Brothers of the Desert (BOD) will host its 7th Annual Wellness Summit on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the Renaissance Palm Springs, bringing together Black gay men and allies for a full day of inspiring keynote presentations and innovative workshops to choose from throughout the day.

With “Building Our Collective Resilience” as this year’s theme, Brothers of the Desert will continue its tradition of convening diverse guests and community partners who value empowering residents to live healthier, more connected lives.

“The Wellness Summit has become our signature event because it blends inspiration with practical support,” said Tim Vincent, President of Brothers of the Desert. “It creates a space where people feel seen, supported, and energized to live healthier lives.”

“We’re building a space that centers Black gay men while welcoming allies who are ready to learn and stand in community,” said Aigner Ellis, Wellness Summit Executive Co-Producer (Icon City Entertainment). “The energy of the Summit is about care, dignity, and forward motion.”

 

Registration is required; complimentary lunch is provided.

The Summit closes with a powerful address by Yolo Akili Robinson, and an opportunity to connect with summit attendees in a speed dating/friending activity facilitated by mental health clinician Dr. Matthew Brinkley.

 

This is a day you won’t want to miss. Suggested donation $25 and any amount given is appreciated.

 

Click here for more information and registration.

Brothers of the Desert, in partnership with Icon City Entertainment, cordially invite you to the 5th Annual “Meet the Speakers” event. This free special occasion serves as the opening reception for our 7th Annual Wellness Summit. Over the past four years, this collaborative partnership has offered summit attendees a unique opportunity to network with each other and our esteemed presenters in a relaxed cocktail setting.

This year’s gathering will take place at the beautiful Renaissance in Palm Springs on Friday, March 27th from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Attendees can enjoy a cash bar and complimentary bites while engaging in enlightening conversations and forming meaningful connections. Sponsoring partners for this year’s event will be announced soon.

Mark your calendars for an evening of fellowship, remembrance, and anticipation for the powerful and enlightening discussions that await us.

Please RSVP here

Join us for the closing celebration of our Wellness Summit weekend with, "A Soul Food Sunday Brunch." Enjoy the outside atmosphere on the patio of the Palmetto Restaurant at the Riviera Resort. Seating will be family style on the patio as we listen to cool soulful sounds from Charlie Brown, taste delicious food from Chef Andre Jones house chef at the Riviera Resort. Brunch will include a complementary water, juice, and coffee/tea station and a specialty cocktail menu cash bar sponsored by a Black-owned spirits company Blackstorm Vodka and Spirits.

Friday, March 27 | 9:00am–4:00pm 

Powered by Gilead Sciences
Presented by iN-Hale Media & Entertainment in partnership with Brothers of the Desert

 

Wellness, Resilience & the Power of Storytelling is a full-day immersive workshop designed to help participants transform lived experience into purpose-driven narrative. Centered on wellness and resilience, this experience invites Black and Latino men, queer men, and men living with or impacted by HIV to reclaim storytelling as a tool for healing, advocacy, and visibility. The day opens with a keynote from Dr. Daniel D. Driffin on the intersection of health, wellness, and storytelling.

 

Led by Emmy-nominated writer, director, producer, and bestselling author Nathan Hale Williams, participants will engage in plenary instruction and hands-on creation labs and leave with a tangible proof of concept for a story they want to tell.

Storytelling verticals include:

Come ready to excavate your story. Leave ready to shape it.

 

Reserve Your Spot for this free event

AMRecovery founder, Arnold McCuller, renowned musician and performer, has transitioned to a new role as a certified Interventionist and Recovery Coach. With a deep commitment to supporting individuals facing substance abuse and mental health issues, Arnold leverages his personal experiences and professional training to guide others towards recovery. His journey from the stage to the recovery community is fueled by a passion for helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of addiction and mental health challenges.

 

At some point you’ve heard Arnold McCuller’s rich distinctive vocals that have captured the hearts and ears of many well-respected musicians and fans alike. Long time featured vocalist with James Taylor and Phil Collins, in addition to recording with numerous A-list musicians. Arnold has also had a rather successful acting career as well with a number of film and TV appearances.

 

After a national tour of the musical Hair, Arnold joined the quartet Revelation from 1974-1979 and recorded one album plus a series of singles. In 1979, Arnold kicked off his solo career with a remake of “Nowhere to Run” that was featured in the cult hit movie The Warriors. Almost 40 years later, this song still averages over 12k streams per month on Spotify. This would be the first of many movie soundtracks to feature Arnold including Duets and Patriot Games.

 

Since 1990. Arnold has released seven studio and two live solo albums that run the range of smooth jazz to latin-pop to blues showcasing Arnold’s diverse vocal abilities. Many of Arnold’s talented friends have lent him a hand over the years including: Bonnie Raitt, Dave Koz, David Benoit, Brad Cole, Lamont Van Hook, Jon Gilutin and more.

 

Every community has a vibe.

 

You can feel it within five minutes of walking into a room. It’s in who gets greeted. It’s in whether someone makes eye contact or looks right through you like you’re a decorative plant. It’s in whether a newcomer gets folded in or left hovering near the snack table, suddenly fascinated by the ingredients list on the hummus.

 

And here’s the thing: culture isn’t created by a mission statement. Culture is created by moments.

