K. Stewart Foundation plans 3-day OUT + EXCELLENT weekend for Oakland Pride

The K. Stewart Foundation will host OUT + EXCELLENT Weekend in downtown Oakland from Aug. 14-16, 2026, with panels, a concert and VIP gatherings centered on LGBTQIA+ community building. The event is designed to draw queer leaders, entrepreneurs and allies during Oakland Pride and underscore the foundation’s work on family support, wellness and economic stability.

Why it matters: - The K. Stewart Foundation is using Oakland Pride weekend to build a high-visibility gathering for LGBTQIA+ people, especially Black and Brown, women-led and queer families. - The weekend is designed to pair celebration with resources, networking and community support. - The event also positions Oakland as a destination for queer cultural programming and connection.

What happened: - The K. Stewart Foundation will present OUT + EXCELLENT Weekend during Oakland Pride weekend, Aug. 14-16, 2026. - The three-day event will take place in downtown Oakland. - The convening will bring together LGBTQIA+ champions, allies, entrepreneurs, culture creators, parents and community leaders. - The weekend will feature curated programming focused on connection, culture and community building.

The details: - Friday, Aug. 14 will include a VIP Meet + Greet described as a national space for sapphic connection, queer joy and LGBTQIA+ excellence. - The program will include a full-day conference with workshops, panel discussions, honest conversation and community healing. - Saturday, Aug. 15 will feature an intimate concert with recording artist Erica Mason. - The weekend will end with a VIP evening gathering at Fluid 510, an LGBTQIA+ lounge in Oakland. - Out-of-town guests will be hosted at the Kissel Uptown Oakland Hotel. - The Foundation was founded in 2023. - KSF focuses on safe, affirming pathways to parenthood, wellness and economic stability for families. - The organization centers Black and Brown, LGBTQIA+ and women-led families that have historically been excluded from traditional systems of care and support. - The Foundation’s mission is built around the idea that when families are resourced, culturally affirmed and protected, communities thrive.

Between the lines: - The weekend blends pride-event energy with a more formal convening model, suggesting KSF wants the event to function as both celebration and infrastructure for community relationships. - Co-founder comments frame the event as a way to elevate queer people beyond visibility and toward material support, belonging and wellness. - KSF is also building a broader Bay Area footprint through prior events and partnerships, not just one annual weekend. - In 2025, KSF launched its inaugural OUT + EXCELLENT Charity Gala, a fundraiser and awards celebration honoring Bay Area LGBTQIA+ leaders. - Proceeds from that gala supported KSF programming and its goal of creating a dedicated queer women-centered community space. - The gala was covered by the Bay Area Reporter and Oakland North during Oakland Pride celebrations. - KSF partnered with the City of Oakland, the Oakland City Council, Council member Rowena Brown and the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center to co-host Oakland’s first LGBTQ+ Job Fair. - The foundation has also run targeted fundraisers, including its #Fight4Farrah campaign for a queer Bay Area mother facing breast cancer.

What's next: - KSF says its work will continue through leadership development, family support, economic empowerment, cultural programming and community advocacy. - The Foundation is inviting broader community participation through its website and Instagram presence. - Learn more at kstewartfoundation.org or on Instagram @kstewartfoundation.

The bottom line: - OUT + EXCELLENT Weekend is KSF’s latest effort to turn Oakland Pride into a multi-day platform for queer visibility, support and community investment.