Your archiving and lifting up of Black and Brown light and forgotten voices is inspiring and I’m grateful for your work and intentionality.

Stephonne, local musician

Tintoretta Tattoo Studio
September 6, 2025 (KC’s Black Gay Pride Weekend)
Solo Exhibition

Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’ was a block party and outdoor exhibition in celebration of Kansas City’s inaugural Black Gay Pride and former Downtown Black gay bar, Soakie’s. As expressed by interviewees in Montalvo’s latest research for {B/qKC}, the parking lot at Soakie’s became a destination for Black queer people as much as the bar itself–serving as a congregation space, particularly, for folks who weren’t old enough to enter the bar.

Happening at Tintoretta Tattoo Studio, Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’ builds on the positive elements of the parking lot at Soakie’s remembered by our elders. An outdoor party, folks will be to dance with one another, indulge in food and drink, and a view a special “trunk” exhibition of the archive.

Premiering during Kansas City’s inaugural Black Pride dates from 1999, another historical nod, Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’ continues to build on {B/qKC}’s roots: building our community and historical record through party.

Archival materials used in this exhibition are populated from {B/qKC}: a Black queer community archive founded by Montalvo.

(high-resolution photos captured by Chantel Guzmán-Cupil)

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Photos of Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’

Works featured:

• Archival materials from {B/qKC}
  • Framed materials from the gary_carrington_collection, {B/qKC}, 2023, image reproductions in frames of varying sizes and colors
  • Framed materials from the starla_carr_collection, {B/qKC}, 2023, image reproductions in frames of varying sizes and colors
  • Framed materials from the tisha_taylor_collection, {B/qKC}, image reproductions in frames of varying sizes and colors
• STACKED CRTs, 2025, assemblage and 1 minute and 30 second video
  • HOME, 2025, SD video poem with captions, no sound, 1 minute.
• PAST<>YOU<>FUTURE, 2025, live video projection