Latest news with #St.PetePride
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pride Is Good for Business. But Corporate America Is Not Upholding Its End of the Bargain.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In a quiet, rural enclave, Clark County Pride is a big deal. The annual parade and festival, which is in its fifth year, is held in La Center, a southwest Washington town of 4,300 that doesn't have a stoplight. There are no hotels and only three restaurants . Still, about 100 people attended the event when it was held for the first time in 2021, braving record-breaking heat to march through the city's modest downtown. To accommodate the 100-degree temperature, organizers installed five different cooling tents—complete with water stations and copious misters—along the 0.9-mile walk. Rather than marching, some locals participated in the parade from the shelter of their air-conditioned vehicles. Attendance has since ballooned to nearly 700 people, not including the dozens of vendors who cater the event. For the businesses who provide food and beverages or sell rainbow flags and jewelry, many have reported that the festival is their single most profitable day of the year. 'Our vendors are so excited to come back because they do so well,' said Malerie Plaugher, Clark County Pride's board secretary. 'Folks who come and want to celebrate Pride rurally are so relieved to have a space that feels friendly, open, and safe that they're excited to spend their money among family.' While Clark County Pride is still much too small to survey the event's economic impact on the local community, all available data indicates that its vendors aren't alone in finding Pride to be a lucrative endeavor. Some of the larger Pride events have estimated that their financial footprint spans the tens of millions: A 2019 study tabulated that Los Angeles Pride generated $74 million in revenue for Southern California, and St. Pete Pride, Florida's most-attended Pride festival, brought in an estimated $60 million in 2023. Similar reports have found that Twin Cities Pride, in Minnesota, and Charlotte Pride, in North Carolina, contribute about $13.4 million and $15.8 million, respectively, to their local economies. San Diego Pride, which is typically the city's largest single-day event each year, is estimated to have a $30 million impact. Despite the fact that Pride remains big money, corporate America is increasingly unwilling to return the investment. Prides across the country have reported a sharp decrease in sponsorships for their 2025 events amid threats from the Trump administration against companies that outwardly embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. On the high end, San Francisco Pride and WorldPride—the latter of which is set for the District of Columbia this month—have lost nearly $300,000 and $260,000, respectively, in sponsorships from corporate partners of previous years, and NYC Pride is down a reported $750,000. Some Pride festivals have been forced to scale back their events while they grapple with a new reality, and others worry that, someday in the near future, they may no longer have the money to exist at all. These funding deficits were nearly universal among Pride organizers I contacted for this story, reporting shortages that account for significant chunks of their overall budget. Representatives for Omaha Pride, in Nebraska, and Wynwood Pride, in Florida, each estimate that sponsorships are down by 50 percent in 2025, while a spokesperson for California's Long Beach Pride says that contributions from businesses have plummeted by 40 percent. Hampton Roads Pride, in Virginia, was forced to cut $80,000 from this year's budget—amounting to a little less than 20 percent of its 2024 expenditures—to keep pace with reduced commitments from corporate sponsors. These funding woes simply do not square with the considerable money that Pride groups bring in for their communities. The estimates cited by LGBTQ+ groups themselves are actually on the conservative side: When I contacted a representative for Columbus Pride—which brings in an estimated $16 million to $18 million for Ohio's economy each year—they said that their data is based almost solely on local hotel stays during the month of June. It's hard for them to survey the more intangible externalities of Pride, such as a surge in local restaurant bookings, bottled-water sales, or even temporary job creation. Airbnb, for one, has estimated that Pride festivals bring in $77 million nationally for its hosts each year, while Lyft has reported that Pride has an even bigger impact on the demand for rideshares than a Taylor Swift concert does. 'It's not something that Pride organizations always talk about because, for so long, there's been this diametrically opposed sensibility that Pride can't be something that also impacts revenue generation because it's protest—but it is both,' said Densil Porteous, executive director of Stonewall Columbus. 'Our opportunity as a community to demonstrate our power through the economic impact that we can make in a region is also part of that protest. It says: Look at what we can do. Look at what smart business is. Smart business is being welcoming, open, and inclusive.' Although Durham Pride generates about $2.7 million in annual revenue off 100,000 attendees, co-founder Trey Roberts says that many of the major tech companies based in North Carolina won't even return his calls. This year's weeklong roster of events—which includes a fashion showcase and a poetry open-mic night—is being funded almost entirely through the proceeds from a local charity 5K race. 'It's like a guarded fence,' Roberts said of trying to attract corporate sponsors. 