Carlos Sosa Wins the Long Beach Pride 2019 Logo Art Contest

Congratulations to Carlos Sosa, winner of the 2019 Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Art Contest. His design is the face of Long Beach Pride 2019, and it arrives just as we head into parade weekend.

Several local graphic designers and artists entered the contest, which was held in late 2018. The Long Beach Pride membership then made its decision and selected Sosa’s design as the winning entry. For an artist, it is public exposure of a lifetime: the winning artwork is used in both the advertising and the merchandise for our Pride events and products.

The 2019 theme is “Millions of Moments of Pride,” and 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. Sosa built his design around a central triangle that carries both. Smaller triangles surround it, representing the millions of memories, struggles and warriors who have taken part in the LGBTQ+ community’s ongoing movement for equality. The whole design is draped in the colors of Gilbert Baker’s iconic Rainbow Flag, which brings unity and deeper meaning to the artwork.

Stonewall has long been part of our own story. In 1989, our festival theme was “Stonewall 20,” marking the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. Thirty years later, Sosa’s triangles carry that memory forward.

Sosa is a graduate of California State University, Northridge, and owns GenesisFXE.com, an online graphic design business. He has created designs for the City of West Hollywood, UCLA, the County of Los Angeles and several local businesses.

He is also known as an advocate for at-risk and homeless LGBTQ+ youth. He serves as executive director of The C.I.T.Y. x1 Youth Group, and the City of Los Angeles honored him at its 2014 LGBTQ+ Heritage Month celebration.

Look for his work all weekend. The 36th Annual Long Beach Pride Parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at Ocean Boulevard and Lindero Avenue, following a 9:30 a.m. Pre-Parade Show at the Parade Grandstand. This year’s Grand Marshals include actress Kate Linder and Long Beach native Delta Work.

Follow Carlos Sosa on Facebook and Instagram at @GenesisFXE.