Michael Brian Parra
Michael Brian Parra is a secular activist, music promoter, and entertainment consultant from Oxnard, California. He uses his middle name, Brian, exclusively for all public references and credits.
Youth and Scouting[edit]
Michael Brian Parra, known as "Brian" to all friends and family, was born in Camarillo, California on December 14, 1976. and spent most his life in nearby Oxnard, California. He attended Oxnard High School, where he participated in water polo, wrestling, and swimming. He graduated in 1994. He earned an Associate's of Arts degree from Ventura College in 1997, and a bachelor's degree in English Literature with a Minor in History from California State University, Northridge in 1999.
As a teen, Brian, was very active in the Boy Scouts of America, which he joined at age 12, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout at age 17, and earning the Vigil Honor in the Order of The Arrow. He served as the "Lodge Chief" (equivalent to chairman of the board) for two years for the Topa Topa Lodge, Ventura County's Order of The Arrow council, earning the organization's Founder's Award.
At age 16, Brian was awarded the Boy Scout of America's Honor Medal for performing a water rescue on a boy who was caught in a whirlpool created by fast flowing water near the Punch Bowls hiking trail in Santa Paula, California . He was recognized with the Medal of Merit by the Ventura County Peace Officer's Association for the same incident.
He worked as a summer camp staff member at Lost Valley Scout Reservation and Camp Three Falls serving in various staff and director level positions. He was a certified BSA Life Guard and attended Boy Scouts of America's National Camp School at Lost Valley Scout Ranch to become a certified Waterfront Director. Brian was the first director of Camp Three Falls' Rendezvous Program, a historical reenactment village consisting of several Plains-style tipis and a three-story-high log fort recreating the 1820s Mountain Man & Rendezvous (Fur Trade) era of the America Frontier that taught and demonstrated skills like tomahawk throwing, black powder rifle shooting, and lighting fires with flint and steel.
Music Promotion[edit]
Brian formed the American Cheese Band, a folk punk novelty band in 1998 with friends from Scouting. Most notably, the band opened for Flogging Molly , The String Cheese Incident, and Sugarcult . The band played its last regular shows in 2003 but continued performing at a regular holiday event called Anal Family Christmas, which featured many local bands performing original Christmas parodies until 2007.
Brian Parra was a founding member of Blackbird Music, a music promotion company and independent record label based in Ventura, California in 2000. Blackbird Music promoted all ages rock and punk concerts around Ventura County, featuring local bands like The Army of Freshmen, 8stops7, Ill Repute, and The Missing 23rd and nationally touring acts like Yellowcard, Atom and His Package, Sugarcult, Cold War Kids, Andrew Jackson Jihad, The Moldy Peaches, The Rx Bandits and novelty acts like David Lovering, drummer for The Pixies, who performed a science & magic act.
In 2009, Parra and Blackbird Music co-founder Travis Whitlock separated the live event production and record label parts of the business and each continues their respective parts currently in some form. Currently, Parra's remaining half of Blackbird Music exists as Parra Events, a pro-audio and event consulting business.
From 2012-2014, Parra produced the Local Rock Picnic, a free, all ages music festival in conjunction with the City of Ventura's Music Week. The events took place in Plaza Park in downtown Ventura.
Secular Activism[edit]
Parra founded the Ventura Atheists, a secular group under the umbrella of Atheists United a 501c3 educational non-profit. In addition to serving on the board of directors of Atheists United, he edited the organization's newsletter, The Rational Alternative, and served as its first paid office administrator.
He was a speaker at the 2009 Atheist Alliance International Conference in Burbank, California. Coincidentally, he was awarded the contract to provide audio and visual services at the same event.
Michael Parra is the President of the Board of Camp Quest West, an affiliate of Camp Quest, and the first secular summer camp accredited by the American Camp Association. He has served as volunteer staff, Camp Director and Program Director as well as the curriculum development committee.
References[edit]
"Today in not okay: Model snapchats nude woman in locker room, body-shames her"[1]
- ↑ "Hello Giggles". July 15, 2016.
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