'We have no clue how to break the barricade to get in there. It's crazy, because Pride feels like it every year gets bigger, but we're also trying to get more resources so we could do more. We're building ourselves up where everyone's expecting us to get bigger and bigger, and we're just struggling: Can you help us out? Can we find sponsors and donors? Can we get grants?' The cold shoulder that Pride groups have received is coming from not just Wall Street but also local businesses, establishments that would appear, on paper, to be natural partners for their programming. Although Come Out With Pride is one of the few major draws to Orlando's downtown district—as the city's tourism is largely centered on Disney World, out in the suburbs—organizers have struggled in recent years to get prominent restaurants and bars to sponsor the event. In this case, much of the hostility stems from fear of retribution, not from the White House but from the DeSantis administration: In 2023 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a draconian bill restricting public drag performances (legislation that was declared unconstitutional by a federal appeals court this month). Even before the drag ban was enacted, at least one Florida city, Port St. Lucie, pulled the plug on its Pride event to avoid prosecution. As with Clark County Pride, many of the Orlando business leaders who have been hesitant to show up to the table have confessed that Pride is their best day of the year. Tatiana Quiroga, the executive director of Come Out With Pride, told me that after organizers were forced to change the parade route in 2024 due to the challenges of accommodating 230,000 attendees, the organization received 'major backlash' from businesses that were along the old path. Those numerous complaints, Quiroga says, were yet another indication of how valuable Pride is to the very people who don't want to fund it. 'We were like, 'Oh, wow, so you do need us. At the same time, where's your sponsorship? I'm really glad that you were standing room only at this wine bar or this brunch place, but there's no conversation with you. You have absolutely no representation in our festival whatsoever,' ' she said. 'Where is that mutual amount of support? We're the actual nonprofit having to support their business, when it's not a mutual relationship.' These roadblocks affect not merely Pride festivals but entire communities. Mallory Pollock, now the executive director of Wyoming's Casper Pride, joked that when the organization held its first festival back in 2017, she could turn her camera horizontally and capture the whole event in the same photo. But this year, Casper Pride will take over the city's entire downtown area with a week's worth of events—a lineup that will include a drag show, karaoke night, and bowling night. Although organizers have yet to see a reduction in funding this year, any losses in sponsorship or vendor participation would ripple across not just the town but the wider state. The festival is part of the And Let Live coalition, a network by which Pride groups in Wyoming share funding and resources with one another. One organization's being defunded would be extremely detrimental for each of ALL's members. Casper Pride not only brings revenue from LGBTQ+ people and allies to Wyoming, but it also keeps those dollars in the community. The city of 58,000 recently opened its first queer resource center, which offers monthly support groups, a food pantry, and microgrants. 'We've had people say that they moved here because of that, and I would like to think that we also keep people here because of it,' Pollock said. 'The surroundings are really hard, and so a lot of people tend to leave for bigger places with more to offer.' Without that support in place, Pollock worries, members of Casper's LGBTQ+ community might move away—and take their business with them. It goes without saying that Pride is about much more than money. It's about creating spaces where LGBTQ+ people can be visible but also feel safe to be in community, a moment to live without fear and luxuriate in collective joy. But the paradox is that those opportunities will be curtailed unless Pride itself is able to be economically sustainable. Some groups, like Utah's SLC Pride and Ohio's Cincinnati Pride, have pushed to end relationships with businesses that have backtracked on their support for the LGBTQ+ community, shifting to alternative fundraising models to help make up the gap. Jonathan Swindle, board president of the Mosaic Project of South Texas, said that he has never had the backing of Fortune 500 companies to put on Pride Corpus Christi, as there aren't very many in the area. 'That's South Texas,' he said. But Pride organizers say they remain committed to finding long-term solutions that uplift and celebrate the community, while also creating space for the most vulnerable. The first Clark County Pride was thrown together on extremely short notice, after its founders learned that LGBTQ+ students at the local middle and high schools were being bullied. Being in such a small town, Plaugher says, Pride is the only opportunity many queer youth in the area have to find their people and feel as if they aren't alone. At last year's festival, an eighth grader came up to Plaugher and told her, 'I made my very first friend today.' 'It's become so big and loud—in the joyful, happy way,' Plaugher said of Clark County Pride. 'To folks who are ignorant of what it looks like to celebrate Pride and what the meaning of it is, I would like to see them be unable to deny the fact that we are safe, happy, and courageous. I would like the naysayers to be unable to deny the positive impacts that our community has on the area.'
