In the true sense of the word, Eva Pigford is an ally.

She’s not gay, but the 21-year-old “America’s Next Top Model” winner is surrounded by gay men in the fashion and entertainment industry, something she’s embraced whole-heartedly as she makes a trip to Atlanta for several appearances during Labor Day weekend's Black Gay Pride festivities.

“I love the kids, and I can’t wait to come play with you,” says Pigford. “The community has decided to put me on a plateau and with celebrity comes responsibility, so you need to make sure you’re doing what you need to do to make things right.

“It amazes me that there are places where things like what happened to Kevin Aviance still happen,” she says.

Aviance, a black gay drag performer and singer, suffered a broken jaw, fractures and bruises when he was attacked June 10 in New York City's East Village. Four men face assault and hate crime charges in the case.

Pigford says she's made a point to work toward freedom and equality for gay men and lesbians by appearing in New York and the Bahamas at gay- and AIDS-related events.

“The liberty and freedom of being gay should be celebrated,” she adds. “When it comes to sexual orientation, being gay doesn’t make someone less of a friend, neighbor, co-worker or boss and unless we talk about that, people will still be afraid.”

PIGFORD SAYS she needs no excuse to come to Atlanta, as she fell in love with the city while in school at Clark Atlanta University, but her busy schedule makes traveling a challenge.

Since winning UPN's "America's Next Top Model 3" in 2004, Pigford has been seen on several television shows on BET and MTV, in advertising campaigns for Marc Ecko, DKNY and Samsung, and she’ll be seen on the big screen in “Crossover," scheduled to hit theaters Sept. 1.

“I think I'm successful because my fans support me,” says Pigford, one of the most visible post “Top Model” winners.  “It doesn’t matter what I do, they're in my corner and they want to see me succeed.”

Fans will no doubt be on hand as Pigford takes the stage at Red Chair Restaurant & Video Lounge on Sept. 3 with "American Idol" alum Frenchie Davis for Invictus Entertainment's "Blonde Ambition Tour." The Sunday night cabaret performance will feature Davis’s vocals.

Coincidently, Davis and Pigford have been friends for years, as Pigford’s cousin, who also does her make-up and hair, was Davis’s best friend in high school.

Davis, the featured singer in the Broadway production of “Rent,” says gay fans have been a part of her career since she was a college student at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and she’ll be performing some of her favorite songs for Black Gay Pride in Atlanta.

“I'm just going sing a few songs that I love, songs that I’ve auditioned with and helped my career, and run through my favorite singers and songs I know what the gay audiences will love,” says Davis, who was rained out of a performance during June's Atlanta Pride festival.

DAVIS ISN'T the only R&B diva to take the stage during the six-day Black Gay Pride that culminates Labor Day weekend, when organizers expect about 40,000 visitors.

Shanice Wilson, known mostly for her 1991 hit song “I Love Your Smile,” is slated to perform with Pigford on Labor Day at Fever.

Unsure why she’s always been popular with gay crowds, Wilson says she looks forward to performing for a gay audience in Atlanta.

“I appreciate [gay fans],” she says. “I love it, and I think they still want to hear what I have to say.”

Her message today is different than it was when she was topping the charts as an 18-year-old signed to a major label. Now an independent artist on a label owned by herself and husband Flex Alexander, Wilson says she’s doing whatever it takes to push her sound and bring back R&B.

“It hurts me that R&B is suffering,” says Wilson, now a mother of two. “It's all about hip-hop now. I’m not downing it because I listen to hip-hop, but if you don’t have a rapper on your song, people don’t want to give it a chance. I hope that when people hear my music they’ll enjoy the R&B in it.”

Also performing during Black Pride is Atlanta-native Monica, the Grammy-winning R&B princess who made it to number one with R&B pop songs like “The Boy is Mine” and “Angel of Mine.”

“It’s so crazy because Monica really is one of those favorites in the black gay community,” says Gregory Douglas, head of Invictus Entertainment, the group teamed with WassupNATL to bring Monica, Wilson, Davis and Pigford to Atlanta. “We thought a concert with Monica would be a great way to start the weekend off.”

Monica performs Friday night, Sept. 1, at Earthlink Live.

Though celebrity appearances carry several of Douglas’s events, his roster includes a full week of events from exotic dancers to a special performance by rising rap star Rasheeda.

ALONG WITH SOCIAL events at nightclubs and other venues across the city. Black Gay Pride offers a full slate of cultural and educational events sponsored by In the Life Atlanta, which celebrates 10 years as "official" organizers of the Labor Day weekend tradition.

This year, more than ever before, In the Life Atlanta organizers say they’ve made special effort to reach out beyond their usual workshop and event schedules, providing their own entertainment and working with other entertainment promoters to make sure the weekend is memorable.

“It’s just getting stronger,” says ITLA co-chair Zandra Conway. “The promoters recognized if ITLA didn’t do this for 10 years, they couldn’t have a fantastic weekend either. They’re recognizing there is something they can come to the table with.”

Part of the collaboration with entertainment groups has led to unprecedented partnerships where participants can save on selected club admissions by purchasing ITLA’s All Access VIP pass for $80.

But club events aren’t the only entertainment around, ITLA’s rich offering of cultural programming includes an appearance by the Punany Poets, a collective of black women performing sexually charged and informative erotic poetry, and two performances of Laurinda Brown’s “Walk Like a Man,” a stage version of her successful collection of lesbian short stories.

“I’ve always believed gay culture is a culture in itself,” Brown says. “We understand one another and we always seem to stand alone, but people don’t realize there's a division and certainly levels of diversity.”

Brown says her play, which features spoken word and monologues, brings women from both sides of the gender divide together, and that the performances often reflect common experiences.

“By the end of the play, you’re not caught up with how someone looks, and you realize they’re just human,” she continues. “It brings everyone together because it really gives you the opportunity to see the different mindsets.”

Conway says focusing on the arts is an important part of black culture that bridges the divide between gay and straight. Hosting black arts performers and authors allows for increased exposure and expression, she says.

“It’s a way of showcasing the talent we have in our culture,” she says. “It’s an opportunity for them to show their works and get a chance to make a living out of this and be successful and recognizable.