{"id":122531,"date":"2025-07-13T17:05:30","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T15:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=122531"},"modified":"2025-07-12T09:21:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T07:21:11","slug":"13-00-105","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=122531","title":{"rendered":"Jewish Groups Organize \u2018J Pride\u2019 Celebrations After San Diego Pride Refuses to Drop Anti-Israel Singer Kehlani"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Jewish Groups Organize \u2018J Pride\u2019 Celebrations After San Diego Pride Refuses to Drop Anti-Israel Singer Kehlani<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

Shiryn Ghermezian<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Kehlani arrives at the BET Awards 2025 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. Photo: Image Press Agency via Reuters Connect<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Local Jewish organizations in San Diego, California, have together organized a weekend of LGBTQ+ celebrations the same weekend as the San Diego Pride Festival after festival organizers ignored their requests to drop R&B singer Kehlani as the headlining performer due to safety concerns surrounding her anti-Israel comments.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0J Pride<\/a>\u00a0weekend of events is being hosted by the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (LFJCC) Jacobs Family Campus and is open to everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt a time when hate and hostility feel louder than ever, we are choosing something different,\u201d LFJCC said on its website.<\/b>\u00a0\u201cWe are choosing to lead with PRIDE, with compassion, and with unity. Rather than be defined by exclusion or division, our Jewish community across San Diego is coming together to create something new. A space that uplifts LGBTQ+ Jews and our allies. A space filled with joy, celebration, and connection. A space where everyone can feel seen, safe, and proud. This is not just a reaction \u2014 it\u2019s a declaration.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kehlani has been a vocal supporter of a \u201cfree Palestine\u201d and highly critical of Israel\u2019s military actions in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war. In May, the Grammy-nominated singer from Oakland, Calif., said, \u201cF\u2014 Israel, f\u2014 Zionism.\u201d Last year, \u00a0she released a music video that opens with the phrase \u201cLong live the intifada,\u201d referencing violent Palestinian uprisings against Israel and the Jewish community. She has accused Israel of genocide, and in one Instagram post, she wrote: \u201cDismantle Israel. Eradicate Zionism.\u201d She also posted an image online that called for Israel to be removed from the map and replaced with \u201cPalestine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The premier sponsor of J Pride is Jamul Casino and Resort, which donated $10,000 to support the event and withdraw participation in San Diego Pride due to the Kehlani controversy, according to\u00a0East County Magazine<\/a><\/em>. The casino and resort said in a statement that it will honor its financial commitments to the San Diego Pride Festival but will not have a physical presence at the annual event.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>Given the complexity and sensitivity of this situation involving free expression, political symbolism and community inclusion, Jamul Casino Resort\u2019s position is one that prioritizes its firm commitment to core values such as artistic freedom, equality, diversity and genuine respect for community concerns,\u201d resort spokesperson Kirvin Doak said in a statement cited by the magazine. \u201cAs an organization rooted in LGBTQ2S+ advocacy, we do not condone hate speech or violence of any kind. Further, we will not be participating in the Pride Parade and those funds will be distributed to the J Pride Festival.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The San Diego Pride Festival is set to take place July 19-20 at Marston Point in Balboa Park. Eight San Diego-based Jewish groups and synagogues have already\u00a0withdrawn participation<\/a>\u00a0from the festival because of Kehlani\u2019s inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria will limit his participation in the festival in light of Kehlani\u2019s involvement. He made the decision due to \u201cregrettable and controversial rhetoric on social media about the Jewish community,\u201d he explained in a letter to San Diego Pride leaders that was obtained by the\u00a0San Diego Union-Tribune.<\/em>\u00a0Gloria\u00a0will attend and walk in the parade on July 19 but not participate in the rest of the festival, according to his office.<\/span><\/p>\n

The festival\u2019s volunteer director of medical operations and assistant director of medical operations, both of whom are Jewish, said they were also stepping away from participating in the event. Others who have pulled their support for the festival include UC San Diego, UC San Diego Health, Meals on Wheels and Mamas Kitchen San Diego, among many others.<\/span><\/p>\n

In May, nearly three dozen Jewish organizations released\u00a0a statement<\/a>\u00a0urging festival organizers to reconsider having Kehlani perform at the event.<\/span><\/p>\n

In late June, the Antisemitism Task Force of San Diego at StandWithUs launched a campaign called \u201cPride, not Prejudice\u201d to pressure San Diego Pride organizers to remove Kehlani from the lineup of performers. Kehlani\u2019s \u201chateful rhetoric\u201d against Israel and Zionism \u201cglorifies violence against Jews, and alienates Jewish LGBTQ+ participants, directly contradicting the values of inclusivity, respect, and safety that Pride events are meant to uphold,\u201d the task force argued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen progressive spaces tolerate antisemitism or excuse it under the guise of anti-Zionism, they send a clear message that Jews are only welcome if they deny their identity,\u201d Task Force Director Liat Cohen-Reeis\u00a0said in a statement shared with\u00a0The Algemeiner.<\/em>\u00a0\u201cBy booking Kehlani, Pride organizers are sending a clear message that Jews can join the festival if they leave their identity at home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

San Diego Human Relations Commission Chair Nicole Murray Ramirez, who helped cofound San Diego Pride in 1974, told the\u00a0Bay Area Reporter<\/a>\u00a0she will not attend the festival this year and is extremely upset with festival organizers for inviting Kehlani to perform.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Pride board is out of touch,\u201d she told the local publication. \u201cI am absolutely shocked, dismayed, and so disappointed. The Jewish community has always had our backs. I\u2019m a Latino Catholic, but when this came out and [Kehlani] was booked, I wasn\u2019t the only one shocked at the rhetoric she gave and her statements. This is about hate speech.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not about the Middle East,\u201d she added. \u201cThis is about an entertainer who espouses hate, and calls for the end of a people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kehlani insisted she is not antisemitic in an Instagram video uploaded in late April. \u201cI am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew, I am anti-genocide,\u201d she claimed. \u201cI am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti-an extermination of an entire people. I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women \u2014 that\u2019s what I\u2019m anti.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kehlani was scheduled to perform at a concert in New York City in June, but\u00a0it was canceled<\/a>\u00a0after organizers faced pressure from Israel supporters, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Cornell University\u00a0also canceled<\/a>\u00a0a performance by Kehlani, and the singer was set to headline San Francisco\u2019s SoSF Pride festival in late June, but she pulled out of the lineup.<\/span><\/p>\n

San Diego Pride organizers have rejected demands to have Kehlani removed from the event and released a statement in response.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSan Diego Pride identified headliners who are Grammy-level, queer artists to come into a space dedicated to centering and celebrating queer voices, queer identities, and queer joy,\u201d said a spokesperson. \u201cThe organization has a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech. At the same time, San Diego Pride is committed to ensuring a space for dissenting voices \u2014 particularly queer voices of color \u2014 at a time when the federal government is actively silencing those same voices.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jewish Groups Organize \u2018J Pride\u2019 Celebrations After San Diego Pride Refuses to Drop Anti-Israel Singer Kehlani Shiryn Ghermezian Kehlani arrives at the BET Awards 2025 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. Photo: Image Press Agency via Reuters Connect Local Jewish organizations in San Diego, California, have together organized a weekend of LGBTQ+ […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122531"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=122531"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122531\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":122578,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122531\/revisions\/122578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=122531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=122531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=122531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}