Axios
7 days ago
- Sport
- Axios
St. Pete Pride's new leader has big plans despite anti-LGBTQ+ attacks: "I'm a fighter"
She may be 4'11", but don't underestimate Bior Guigni. State of play: She can squat 450 pounds. She's a women's wrestling pioneer, mixed martial arts fighter and former rugby player. And, after an award - studded career in nonprofits, she recently took over as executive director of St. Pete Pride — Florida's largest Pride celebration, which kicks off Sunday — amid a barrage of attacks on LGBTQ+ people in Florida and beyond. In other words,"I'm a fighter," Guigni, 42, told Axios in a recent interview. After visiting family in the Tampa Bay area for the last 20 years, she moved here from Boston with her two standard poodles, Kingston and London, and is enjoying the bungalows, brick-lined streets and beaches. Driving the news: She's got big plans for St. Pete Pride. We caught up with her to learn more. Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What is your vision for St. Pete Pride? There's a lot of opportunity to continue to deepen the year-round presence that St. Pete Pride can offer through advocacy, cultural programming [and] equitable access to resources. I want to really expand our partnerships, not only within the city of St. Pete, but also with other Prides statewide. Considering things that are happening, not only in this country but in our world, it's important for us to remember that we are stronger together and that our voices, when unified, are more powerful than separating each other, right? So [we're] especially focusing on BIPOC (being that myself), trans voices, youth voices [and] elders that have been through so much to get us to where we are today, and I want them to all feel seen and supported through St. Pete Pride. What are you most excited about heading into Pride Month? I know the blood, sweat and tears that comes not only from our team here at St. Pete Pride, but just the entire community. So what I'm really looking forward to is actually getting to celebrate together. And then on top of that is rolling out our summer cool-down series this year where we'll be thanking people who have served half a million people throughout the entire month. We've partnered with a few of the amazing pools in the city and have actually worked out where there's going to be open accessibility on a Monday or Tuesday [for workers and locals who helped make Pride happen]. In Florida, we've seen threats to Pride celebrations and drag shows. We've seen all kinds of attacks on life and expression for queer people, especially trans people and trans youth. How are you addressing that? We are going to continue to be that resource and that organization that provides these safe, inclusive spaces, through our community events, through our advocacy and through the educational part of our work, and doubling down on that, because I think the more that people try to take away, the more we need to come together and keep pushing forward. Did you have any perceptions about Florida coming in that sit with you differently now that you're here? And were you nervous about anything about coming to a place like Florida? I'm not just queer. I am an immigrant. I'm a woman of color, right? And so, driving from Boston to Florida, there are so many things that I had to worry about. But racism and hate is not just centered in certain states. It's actually a country-wide epidemic. I was pleasantly surprised — coming to St. Pete for the last 20-some-odd years — just to see the development of the city and to see all the different businesses that have the rainbow and have beautiful, bright art and collages. It really reminded me of P-town [Providencetown, a queer-friendly destination on Cape Cod]. So it felt very safe here, and I was just really excited to be able to find an opportunity like St. Pete Pride. St. Pete Pride events June 7: Youth and Family Day June 12: Stonewall Reception June 18: Transtastic June 21: Womyn in Comedy June 28: Trans March
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pride lights no longer allowed on Florida bridges, and most other colors too
There was a storm of protest last year when the state overruled local efforts to decorate bridges with rainbow lights in June for Pride month or in red for sickle cell awareness or orange for gun safety. Instead, the Florida Department of Transportation, which manages state bridges, ruled it 'freedom summer' and called for only red, white and blue lights from Memorial Day to July 4, wiping out plans for other commemorations. Expect more of the same this year. FDOT quietly passed a rule that declared 'lighting colors and sequences shall be a default scheme of red, white, and blue,' as of Feb. 1. The lightings 'will be limited to the recognition, commemoration and or promotion of government holidays.' That means just nine holidays starting with New Year's Day, followed by Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. 'Any alternative lighting combinations will be decided by the department,' the FDOT policy says. The city of Sarasota asked the state for approval of an eye-catching aqua blue color scheme as the default color on the Ringling Bridge when it isn't lit up in red, white and blue for the holidays observed by the state. That was approved, and those colors lit up earlier this month. But they can't overrule the new policy on their own. 