Blake Baker
President
TIMELINE
2005: Volunteered for Purple Foundation as DJ driver.
2006: Joined Purple Foundation as a junior board member.
2009: Became President of Purple Foundation.
2010: Celebrated Purple’s 10 year anniversary.
2017: Resigned from board to focus on career.
2017–2020: Assisted behind the scenes and managed DJ lineup.
2020–2021: COVID 19 Pandemic.
Late 2021: Returned to run Purple Foundation in a new capacity, as the organization’s first and only full-time employee.
Early 2022: Rebuilt the board and organization from the ground up.
2022: Led the organization to produce the most financially successful Purple Weekend in organization’s 20-year history.
2023: Led the organization to produce the largest Purple Weekend ever utilizing some of Dallas’s most iconic venues including Fair Park Coliseum and AT&T Performing Arts Center.
CURRENT UPDATES
PPW24 was a relentless roller coaster with twists and turns and ups and downs I’m still recovering from whiplash over a week later. Moments that sent my anxiety and stress into overdrive was followed by moments of overwhelming joy that reaffirmed my faith in humanity and then back again as we zig zagged through every close-call, every near-catastrophe, and every joyous celebration. It was EXTRA everything that tested us all, but we did it. We did it as family (about as dysfunctional of a family as it gets but a family nonetheless).
Some major “THANK YOUs” are in order:
Thank you to my amazing board and committee members. You all shined brighter this year than you ever have. You pulled together when we were faced with challenges over and over again. Each and every one of you showed up and worked your butts off…you made me so proud and I was reminded why I chose each of you for my Purple Dream Team. You all showed the world why Purple is the best in the business. I am grateful to have the best job in the world and the opportunity to work with the most creative and dedicated group that I’m happy to call friends.
Thank you to Michael B, our talented graphic designer. You had the impossible job of continuing our marketing campaign after Pablo’s sudden and untimely passing. I had probably unrealistic expectations and I wasn’t always the most flexible about my vision but you did such an incredible job, I think Pablo would have approved.
Thank you to our hardworking event staff and devoted volunteers. You make this all possible, we simply could not do this without you. Thank you Eric Way at Way Events.
Thank you to our production partners and audio/visual teams: System Admin, Laseronics USA, Shag Carpet, ACT, and 3DX for making us look and sound so good even with challenges and setbacks around every corner.
To our talented DJs, thank you for bringing your A-game and being flexible and adapting when plans had to be changed at the very last minute. Special thanks to Alex Acosta and Rue-D Renteria for being flexible and patient. That night will go down as one of my most stressful nights in nearly twenty years of Purple and yall helped make it manageable.
Thank you to our stunning dancers and performers. You all turned it out event after event and made it look so easy. Thank you Brandon Michael for coming up with all of the dancer looks and then designing and producing nearly everything yourself. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year.
Thank you to our generous sponsors, promotional partners, and vendors. Special thanks to Circuit MOM Productions (Circuit Mom Matthew Harvat and Circuit Son Edwin Martinez) for the fantastic support and promotions leading up to Purple Weekend and I promise we won’t wait another 20 years for another Circuit Mom appearance.
Thank you to our gracious venues:
Marriott Suites, Station 4, Gilley’s, and AT&T Performing Arts Center for giving us a safe space where we feel at home (even though some of our attendees feel a little too at home ). We aren’t perfect but we are always entertaining, right?
Thank you to our special services: medical, security, and Pegasus. Yall had one job to do: keep us safe, and you did it flawlessly. Purple Foundation - Dallas Purple Party is the only LGBTQ festival in the country with an in-house medical team and harm reduction program. Thank you Larry Davis for overseeing our special services department and taking it to a whole new level. You’ve laid the groundwork for us to have the safest events in the industry.
And THANK YOU to our attendees, you have supported this event year after year. You’ve turned this weekend in a global destination with an almost cult-like following. Every person that comes to Purple forms a deep connection that brings them back every year and I could not be more grateful for the support.
I want to highlight the real standouts that shined, the heroes that saved the day (or at least the moment), and the true stars of the weekend as far as I’m concerned.
My right hand man Scott Livingston and my left hand woman Sara Dallas. I’m simply in awe of your hard work and dedication to this organization.
Scott, you blew me away this year. You took control of your tasks and made everything work. I can’t imagine us surviving the challenges we faced without you and all the work you put into streamlining our operations. And you did it all remaining cool, calm, and collected. You’ve contributed so much to this organization and you’ve become a trusted friend along the way.
Sara, the world is quite aware of the love and adoration I have for you. You’ve saved the day (and my sanity) more times than I can remember and this year was no different. No you still can’t retire
And lastly, Tyler Moore, the true star of PPW24. You were there every time I needed you and no matter the challenge, you came through (with a little sass, of course). When things went to hell Saturday night into afterhours, it was your genius idea to move the crowd to S4, buying us precious time to finalize a gameplan. When we needed technical help, you were there. When we needed extra hands, you were there. When we needed anything at all, you were there. You even helped me pick our amazing DJ lineup, not an easy task and one I don’t give to just anyone. Oh and you produce the hugely popular PurpleCast podcast series for us every month. On top of allllll that, your talents in the booth impress me every time and as expected, you played a flawless opening set for our main event. You are unstoppable and we are grateful for you for sharing your talents with us. I can’t wait to see what else you can do!
I’m sure I completely forgot a very important group, I’m sorry and thank you
Save the date for PURPLE ODYSSEY: ULTRAVIOLET, May 1-5, 2025.
Blake Baker
