Vanessa Carr Kennedy
Vanessa Carr Kennedy is a New Orleans native, and a proud graduate of Xavier University. Kennedy, a former board member of PFLAG of New Orleans, is on the planning committee for Family Day at Longue Vue House and Gardens. Her titles include Miss New Orleans Pride 2016 and Miss Louisiana Leatherette 2016. In 2023, she was named “Advocate of the Year” at the Gay Appreciation Awards and was also honored by the city with a City Council Proclamation which read: “In honor of meaningful advocacy and visibility provided to the LGBTQIA+ Community.” As an advocate for the LGBT community, she has participated in and coordinated multiple fundraising efforts to support local charities. Vanessa is a Musician/Singer/Songwriter and will be releasing her first original album later this year.
At home, Vanessa is a proud father to three grown children and has been blessed with a beautiful granddaughter. She has been married to her soul mate Desiree for 33 years. Desiree has been the driving force behind Vanessa and has produced drag shows, drag brunches, and charitable events throughout New Orleans, and surrounding areas.
Kennedy views being named Southern Decadence Grand Marshal as an awesome responsibility and sees the title as less of a personal triumph or accolade, and more of an opportunity to bring marginalized groups into the limelight. She wants to see all the community involved in the fundraisers, parties, ceremonies, and leadership roles. That being said, she has not lost sight of the origins of Southern Decadence, noting “This will be a huge party celebrating our locals, visitors, bars, and restaurants.”
Jeffrey Mayeux
A native of New Orleans, for the past 11 years Mayeaux has called Gulfport, Mississippi, home. A true businessman at heart, he owned Planet Beach in the French Quarter for 12 years. Mayeux currently owns Marble Slab and Great American Cookie Company franchises at three Gulf Coast locations. He is also the owner of Sipps Bar in Gulfport, which has proudly served the LGBT+ community for nine years.
Mayeux serves on the Gulf Coast Association of Pride and was selected as the group’s Pride King for 2023-24. Civic-oriented, Mayeux is a founding member of Gulf Coast Equality Fest, and a member of the LGBT+ Chamber.
Mayeux’s hobbies include traveling, CrossFit, and being the best Guncle possible to his amazing nephew Cash. In response to being selected Grand Marshal, Mayeux notes, “While it is an honor and privilege being named Grand Marshal of Southern Decadence, it’s quite humbling to be a part of this legacy. We are very excited to show everyone what we have in store for SD 52.”
Paribe Meyer
Paribe Meyer has been an advocate in the LGBT+ community for over 30 years, Having volunteered with the Howard Brown HIV Center in Chicago for several years, helping at-risk teens & young adults,and organizing HIV/STD/STI testing drives & safe sex education classes, he relocated to New Orleans in 2017.
Upon moving to NOLA, Meyer was alarmed by the extent of homelessness in the city, which prompted him to work with his employer to collect toiletries & clothing items and distribute them on the weekends. His work with the homeless caused him to focus on other social issues at-risk people in New Orleans face.
Meyer joined the leather community in his mid-30’s. Since then, he has conducted several educational training classes about the LGBTQ+ community’s leather subculture. Meyer says, “The most common conversation I have with individuals, especially young adults, is their feeling the lack of diversity and inclusion in New Orleans within the LGBTQ subcultures. As I became more involved in the city’s LGBTQ+ community, I also noticed a great divide between the subcultures and a great lack of inclusion & diversity and education as it relates to the leather and other subcultures within the community. I also discovered that many of the places that provided resources, safe spaces, and educational environments for those seeking information were either permanently closed or in serious need of additional funding.”
After joining The Lords of Leather, Meyer has worked diligently to bridge the gap between subcultures by strongly advocating for inclusion, diversity, and acceptance. Upon being named Mr. Louisiana Leather 2023, Meyer hit the ground running, speaking at events and with organizations “expressing the importance of the leather community doing their part to be more inclusive regarding race and gender identity, and accepting as it relates to the next generation.”
Meyer says his mission is “to educate and connect like-minded individuals and be a positive representative and spokesperson for all cultures within the LGBTQ+ community and society in general.” On being selected as a Southern Decadence Grand Marshal, Meyer says, “It’s an honor that only happens once in a lifetime—one I hope I live up to. We only live once and I’m so honored to have been selected a Southern Decadence Grand Marshal.”
Press Release Party
Join the Southern Decadence Grand Marshals at their press release party on Saturday, June 15th from 7 to 10 pm at The Bourbon Pub & Parade. They will announce the official colors, theme, song and charity. There will be special performances and official Southern Decadence merchandise for sale. Suggested donation at the door is $10.00.
