LGBTQ+ youth are being targeted by legislation all over the country that threatens their safety and mental health. LGBTQ+ musicians (especially Black, Indigenous, religious minority, and disabled LGBTQ+ artists), are severely underrepresented in the music industry. These artists and their visibility has a direct impact on our youth, on public opinion and on the political will to protect queer and trans lives. LGBTQ+ artists have a critical role in bringing our lives, concerns, creativity, joy, and activism into the mainstream.

My name is Delphyne and QuEar Candy is my vision. I'm a singer-songwriter and genderqueer protest artist based in Highland Park, NJ. By day, I am a clinical psychologist specializing in treating and training other professionals to work with gender diverse people. I am also creator of Delphyne Radio, a media company created to center LGBTQ+ artists. As a protest artist, I believe strongly that music is an integral piece of any revolutionary change. QuEar Candy will be a yearly Pride Music Festival celebrating and centering LGBTQ+ artists and the fight for their protection and rights. In equal part, it will be a celebration of Queer Joy, bringing together the LGBTQ+ community in our town and state with the rest of our communities.

There are many Pride festivals throughout New Jersey. QuEar Candy will highlight the best of our Highland Park community by bringing together our racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse community in partnership with our wonderful music venue, Pino's, to celebrate our LGBTQ+ neighbors, especially our youth. QuEar Candy is co-produced by Delphyne Radio, LLC and The Reform Church of Highland Park Care Committee. My co-producer, Austin Morreale works directly with LGBTQ+ youth, in addition to his positions in faith-based healthcare advocacy and community support for recently incarcerated people. Our vision is to bring together as many community sponsors and organizations as we can to build community ties both within the LGBTQ+ community and the larger community.

QuEar Candy will include a Lavender Graduation for our LGBTQ+ seniors to be honored and launched with love and support, and a dance party to shower our LGBTQ+ youth with encouragement and delight in their self-expression. Finally QuEar Candy will be a fundraiser for a chosen non-profit working to fight back against legislation that directly harms our LGBTQ+ youth.

YOUR FUNDS WILL BE UTILIZED FOR:

-Producing our Pilot/Fundraiser concert on June 26, 2022 outside Pino's in Highland Park from 1pm to 6pm

-Producing an annual Pride Music Festival bringing well-known touring LGBTQ+ artists to Highland Park to perform and collaborate with local LGBTQ+ artists, scheduled to launch June 11, 2023.

-Scholarship fund for one of our LGBTQ+ graduates

-Fundraising for a non-profit working to protect LGBTQ+ youth

Please follow our Facebook Page for event info here:

https://www.facebook.com/Quear-Candy-Highland-Park-New-Jerseys-PRIDE-Music-Festival-104958645540137

Instagram Event Info:

@delphyneradio

We thank you with deep appreciation for your financial support.

QuEar Candy Co-Producers:

Del Sasso - Singer-Songwriter (as Delphyne) at patreon.com/delphyne, Owner RISE Psychological Services and Delphyne Radio, LLC

Austin Morreale - Reform Church of Highland Park Care Committee Representative; Community Engagement Coordinator, NJ Interfaith Center for Cancer Care; Service Director, NeighborCorp Re-entry Services