Celebrating Pride & Possibility: Inside Famm Connect's Famm Fest San Francisco Pride Event
All Photos in this Post are Credit: Sarah Gonzalez of Peopletography
What Happens When Queer Community Shows Up for Each Other
This June, we hosted our first-ever in-person Pride event: Famm Fest. What started as a late idea quickly turned into something far bigger than we imagined. Nearly 200 LGBTQ+ professionals, business owners, and allies registered for this event, and almost 150 gathered on Market Street on a Friday night in San Francisco to connect, celebrate, and build something together. We have to shout out our local community members in Sacramento who made the trek (3-4 hour drive each way) to San Francisco. And if you know anything about SF traffic at that hour… showing up was no small feat!
But before we get into what made the event so special, here’s a little about who we are and why we’re building Famm Connect in the first place!
Photo Credit: Sarah Gonzalez
Building a Platform for LGBTQ+ Professionals & Business Owners
Hey Famm is a growing platform for LGBTQ+ business owners and professionals. Our app, Famm Connect, launched in December 2024, and it’s where our community connects with intention to build meaningful relationships, which in turn lead to collaboration, job opportunities, business growth, and more.
Unlike traditional platforms like LinkedIn, Famm Connect was built by and for LGBTQ+ people. It’s not just about networking, it’s about leading with your identity and prioritizing relationships over transactions. So far, the platform has facilitated over 27,000 connections between 3,200 members and 1,200 queer-owned businesses and we’re just getting started.
Why We Had to Host an In-Person Event This Pride
This Pride felt different.
Across the country, corporate support for Pride events dwindled. The administration has weaponized DEI. Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation continues to rise. It’s easy to feel isolated and targeted at the moment.
So we knew we needed to do something that brought our community together, not just online, but in real life.
We didn’t have a venue. We didn’t have a budget. We didn’t have a detailed plan. And our entire team? Just Marianna and I. But we believed deeply in the power of queer community coming together to make this happen, and we weren’t wrong.
How the Community Made Famm Fest Happen
This event came to life because our community showed up.
We brought on Ryan from Cute Story Events, a longtime supporter and community member of Hey Famm, to help us bring the vision to life. We partnered with two incredible organizations, StartOut and Out Professionals, who joined us as co-hosts and helped us spread the word.
We secured over 40 sponsors, many of whom are queer-owned businesses and members of the Hey Famm community, who donated funds, services, and giveaways.
A HUGE thanks to all of our sponsors: Folx Health, The Money Witch, Dapper Boi, Happi Assist, Kirrin Finch, Rouse Relational Wellness, THÚY Custom Clothier, Queer Conscious Connections, Decrypted Law, Les Tattoos, Narwhal Divers, Peopletogrophy, Riverstone Chiropractic, Sarah Martinez of Deeda Salon, Snaggletooth Pets, Wings Wine Company, Yamz World, Healthyish Republic, Copain Wines, Boichik Bagels, Baxter Stapleton, Fotos by Flee, DJ vonndee, Equator Coffees, Karma Cookies, Tilden, Bella Matcha, alter eco, House of Our Queer, Heliotropes, Aaron Martin Therapy, Q+ Collective, LGBT+ VC, GenderBender, Bunny Virtual Assistant and The Barb Shop!!
To our service providers, you made the experience unforgettable. From the DJ and the flash tattoos to the haircuts, headshots, tarot readings, and incredible giveaways, you brought the vibe and made it magical
To our food and beverage sponsors, you kept folks energized, hydrated, and feeling good. People raved about everything (and yes, we ran out of almost all of it!).
To Yamz World, your stunning illustrated Pride flag stole the show. It hung in the main space, bold and proud. If you’re looking for original queer art, look them up.
To our monetary sponsors, thank you. Your support made this event financially possible!
And finally, to the creatives who captured it all: thank you, Sarah Gonzalez, for the event photography, and Baxter Stapleton for capturing the panel.
This was community in action.
The Turnout: Nearly 200 Registrants, Nearly 150 Attendees
We had nearly 200 RSVPs and almost 150 in-person attendees. For a scrappy, two-person team with no formal budget or events experience, this was a huge win.
People weren’t just there to grab a drink, get their headshot or listen to a panel. They were showing up to connect and build real relationships!
And then there was the panel, a true highlight.
Moderated by Haley Everheart (she/they), VP of Marketing at FOLX Health, the panel featured:
Madison Butler is the founder of Blue Haired Unicorn and a fierce advocate for psychological safety at work. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, WSJ, and named a LinkedIn Top Black Voice.
Michael Sui (he/him) is a longtime friend of ours and a leader in the field of inclusive design. With 20+ years of experience at companies like Google, Airbnb, and YouTube, Michael also co-organizes SF’s 3,000-member A11yBay community and has guest lectured at Stanford and Berkeley.
Obsidian Adebayo (they/she), or Obi, who we met through the app! Obi is a Britgerian entrepreneur, strategist, and Commercial Director at Q+ Consulting, with work featured in BBC News and Financial Times.
Dr. Hitesh Tolani, founder of Gays of National Parks and Virtudent. His own family’s immigration journey deeply informs his work in health, policy, and community.
Together, they talked about ‘professionalism’, authenticity, and what it means to navigate careers while queer, especially in a time of increasing hostility. Every attendee walked away with something to reflect on.
What This Means for the Future of Hey Famm Events
Famm Fest affirmed what we’ve known all along: we need more spaces like this.
As Hey Famm grows, so will our events. We’re already dreaming about a conference for LGBTQ+ professionals and entrepreneurs with the Hey Famm special touch. We’re exploring local chapters in major cities. However, we are currently focused on continuing to provide a space, both virtually and in-person, for meaningful, identity-affirming connections that create genuine opportunities.
This was only our first Pride event. It’s already clear: this is just the beginning.
Hey Famm isn’t just a platform. It’s a movement. And we hear it again and again: this feels different. It’s queer, it’s intentional, and it’s driven by community.
Join The Movement
We’re so glad we made this happen. We learned so much and we’re more affirmed than ever in this work of bringing our community together through business, connection, and shared purpose.
With over 3,200 LGBTQ+ professionals and 1,200+ queer-owned businesses and service providers already on Famm Connect, we’ve seen firsthand how these in-person moments deepen the connections made online.
Whether you're an LGBTQ+:
Professional looking to grow your network, find opportunities, or build meaningful relationships, or
Business owner looking to promote your business, collaborate, or connect with queer talent—
Famm Connect is a free (and very queer) space for you.
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We’re just getting started. Join us.
