Icon City Entertainment To Produce Brothers of the Desert 7th Annual Wellness Summit

C. Aigner Ellis
6 days ago
2 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Icon City is proud to continue its partnership with Brothers of the Desert in producing the 7th Annual Brothers of the Desert Wellness Summit, marking the fifth consecutive year that Icon City has served as a production and infrastructure partner for this landmark gathering.

What began as a vital space for connection among Black gay men in the Coachella Valley has grown into a trusted, multi-year wellness institution—one grounded in healing, visibility, and community accountability. Sustaining that kind of space requires more than vision. It requires consistent infrastructure.

A Partnership Rooted in Longevity, Not One-Offs

Icon City’s role in the Brothers of the Desert Wellness Summit extends beyond event-day logistics. Over the past five years, our work has focused on building and maintaining the systems that allow the summit to grow with integrity, including:

Event production and coordination
Partner and sponsor integration
Storytelling, documentation, and media strategy
Operational support that allows community leaders to stay focused on mission

This partnership reflects a shared belief: wellness for Black gay men must be intentional, culturally grounded, and built to last.

About the 7th Annual Brothers of the Desert Wellness Summit

The Brothers of the Desert Wellness Summit brings together community members, health professionals, advocates, and partners for a day centered on holistic wellness, dialogue, and connection. Each year, the summit creates space for conversations and care practices that are often missing—or underfunded—within broader systems.

Confirmed Speakers Include:

Dr. Ni Quarterlai-Quartey
Yolo Akili
Keith Boykin
Harold Phillips
Brandon Dykes
Jason King
Lorenzo Taylor
Dr. Imani Woody
Gabriel Maldonado
Charlie Lewis Jr.
Dr. Daniel Driffin
Dr. Leo Moore
Reggie Benbow
Nathan Hale Williams

📍 Participants can register below:

wellnesssummit2026.eventbrite.com

Sponsorship Opportunities

As funding for community-centered wellness spaces continues to face national and local cuts, sponsorship plays a vital role in sustaining this work.

The 2026 Wellness Summit offers multiple levels of partnership, including:

Premium Sponsor – $10,000
Organization Champion – $5,000
Business / Community Ally – $2,500
Ally / Partner – $1,000

Confirmed Sponsors Include:

Gilead Sciences
The City of Palm Springs
Icon City Entertainment
Viv Healthcare
The California Wellness Foundation
Barton CPA
Eisenhower Medical Center
The LGBTQ Center of the Desert

Sponsorship benefits may include logo placement, program guide recognition, on-site visibility, digital promotion, and community engagement opportunities.

Support opportunities include:

Event sponsorship and brand integration
On-site presence and community engagement
Media, storytelling, and post-event visibility

📊 View the Sponsorship Deck:

Meet With Us About the Summit

Organizations, funders, health partners, and collaborators interested in supporting or engaging with the summit are invited to schedule a conversation with the Icon City team.

🗓 Schedule a meeting regarding the Brothers of the Desert Wellness Summit:

👉 (Insert scheduling link here – e.g., “Exploring Synergy With Icon City”)

These conversations help ensure alignment, clarity, and shared goals as we continue building sustainable wellness infrastructure.

Looking Ahead

Seven years strong. Five years of sustained partnership. This work continues because community shows up—for itself and for each other.

Icon City remains committed to building the operational, storytelling, and partnership infrastructure that allows spaces like the Brothers of the Desert Wellness Summit to endure and evolve.