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CBS News
a day ago
- Business
- CBS News
2025 Pride celebrations go ahead despite corporate exodus. But organizers say it won't be easy.
The architects of Pride celebrations across the United States met six-figure challenges this year, owing to a corporate exodus in the spring that diminished their sponsorship funds, which they said would jeopardize future programming. Organizers are contending with serious budget shortfalls as Pride Month begins, and several reported 20% to 30% less corporate support than in past years. The show will go on this summer, they said, but what happens next is less certain. "We're going to make it to the event," said Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, who told CBS News five corporate sponsors cut ties with the organization over the course of one overwhelming week in March and several others reduced their funding. "The real question now is, what kind of shape are we going to be in on the other side of Pride? Are we going to be able to keep the doors open?" Corporate partners that backed out of San Francisco Pride this year were historically among its largest and most reliable donors, including Nissan Comcast/Xfinity and Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch. Along with Target, Bud Light has faced public backlash and boycotts over its Pride advertising in recent years. "That hurt us greatly," Ford said of losing Anheuser-Busch, previously "one of the very largest" sponsors of San Francisco Pride. "Comcast and Nissan have been significant and have been longtime partners. They've been with us for a long time, so it was money that we've counted on." Their retreats meant San Francisco Pride was operating at a loss of about $300,000, which Ford hopes will shrink to about $200,000 once increased donations are factored in from other sponsors, who raised their pledges to narrow the gaps left by the bigger brands. Two large corporate partners, Benefit Cosmetics and La Crema, initially dropped their sponsorship contracts but have since returned as partners, Ford said. Apple was a sponsor of San Francisco Pride in 2023, when the technology company also sent a contingency to march in the parade. Miikka Skaffari/WireImage/Getty Images Several brands that stepped back from Pride partnerships in San Francisco have done the same in other cities. Anheuser-Busch, known for decades as a supporter of the LGBTQ community, also declined to sponsor the 2025 Pride Festival in its hometown of St. Louis, according to that event's organizers. The company had been one of their leading sponsors for the last 30 years, the organizer's said. Pride Month was originally conceived as a way to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, which are credited with kick-starting the modern gay rights movement, and it has evolved since then into a multifaceted celebration of the LGBTQ community. Local Pride plans typically involve multiday event rosters with at least one march, parade or festival, which are intermittently known to draw a million or more attendees. Celebrations around Pride grew tremendously over the last decade or so, organizers say, in large part because of an influx of corporate sponsorships cropping up after the U.S. legalized marriage equality in 2015. The upward trend in brand support was so steep for a period of time that some sponsors were accused of exploiting LGBTQ issues for the purpose of turning a profit. That trend looked very different this year, as corporate sponsors around the country either withdrew their support for Pride festivities or significantly scaled it back. Many attributed their decisions to financial strain or internal transitions, according to statements from several companies and organizers who recalled their conversations to CBS News. "Nissan is 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," a Nissan spokesperson said of the brand breaking partnerships with Pride organizers in San Francisco as well as New York City. New Yorkers celebrate during the annual Pride March in Manhattan on June 30, 2024. Alex Kent / Getty Images But organizers and supporters see a pattern in the sponsorship cancellations, which some consider implicit byproducts of the Trump administration's anti-DEI policies and ongoing attacks on transgender Americans. Ron de Harte, the co-president of the Board of Directors at USA Prides, a national network of Pride organizations, said the decline in national brand sponsorships for Pride events is widespread this year. "This is happening with festival and event sponsorships across the board," said de Harte in a statement. "Of course, bad economic times are coupled with the current administration's unfriendly actions toward the LGBTQ communities, so some markets have sponsors who have moved on." As the Capital Pride Alliance organized WorldPride this year in Washington, D.C., it grappled with a litany of complications leading up to this weekend's international gathering. After President Trump took over the Kennedy Center, multiple WorldPride events were either canceled or relocated under new leadership. In addition, the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, a major federal contractor, backed out of its 2025 WorldPride contract in a move that critics thought bent to government pressure. A spokesperson for Capital Pride Alliance said Booz Allen was the