Snow Tha Product brings message of authenticity to Downey Pride
Snow Tha Product speaks during a press conference Wednesday at Epic Lounge promoting the sixth annual Downey Pride Festival, where she will headline Saturday’s entertainment. (Photo by Eric Pierce)
DOWNEY — Thousands of people are expected to fill Downtown Downey on Saturday for the city’s sixth annual Pride Festival, featuring live entertainment, community resources and a headline performance by queer Latina rapper Snow Tha Product.
The free festival will take place from 4 to 10 p.m. on Downey Avenue between 2nd and 4th streets.
Organizers expect more than 8,000 attendees and more than 80 vendors at the event, which carries the theme “Stronger Together.”
Presented by L.A. CADA, the Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the festival will include food vendors, family-friendly activities, community organizations and resources highlighting LGBTQIA+ behavioral health and recovery services.
Snow Tha Product, whose real name is Claudia Alexandra Madriz Meza, appeared Wednesday at a press conference at Epic Lounge, where she discussed her music, career and the significance of performing at Downey Pride as an openly queer artist.
She thanked her fans for supporting her career and said she feels an obligation to remain authentic and use her platform to address issues affecting the Latino and LGBTQIA+ communities.
“There’s a lot of colorism and racism and miseducation that sometimes happens, and that’s probably how we got here,” Snow Tha Product said. “We need to fix it before it affects us even worse because it’s affecting Latin America — it’s not just the United States.”
The Mexican American rapper said political and cultural divisions extend beyond the United States and called on people to challenge harmful attitudes within their own families and communities.
“There’s a lot of Latin America right now that is very right leaning, that is cozying up to this administration, and I think it’s just going to get pretty bad,” she said. “We have to unfortunately go back to where we’re from sometimes and educate our grandparents and our tios and our tias and our cousins and our parents, and we have to deconstruct all the stupidity that we have perpetuated over the years.”
Snow Tha Product has built a national following through her bilingual music and songs addressing identity, relationships and her experiences as a Mexican American queer woman.
L.A. CADA Chief Executive Officer Juan Navarro said the organization supports Downey Pride as part of its commitment to communities that have historically lacked access to services and representation.
“We have taken a position that it’s important to pay attention to those that are significantly underserved,” Navarro said. “We can’t do that without the support of the city, without the support of the county. Downey has been very welcoming. The message at the end of the day is everybody’s welcome. Everybody’s appreciated.”
Snow Tha Product will be joined by Mexican singer and actress Raquenel “Mary Boquitas,” LA Bamby, Dunka Shay, DJ Grecko, Banda Orgullo Sinaloense, Queer Latin Dance, Exo Stereo and other performers.
The entertainment will be hosted by Ms. Lola and Aay-Tú.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Downey Councilman Mario Trujillo and other elected officials and community leaders are also expected to attend.
The Downey Pride Festival takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, from 4 to 10 p.m. on Downey Avenue between 2nd and 4th streets. Admission is free.