 

Tiny, ordinary moments. A warm hello. A check-in before touch. A quick introduction that saves someone from standing alone. A gentle correction when a line gets crossed. A willingness to own your impact without collapsing into shame or defensiveness.

How we treat each other is the culture.

 

Some people are naturally warm. Some of us are introverts who look like we’re plotting a heist when we’re actually just regulating our nervous systems in public. Either way, kindness is something we can practice.

 

Kindness looks like making room. Learning a name and using it again later. Noticing who’s being talked over and opening the circle. Being curious instead of clever. Letting small awkward moments be small, instead of turning them into stories about what’s wrong with you or what’s wrong with everyone else.

 

And kindness is not the same as being “nice.” Nice can be performative. Kind is grounded. Kind can hold a boundary without making someone a villain.

 

Consent absolutely matters around physical contact, and it’s part of what makes community spaces feel safe. But consent is also conversational, social, energetic.

 

Consent looks like asking, “Do you want a hug?” and actually being okay with a no. It looks like checking, “Is now a good time?” before launching into something heavy. It’s noticing when someone’s energy shifts and giving them an out without making it weird.

 

It also includes privacy and discretion. Not everything shared in community spaces is meant to become public commentary. Consent asks us to respect what people offer, and what they don’t.

 

Inclusion isn’t something we declare. It’s something people feel.

It’s in the small ways we widen the circle: not assuming everyone knows the inside jokes, making introductions, being mindful that people arrive with different histories, identities, bodies, ages, and comfort levels.

 

Inclusion also lives in our humor and our casual comments. And when someone tells you something didn’t land well, here’s a helpful mantra: impact matters more than intent. Intent matters, sure. But impact is what the other person has to live with.

 

Accountability gets a bad reputation because people imagine punishment or public shaming. But real accountability is simpler: taking responsibility for your impact.

 

It sounds like, “You’re right. I see it. I’m sorry.” Or, “Thank you for telling me. I didn’t realize. I’ll do better.” It can also sound like, “That doesn’t work for me. Please don’t do that again.”

 

A strong culture is built in micro-moments. So this month, choose one small act that strengthens the culture: say the hello, make the introduction, ask for consent, offer the out, apologize without theatrics, repair what can be repaired.

 

Because the culture isn’t “out there.” It’s right here, in the way we treat each other. And if we do that well, everything else becomes possible.

A short 2-mile route will ensure that all can participate and be a part of this commUNITY event!

 

Starts and Ends at The Roost Lounge. Walk Bold. Walk Strong.

 

Brothers of the Desert is all in to support! Now in its 10th year, Cathedral City LGBT+ Days is the first Pride event of the year in California. Dedicated to honoring the LGBT+ community and its allies, the festival celebrates the unique culture and history of Cathedral City through music, art, and community gathering. Our 1st Annual 2026 CommUNITY Strong Walk benefiting Human Rights Campaign (HRC) will gather the community together and give back all at the same time.

 

RSVP with Davidmaurice.jones@gmail.com

 

Brothers of the Desert is excited to continue our monthly discussion group called Barbershop: A Black Gay Men’s Space for Honest Talk About Wellness, now in our second year!

 

Building upon the tradition of barbershops in Black communities, the discussion group is designed to encourage open and honest conversation. The meetings are welcoming a spectrum of Black men, gay, bisexual, transgender and nonbinary. The wellness topics discussed are diverse, ranging from dating and intimacy, aging considerations, how we get and offer support, and exploring our identities as Black men.

 

The group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-7:00 PM. There is no charge to attend. We begin with a meet and greet with dinner that begins at 5:30PM and the discussion group starts at 6PM. The group is facilitated by Stuart Huggins and Will Dean.

 

To register to attend the meetings email: willdean.boardmember@brothersofthedesert.org

For questions email Tim Vincent at president@brothersofthedesert.org

 

Brothers of the Desert members meet monthly to discuss recent and upcoming events, share updates on the organization, celebrate our accomplishments, and have an opportunity to connect with new and existing members.

 

Join us for our Monthly Members & Allies Lunch at Blackbook Bar & Kitchen!

Both members and allies are welcome to attend (Cash and Carry).

RSVP with DavidMaurice.Jones@gmail.com before March 13th, 2026.

March always feels like the world clearing its throat.

 

Not quite spring, not quite winter. The light changes. The air gets a little softer. And somewhere inside us, something starts whispering: It might be time.

 

Time to come out of hiding. Time to shake off the drift. Time to remember you’re not meant to do life as a solo project.

 

Here’s the thing about connection: we all say we want it, but most of us wait to feel ready first. We wait until we feel more confident, more rested, more “social.” We wait until the perfect event, the perfect mood, the perfect version of ourselves shows up.

 

Spoiler alert: he’s running late.

 

So instead of waiting for a grand transformation, I’m offering a simpler invitation for March:

Not a complete reinvention. Not a heroic overhaul. One small, real step.

 

It could be:

And if your nervous system gets loud about it, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. That’s just your old wiring trying to keep you safe by keeping you small. Thank it for its concern, and take the step anyway.

 

Because renewal doesn’t happen in your head. It happens in your calendar. In your feet. In your willingness to show up.

 

One brave move. That’s it.

 

I’ll see you out there.