far beyond the courtroom. It helped reinforce the importance of “universal precautions” in healthcare settings—such as the use of gloves and established infection-control practices for all patients—rather than discriminatory treatment based on assumptions about HIV status. The case contributed to greater understanding among healthcare professionals and helped advance evidence-based standards of care that protected both providers and patients. Fuentes’ courage helped create greater awareness, stronger legal protections, and improved access to healthcare for countless individuals living with HIV/AIDS. His willingness to stand up against discrimination made him an important figure in the broader fight for equality, dignity, and civil rights.The SCRV Pride Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes his enduring legacy of resilience, advocacy, and service to the community. His example continues to inspire future generations working to build a more equitable and compassionate society.
Building a Stronger Community Together
SCRV Pride Week demonstrates the power of community collaboration and the importance of creating spaces where all people feel welcomed and valued. Organizers invite residents, businesses, public agencies, schools, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders to participate in the week’s events and join in celebrating the diversity and strength of the Santa Clara River Valley.
Additional information regarding event schedules, sponsorship opportunities, vendor registration, and community participation can be found at https://myonestep.org/scrv-pride
About SCRV Pride and One Step A La Vez
SCRV Pride and One Step A La Vez are committed to building a more inclusive, equitable, and connected Santa Clara River Valley where all individuals and families can thrive. Together, they work to promote visibility, inclusion, and support for LGBTQ+ individuals and families through community events, partnerships, advocacy, education, and youth engagement initiatives. One Step A La Vez strengthens the community by providing youth development programs, leadership opportunities, educational resources, and family support services that create safer spaces for teens and their families. Through their shared commitment to empowerment, belonging, and community well-being, SCRV Pride and One Step A La Vez help ensure that all residents are respected, celebrated, and equipped with the resources and opportunities needed to reach their full potential.