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April 28, 2025: Double rainbow life possibilities

Today is all rainbows, double rainbows in fact!

We start with Hampshire Pride, marching in Northampton this Saturday, May 3. They’re the first and longest running pride event in the area, which means its events and leadership have seen a lot of evolution. We chat with organizers Clay Pearson and River Matos about what’s in store for the community this year and what they’ve learned in their three years at the helm.

And, the valley-based Rainbow Players are celebrating 25 years of creating devised improvisational works firmly grounded in social justice and disability advocacy. We talk with the program’s artistic director and founder, Ezzell Floraniña, and company members Wole Abiodun and Jay Lithgow about their work, the development of related non-profit ETTA International, the upcoming gala, fashion show and other events to benefit their work.

Hampshire Pride
Rainbow Players
Possible life with Mr. Universe

Christopher “Monte'' Belmonte is host and executive producer of NEPM's The Fabulous 413. He was born and raised in Massachusetts and has been a radio host in western Massachusetts for the last 20 years — the last 17 of them as host of Mornings with Monte on The River 93.9/WRSI.
Kaliis Smith is a radio host and producer for NEPM's The Fabulous 413. She was most recently host and producer at The River 93.9/WRSI where she appeared on Mornings with Monte for the Nerdwatch segment and hosted weekday evenings.