Free with Show Ticket: Access to this event is free with your ticket to RENT in Concert at Strathmore. RSVP is required (link below).

Join us for an inspiring community dialogue that explores how contemporary LGBTQ+ individuals create strength, joy, and belonging in challenging times. These are themes that resonate powerfully with Jonathan Larson's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT. Moderator Phillip Alexander Downie, inaugural CEO of MoCo Pride Center and Emmy-nominated creator, will facilitate this vital conversation about resilience, community-building, and the current state of LGBTQ+ health and wellness. As Co-Chair of Montgomery County's Anti-Hate Task Force and the Coalition for Inclusive Schools & Communities, Downie brings extensive experience advocating for marginalized communities and combating bias while fostering spaces where everyone can live authentically.  

Downie will lead a conversation on questions like how queer communities today foster connection and mutual support in the face of rising challenges; the transformative power of chosen family and authentic living; and how arts and storytelling build solidarity and amplify underrepresented voices. The panel will also discuss current health disparities in the DMV and resources available to LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Special Opening: The panel will kick off with a short drag performance celebrating the vibrant spirit of self-expression and community that defines both RENT and the LGBTQ+ experience.