only WorldPride sponsor that canceled a finalized contract, but others dropped out in various stages of the sponsorship process, including Comcast/Xfinity, Deloitte and Visa. The spokesperson said some brands became "silent partners," which means they donate in the background but avoid the publicity that can come with outright sponsorship. Matt Cheng, the director of corporate sponsorships at Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit that produces New York City Pride events, told CBS News that its corporate partners gave various explanations for decreasing or eliminating support. Economic weariness was among them, he said, along with fear of retaliation. "One of the big ones is the tariffs and economy. A lot of budgets have gotten slashed from a DEI and marketing perspective," he said. "But then the other one is fear of backlash from the federal government." Participants walk with balloons during the annual Pride Parade in West Hollywood, California, June 1, 2025. Daniel Cole / REUTERS Heritage of Pride lost roughly one-quarter of its sponsorship dollars, or about $750,000, in the last few months. Large companies like Deutsche Bank ramped up their earlier donations to organizations because of the shortfall, and a poll of about 100 individual donors recently gave $10,000 or so, Cheng said. He hoped New York City Pride fundraisers would bring them closer to zero losses. "In addition to reviewing our budget lines to make sure we can afford to put on Pride the way that it typically is put on, our other concern is our year-round programming," he said. More immediately, a 25% budget gap would likely require Heritage of Pride to cut their only two grant programs, both of which support at-risk communities, Cheng added. Like San Francisco, St. Louis and WorldPride in D.C., New York City Pride also lost large sponsors. Nissan and PepsiCo both pulled support from Heritage of Pride after previously being top donors, according to public partnership information released last year and Kevin Kilbride, the media and marketing manager at the nonprofit. Other sponsors have reduced their funding but are still planning to march in the upcoming Manhattan parade, Kilbride said. Target has remained a silent partner of New York City Pride. Kilbride said Target continues to be "a valued partner" and its sponsorship this year was "at a level consistent with years' past." "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone — our team members, our guests, our supply partners, and the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve," a Target spokesperson said in a statement. "As we have for many years, we will continue to mark Pride Month by offering an assortment of celebratory products, hosting internal programming to support our incredible team and sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country." CBS News contacted Anheuser-Busch, Booz Allen Hamilton, Comcast, Deloitte and PepsiCo but did not receive replies.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Pinkwashing' no longer in style in Trump's America
WASHINGTON, June 4 — The organizer of this year's San Francisco Pride didn't expect rejection when she contacted sponsors, but amid US President Donald Trump's anti-diversity offensive, several longtime backers have withdrawn their support. 'It was quite frightening,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of the California-based group which is among America's most influential gay rights organizations. 'In about a week and a half period, several corporations came back and said 'We're not sponsoring this year,'' she told AFP. In total, Ford's group faced a US$300,000 budget hole, with longstanding partnerships suddenly unwilling to fill it ahead of the late June festivities. 'It's disheartening,' Ford said. One of Pride's major partners, the brewer Anheuser-Busch, has withdrawn, according to the organization. The brewing company did not respond to requests from AFP. The lack of sponsorships is 'newsworthy for sure,' noted Eve Keller, co-president of the USA Prides network of nearly 200 march organizations nationwide. Several US companies have opted to stop financially supporting organized events, especially those in June, designated as LGBTQ Pride Month. Pride organizations are reluctant to call them out, however, for fear of cutting ties. 'Some are still talking with us,' Ford said. 'We hope they return.' In some cities where 2025 Pride marches have already occurred, groups proceeded with 'tighter' budgets, according to Keller. 'They just didn't have headliners (or) could not hire the biggest, best band,' she added, although for her, the main focus in 2025 was to ensure the safety of participants. 'Between the lines' In San Francisco, the companies all pointed to 'budgetary reasons' for scaling back their contributions, said Ford. But 'I think you could read between the lines,' she added. 'No one wanted to be on record saying anything, you know, that would hurt them with the administration or with people that support the administration.' Since returning to the White House in January, Republican billionaire Trump has led a crusade against programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Companies that implement such policies are threatened with prosecution, and several major brands, including Meta, Target and McDonald's, have either abolished their DEI programs or drastically reduced them. The so-called 'anti-woke' pressure campaign comes as US capital Washington hosts WorldPride, a global event for LGBTQ rights, culminating in a major parade this weekend. June Crenshaw, one of the rally's organizers, estimates she suffered 'about a 20, 25 percent reduction' in business partnership and support. 