[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





  HONORING BLUE STAR AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR 
                              PRIDE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 2022

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Blue Star (she/her) is an Atlanta native and 
retired professional ballet dancer that has been curating art in 
Orlando for over two decades. A creator, business owner, and 
philanthropist, Blue has helped change the fabric of the Orlando 
community and creates safe spaces for the LGBTQIA community and their 
allies. She is the founder of her own 501(c)(3) cancer organization--
The Barber Fund--and the owner of BlueLaLa Events Entertainment and 
Consulting. She is also a former entertainment and board member of Come 
Out With Pride and Ivanhoe Village. She is currently on the steering 
committee for Equality Florida, the bidding committee for World Pride 
Orlando 2026, and the curator of United We Dance--an official week of 
remembrance event for the One Pulse Foundation.
  Blue is an honoree of thc Harvey Milk Trailblazer Award, Orlando 
Magazines Woman of the Year, and 50 Most Powerful. She was recognized 
by the One Pulse Foundation for her heroic efforts after the Pulse 
tragedy and sainted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Her 
artistic recognitions include best performance, favorite dancer, and 
best actress. Her long-standing show ``VarieTEASE'' has been honored by 
many organizations for show creation, choreography, and costuming. She 
is also a City of Orlando honoree of the DTO Golden Brick Award and 
Business of the Year.
  She continues to fight for human rights, create art, make music, and, 
of course, dance, sing, and act. She does this because art is a tool 
that can heal a community because we must ``KEEP DANCING, ORLANDO,'' we 
must keep fighting, and we must ``DO SOMETHING.''

                          ____________________