About Alex Villafuerte
Alex Villafuerte is San Diego Pride's Marketing & Communication Manager. He oversees the marketing for all of Pride's events & programs. Outside of Pride, he has a love for the outdoors, the San Diego brew scene, and naps.
Let Me Introduce You To…
Tinesia Conwright, Hip – Hop Stage Manager. 
“Pride allows me a safe place to be me. I can be LGBT, Black and Urban all at once at San Diego Pride.”
San Diego born and raised, Tinesia has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management & Leadership from the University of San Diego. Tinesia serves on the San Diego Workforce Partnership Youth Council, the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, the San Diego Urban League Young Professionals and the SDSU African-American Alumni Association.
- Why do you volunteer with San Diego LGBT Pride?
I volunteer because I found a safe place at Pride and I love sharing hip-hop culture with the San Diego LGBT Pride community. I want to help Pride continue to create a safe place for hip-hop music lovers, where it’s safe and okay to be LGBT and Black. I’ve been volunteering with the Festival Entertainment team for the past five years, and I really look forward to each year.
- What’s your official Pride title and what does it mean?
My official title at Pride is Hip-Hop Stage Manager. I not only help select the entertainment lineup for the Hip-Hop Stage, I also coordinate and supervise the volunteers who help in the front and back of the stage.
- What are you reading right now?
Jump – Take the Leap of Faith to Achieve your Life Abundance by Steve Harvey and Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin.
- When you aren’t volunteering with Pride, where might you be found?
At the San Diego Housing Commission, where I am the Youth Workforce Development Program Director, or at DETOUR, a community-based nonprofit where I am the Executive Director.
- What’s the last movie you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
Hidden Figures. This movie is empowerment cinema at its best.
- What’s the best advice you have for someone coming to Pride?
Enjoy, have fun, but take care of each other and be safe.
- Coffee or tea?
Coffee–but I need flavored cream.
- What’s playing on your iPod?
I listen to inspirational/motivational speakers, and right now I’m listening to Eric Thomas (ET), the Hip Hop Preacher.
- What should people know about you?
I am passionate about nurturing the growth of girls and developing them into the future leaders of tomorrow, which is why I founded DETOUR – Depositing Empowerment Through Outreach & Urban Redevelopment. DETOUR is a nonprofit organization that provides three youth development programs: The Focused And Naturally Confident Youth (F.A.N.C.Y.) Teen Girls Expo, a Leadership Academy and a Scholarship Program. I am so proud that DETOUR has empowered over 700 girls since 2009, teaching and mentoring teen girls of color in grades 6 – 12 to be themselves by exploring their self-identity, building confidence, participating in career exploration/employment, volunteering/service-based learning, and completing a college education.
- What are you looking forward to for Pride 2017?
I look forward to sharing Hip-Hop music with San Diego’s LGBT community. Hip-Hop music has been speaking up for generations and providing a voice for people trying to express their opinions about society and government. Hip-Hop music is an avenue for the Black, LGBT, Urban festival goer to celebrate who they are and the intersection of all three.
Be Part of the Pride Family!
If you’re interested in volunteering with San Diego Pride, we’d love to have you! Please follow the link below to learn more about how you can be involved in your community!
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