By Jennifer Corday
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 10/5/21
“If you’re going to lead your community, you gotta feel your community.” –Mariah Hanson
“You get to be who you are, when you are, living out loud, empowered. And that feels really good. I can’t have a better gift.” –Mariah Hanson
JC: So wow, it’s been thirty years, what’s the biggest change?
MH: To look back on thirty years and get to where I am today and how beautiful this event feels and how joyous and loving and kind it is, that’s some serious, serious reflection…
It feels really good to be at thirty years and to know that everything about this event has so softened up. You get to be who you are, when you are, living out loud, empowered. And that feels really good. I can’t have a better gift.
JC: Yea, it’s rare. You have created such a safe space. And this year I learned so much about the transgender and non-binary community. The old days are gone. Now it’s just ‘Be You.”
MH: Be you!
JC: That seems to be the evolution of the gay community. You were hip enough to know the lesbian community has changed, that times have changed…
MH: You have to. You have to feel your community. If you’re going to lead your community, you gotta feel your community.
JC: How do you know so much about the community?
MH: I live every day trying to be the best and highest being I can be. And I realized I’ve been given this platform which is incredible. I have to honor it and rise up to it.
JC: As such an icon, I love that you are being humble and acknowledging the learning curve…
MH: I’ve realized that I didn’t always know how to present it. I have done a lot of work to be able to present it the way I am able to present it today.
JC: Well you did it right!
MH: You never get it right. You just practice.
