As anti-LGBTQ legislation remains prominent in Florida, some people questioned why Alison Burgos and her team at Pandora Events keep hosting experiences in the state.
For Burgos, cancelling or moving events would be abandoning her community.
“This is my home, and I'm gonna stay here and fight for my community,” Burgos said.
Pandora Events is a company that hosts gatherings for LGBTQ women, ranging from comedy shows to weekend-long parties. Burgos co-owns the company, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, alongside Amy Alonso and Yesenia Leon.
While Pandora has opened the door for LGBTQ women to make lasting connections, putting on events with Alonso and Leon over the years has allowed the three to build a lifelong partnership of their own.
“We joke around that we're each other's longest relationship,” Burgos said. “We've been there for weddings, held each other's hand as parents passed away, and been there for each other's kids' births and adoptions. Not too many people get to have a partnership like this, where you love and support each other and know that the work you're doing is special and impacts others.”
From Pandora’s inception, the co-owners’ reach has grown from weekly nightclub experiences to famous special events and weekends.
One of their most popular productions, Girls in Wonderland, is a weekend-long experience held in Orlando that features multiple events and parties. It attracts about 14,000 people over all events from around the state and the globe. The experience, held from June 5-9 this year, features events like dance parties, pool parties, drag bingo and live music.
More upcoming experiences include a comedy show called Out for Laughs featuring Jen Kober on Feb. 21 at The Manor Complex. After the show, there’s an event called Pick-a-Chick. Burgos said each person receives a number, and people can write notes to any number they find cute.
Behind all the fun, Pandora Events also focuses on supporting nonprofits that advocate for the LGBTQ community. The company donates over $30,000 per year to causes including the Aqua Foundation for Women and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, according to its website.
Hearing stories about people attending Pandora’s events and finding their eventual partner, new friends, a place in the community or even proposing is what keeps Burgos inspired.
“There are moments where it's one in the morning, and the dance floor is packed, people have their arms in their air, and they're dancing and smiling,” Burgos said. “And I get to know that we created that moment for them. It's my high.”
Although Florida’s anti-LGBTQ political climate has led Pandora to focus more on planning and safety measures, the high Burgos experiences embody the commitment she and her co-owners have to provide queer women an opportunity to create bonds no government can break.
“We're honored and proud to serve our community, to create something that touches people,” Burgos said. “The fact that we're creating a space where people are building lasting relationships that touch and move and change their lives feels really special for us.”
Get tickets and check out more upcoming experiences from Pandora Events at www.pandoraevents.com.
