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Nissan, Walmart dial back Stonewall Columbus sponsorships for Pride 2025
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH) — Stonewall Columbus said a few corporations that previously backed the Pride march and festival are cutting off support this year amid efforts to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Densil Porteous, executive director of Stonewall Columbus, said the organization has seen a reduction in corporate sponsorships totaling about $150,000 for this year's Pride celebrations. Notably, companies such as Lowe's, Walmart, Nissan, and Anheuser-Busch, which supported Stonewall's events in 2024, are not participating this year.
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'This trend aligns with a broader national pattern where corporations are reevaluating their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments amid political pressures and economic uncertainties,' Porteous said.
Lowe's, Walmart, and Anheuser-Busch didn't respond to NBC4's request for comment. Nissan said in a statement it's 'currently reviewing all marketing and sales spending — including select consumer auto shows, sports properties and other entertainment activations — to maximize both efficiency and breakthrough effectiveness.'
Despite these setbacks, Porteous said, 'The support from our community and remaining partners has been heartening.' Anticipating some shifts in economic support, Porteous said the organization worked to secure a $276,000 grant from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to offset the shortfall.
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Porteous noted many local businesses and organizations continue to stand with Stonewall, as the organization has raised additional support from the community totaling about $34,000. The organization's Pride events remain scheduled as planned, with the march taking place at 10:30 a.m. on June 14.
'We anticipate a vibrant turnout, celebrating under this year's theme, 'United in Power,'' Porteous said. Learn more about the Stonewall Columbus Pride march and festival on 'Out in Ohio,' NBC4's streaming show amplifying the voices, stories and work of Ohio's LGBTQ+ community.
Stonewall is losing some corporate backing as several other central Ohio Pride festivals have also had their sponsors dial back. The Union County Rainbow Coalition, host of Marysville's Pride Fest, said it has encountered funding challenges as the coalition has spoken out against anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. That advocacy has yielded a drop in support from some local companies, organizers Christian Downey-Thompson and Betty Elswick said.
The Rainbow Coalition has forged ahead with the Marysville Pride Fest, taking place June 14 from 3 to 9 p.m. in Partners Park, in part because of several Marysville families who stepped up to replace those local businesses with even larger donations. The coalition was also the recipient of prize money from Folx Health, an online healthcare provider for LGBTQ+ people.
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The Westerville Queer Collective, the group behind Westerville's Pride Festival, said this June's festival has about the same number of sponsors as last year, even though the collective has needed 'to do a little bit of extra campaigning' in the wake of President Donald Trump's reelection and anti-LGBTQ+ proposals at the Ohio Statehouse.
Delaware Ohio Pride, the organizers behind the city of Delaware's Pride festival, told NBC4 in March that some local entrepreneurs who previously backed the organization have cut off support and no longer offer their businesses as event space since Trump's reelection.
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