'The city of Sarasota does not have jurisdiction over the Ringling Bridge lighting. As such, the City Commission is not able to accept or consider individual lighting requests,' a city statement said. From 2020 to 2023, the Skyway Bridge had a vibrant rainbow light display for one week in June to honor Pride Month. But a single Manatee County commissioner who expressed disapproval of requests for light displays honoring Pride and Gun Violence Awareness nixed the plans in 2024. County Commissioner Mike Rahn said at the time that the requests from various groups 'has somewhat gotten out of control,' and added: 'It should not fall with us as a county commission; it should fall on FDOT.' St. Pete Pride president Byron Green-Calisch said he was disappointed but not surprised. 'The state of Florida is amazing in the plethora of ways it is looking to be non-inclusive when we should be welcoming more people to enrich our economy.' He said some people may not realize what a lift to the spirits something like the Skyway Bridge lit up in a rainbow of lights is. 'It is a reminder that you are not alone,' he said. On the upside, Green-Calisch said he hasn't been turned down by any businesses, buildings or organizations in St. Petersburg to put Pride flags out front or in their windows in the coming weeks. He braced himself after news broke that Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa decided not to display any Pride or Juneteenth flags out of concern it could lose its federal research grants. He said St. Pete Pride still has the strong support of sponsors like Hard Rock Cafe and Raymond James and many small businesses across the area. 'There is hope out there,' Green-Calisch said. 'Even if you don't see the bridge light up, there are people out there actively engaging and fighting.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Moffitt Cancer Center will no longer fly pride, Juneteenth flag
Moffitt Cancer Center will no longer fly a rainbow flag in June to commemorate pride month, according to internal emails obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. The nonprofit also will not fly a special flag on June 19 to commemorate Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people. The decision comes as the Trump administration has threatened to withhold medical research grants to universities and other organizations that have diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Moffitt received more than $55 million in research funding from the National Institute of Health in 2024, records show. It receives additional funds through its partnership with the University of South Florida. Moffitt officials confirmed the decision but declined to give a reason. 'Moffitt Cancer Center is committed to our mission of contributing to the prevention and cure of cancer — for all populations,' a statement provided by Moffitt said. 'Moffitt strives to deliver high quality outcomes for all. Every day, our team members show dignity and respect to each other and every patient who walks through our doors. It is the culture of our organization." The decision is an abrupt U-turn for the nonprofit, which has flown a pride flag since at least 2017. In 2020, it launched a study aimed at training oncologists to better understand the needs of their LGBTQ+ patients. Moffitt donated $1,000 to this year's Tampa Pride event in March, and its employees have regularly taken part in the St. Pete Pride event, which in the past included a Moffitt booth to promote the center. Other health groups, including Tampa General Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, are among sponsors of St. Petersburg Pride, the largest LGBTQ+ festival in the Southeast. An email announcing the decision was sent Wednesday to Equity at Moffit, a engagement employee network, by Laura Bosselman, manager of patient experience and relations. 'I know this is not the outcome many of us were hoping for,' she wrote. 'The flags have served as powerful symbols of recognition, inclusion, and visibility for our communities, and I share in the disappointment this decision brings.' A significant number of companies and organizations, including Walmart, IBM, Goldman Sachs and United Health Group, have rolled back or ended diversity, equality and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in the wake of an a series of executive orders from President Donald Trump. One order requires federal contractors and recipients of grants to certify that they do not operate any 'illegal' DEI programs. Another instructs the U.S. attorney general to investigate private sector groups that have DEI programs to see if they violate federal antidiscrimination laws. One page on Moffit's website includes a transcript of a 2024 podcast with Elizabeth Olson, the associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Olson and her wife brought Olson's mother, Gloria Olson, to Moffitt for cancer treatment in 2023. When they arrived for her surgery at the Tampa campus at 5:30 a.m. on June 1, the first thing they saw was the pride flag flying outside the entrance. 'It felt like all of my attention could now be on my mom,' Olson said in the podcast. 'And I didn't have to spend my energy evaluating whether or not Moffitt was a safe space to introduce people to my wife.' Told by a reporter that the flag would no longer be flown at Moffitt, Olson said it was a shame. 'I recognize that institutions are facing difficult decisions in a shifting political climate, but it's important to remember that for LGBTQ+ patients and families, symbols of visibility and support are not just performative—they are vital to feeling seen, safe, and supported in healthcare spaces," she said in an email.
