TransForm Arizona - Entertainment

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS - 7PM
Doin' Time with Peterson Toscano
Transfigurations

DOWNLOAD PETERSON'S FLYER HERE
SUNDAY AFTERNOON: NOON - 6PM

LOCATION: PAPAGO PARK

Scroll down for AWESOME ENTERTAINMENT!
 

Jamie Tellez and Alyssa Simpson are Arizona Trans Women with a passion for music and sharing it with others.

Jamie Tellez is a 4th generation Arizona native who spends her days driving a giant Tonka truck and digging copper out of the ground. In her spare time she is an avid gamer, graphic artist, writer, musician, DJ, and most importantly, a very proud parent.

Alyssa Simpson moved to AZ from NY four years ago to escape the cold and the taxes of Long Island. Like Jamie, Alyssa also worked in a very girly career... She was a Police Officer in New York for 10 years. In her spare time, Alyssa loves cooking, camping, travelling, shopping, and beating on drumheads.
 

 

RYKA AOKI DE LA CRUZ
Peace, Love Revolution! And Good Chocolate!

Ryka Aoki de la Cruz is a writer, composer, chemist, black belt, and moonshiner who has recently featured at the National Queer Arts Festival, the National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival, Ladyfest South 2007, Atlanta Pride, UCLA’s OutCRY, and Fresh Meat. In 2005, Ryka was the inaugural performer for San Francisco Pride’s first ever Transgender Stage. She has also worked with the American Association of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors, and two of her compositions have been adopted by the group as its official “Songs of Peace.” 

Ryka has been honored by the California State Senate for her work with Trans/Giving, LA’s only art/performance series dedicated to trans, genderqueer, and intersex artists. She was formerly head judo coach at UCLA and Cornell University, and is a professor of English at Santa Monica College.

JOE STEVENS

Joe Stevens, who has been writing songs since the age of fifteen, comes from a lineage of studio singers and choral conductors, as well as old time rock & rollers.  He received a Bachelor of Music from Cornish College of the Arts in 2004 with a focus on composition, while also composing music for modern dance & avant-garde theater.  

Coyote Grace spent the entire year of 2007 touring the country in their 1978 Chevy RV, promoting their debut studio album.  Aptly titled "Boxes & Bags", the album pays homage to the trademarks of their nomadic troubadour lifestyle, while subtly hinting at the weightless yet wearying baggage the soul bears everyday.  "Boxes & Bags" features 12 original tracks of acoustic alt-folk sounds, weaving fabrics of upbeat folkgrass, front-porch blues, lovesick serenades, broody funk, and freight train folk rock into a curious tapestry conveying themes of transformation, introspection, and the impermanence of identity.  

MARC PEDRAZA

Messages of equality, unity, freedom and a pro-peace approach to thinking are evident themes in Marc Pedraza’s music. He combines thought provoking lyrics with a unique blend of reggae, dub and soule to create a style all his own.

Born in the suburbs of Phoenix, Marc traces his first interest in music to childhood memories of listening to his father play piano. After noticing his natural inclination towards music, his parents enrolled him in piano lessons at the age of six. As a teen, he took up guitar and with the help of two friends formed a band called Euphoric Blue. The band performed at house parties, bars and small clubs throughout their hometown for the next six years.

While studying music theory at Mesa Community College, Marc was accepted into the selective Music Industry program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. During his three semesters at USC, Marc took classes in concert promotion and production, music supervision for film and television, music business, recording arts and sciences, music history and entertainment law.


 

 Empowered by his education, Marc returned home and co-founded his record company, Independent Freedom Tribe, with long time friend Abby Hertzel. Throughout the summer of 2003, they worked together to create a platform for talented artists to freely express their unique thoughts and opinions.

Marc has performed at events such as Phoenix Pride, San Diego LGBT Pride, Palm Springs Pride, Humboldt Pride, GLSEN Phoenix "A=Art" Auction 2008, Arizona State University's Day of Silence, Glendale's Food Not Bombs' March For Social Change, The Season For Nonviolence Concert to benefit the Arizona Department of Peace and The People's Army Benefit Show for the No Borders Camp.

www.myspace.com/marcpedraza

SETH ALLEN - STANDUP COMEDY

Seth was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  "That's why I'm so sweet."  He is the only child of a sainted mother who treats him like a prince.  Which he, of course, so richly deserves. 

 
After moving all around the United States (that means Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, California and Arizona two different times), Seth settled in Tucson, Arizona where he lives with two dogs, three cats, a couple of cockroaches, some flies, a handful of spiders, several scorpions, the occasional Japanese beetle and a host of June bugs.  Not all of them are allowed in the house and he's not really even sure some of them belong outside either.
 
Seth has been told since a very young age that he should do stand up comedy.  Always wanting to be the center of attention, he has forgotten more jokes over the course of his life (and he is quite old) than most people ever know.  Everything reminds him of a joke and he'll tell you whether you want to hear it or not.
 
He has served as a Master of Ceremonies for a number of fund raising events in San Diego and Tucson.  He is a writer of absolutely no renown, although he is waiting for the sale of his children's book.  Keep your fingers crossed, it's a real page turner filled with excitement and suspense.
 
Recently, Seth was touting his most outstanding accomplishment....the growth of some very respectable sideburns.  "Be careful when you trim them.  If you screw it up, you'll have to shave them off."  Hopefully they will be in full fur, to match the edges of his ears, soon.

MISS INDIAN TRANSGENDER ARIZONA

Miss Indian Transgender Indian Arizona To assist, educate and raise awareness that challenges Native American Transgender community. and also to be a positive role model and advocate for Arizona Native American /all LGBTA Group members."

Being Native American TG I believe in the rights of all individuals to the life that they need. I believe that Transgendered people are valuable members of society and their local communities. I believe in challenging stereotypical views that faces Transgendered people today. I believe that one of the most effective ways to achieve this is to have fun, be true to yourself, and live life to your fullest.

I am the new 2008-09 Miss Indian Transgendered Arizona . I am from the White Mountain Apache Tribe, I am Full blooded Apache, and from my fathers clan I am Butterfly, and from my mothers clan I am Roadrunner. As far as I can remember I knew I was different, my family all know of where I stand in life, and have always advised me that all they care about is that I get myself educated and live a good life. Thanks to my parents, family and especially good friends I am where I am today. I am thankful I have crossed paths with only good people in the journey I am walking. My grandparents have thought me to speak my native tongue. I am proud on where I come from, and proud of whom I am. My grandmother who was a vision seeker would always tell me live your life the way you want to live, I am not ashamed of you, I love you for who you are, and no matter what, you are still my grandchild. She would tell me to respect everything in life, the sky you see, the water you drink, the air your breath, the earth you walk on. To see everyone as equal; no matter size, shape, or appearance. After all we are all human beings. In life you will come among those who don’t approve of you, and will say words to hurt you, but don’t worry about them and just keep going. I keep that in my mind, and always thankful that I live this life style and wouldn’t change it for anything. For I get to view this world from a four angles: as women, as a male, as a transgender, and as a Native American. I am interested in Native American Culture, I enjoy arts and craft, and as hobbies I enjoy sowing, beading, drawing, listening to music of all sorts of variety. I enjoy outdoors, running, hiking, movies, and National Geographic.

I like to take life one day at a time. What ever comes my way today I take it with a good stride for it will soon be in the past tomorrow. I enjoy my job and love being a Social worker; in helping those who are less fortunate, to get back on the right track, these are things money can’t buy but in return I feel a better sense and understanding in life.