'So we've had to look at other ways in which to finance programming, etc, really leaning on the community and individual donations,' she said. WorldPride organizers also decided to turn away from their 'long and strong partnership' with the Kennedy Center after President Trump seized the reins of Washington's renowned cultural institution, Crenshaw added. 'Pinkwashing' According to Bob Witeck, a communications consultant on LGBTQ topics for major brands, companies fear that taking part in these events could expose them to 'visible risk' during a sensitive political period and 'put themselves in harm's way needlessly.' But several firms 'are still engaged,' he stressed, including 'through the nonprofits they serve.' San Francisco's Ford noted that 'pinkwashing' – the practice of superficially promoting LGBTQ rights – is no longer fashionable. By contrast, companies are contacting her offering support 'but not wanting any credit,' Ford said. They 'just want to do the right thing.' — AFP
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Pride Month 2025 Organizers Face Uncertain Future As Corporate Sponsorship Collapses
Pride festival organizers are grappling with a budgetary shortfall of hundreds of thousands of dollars this year, as corporations scale back funding for Pride Month events – a trend likely to continue – forcing organizers to turn to crowdfunding and other community sources of support, according to AP. People attend the 2023 LA Pride Parade on June 11, 2023 in Hollywood, California. The LA Pride ... More Parade marks the last day of the three-day Los Angeles celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, legal rights, and pride. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) Previous corporate Pride donors that have changed support for Pride Month 2025 by ending or reducing contributions include Amtrak, Anheuser-Busch, Benefit Cosmetics, Boeing, Booz Allen Hamilton, Citi, Comcast/Xfinity, Deloitte, Diageo, Garnier, Goldman Sachs, Lowe's, Mastercard, Meta, Nissan, Pepsi, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Skyy Vodka, Target, Visa and Walmart. Pride organizers across the country are facing major cuts, including San Francisco ($200,000 shy of its $3.2 million budget), New York City (down 20% or $750,000 from last year), Salt Lake City (short $400,000 or half of its budget), Washington, D.C. (off $260,000), Kansas City (-$200,000), St. Louis (-$150,000), Houston (-$100,000) and many other festivals in Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Arkansas and North Carolina have lost funding. The Minnesota Twin Cities Pride organizers, after severing ties with Target following its retreat on DEI policies, turned to grassroots crowdfunding to make up for its past $50,000 contribution and generated more than double that amount. Money donated to Pride Month activities is used not just for hosting events and entertainment but also to provide security, which may be more critical this year, given heightened tensions surrounding politically divisive issues – the AP said 'At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest.' The Gay Pride Calendar reports that nearly 100 U.S. cities will host Pride Month events this year and over 50 celebrations will be held internationally this June. June is Pride Month, a national celebration established in 1999 that honors the LGBTQ community's contributions to society while affirming their identity and worth. Pride Month festivals are inclusive and safe spaces where LGBTQ individuals can come together and reach out to their broader community. According to Pew Research, two-thirds of LGBTQ adults have participated in Pride Month events and some 16% of non-LGBTQ adults have joined in the festivities. However, both LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ adults are skeptical about the motivations for corporations to support Pride Month festivities. An overwhelming majority of both groups believe that corporations participate to further their own business interests. Far fewer – 16% of LGBTQ and 13% of non-LGBTQ adults – believe companies are motivated by a 'genuine desire to celebrate LGBTQ people.' Since the Trump administration ended diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government and warned corporations against DEI programs that violate federal civil rights laws, corporations have been reassessing their DEI initiatives to avoid potential legal troubles. And, more broadly, they have been reevaluating public positions on issues that cross over into the political arena, so-called brand activism, that could bring undesired public attention. The tone in Washington these days is for businesses to get back to business and given the business disruptions caused by changing tariff policies and the threat of an economic downturn, they have plenty to keep them busy. Supporting Pride Month this year is not high on corporate priority lists. Corporate social and brand activism peaked between 2016 and 2022, observed Northeastern University marketing professor Amin Grinstein, but most recently, it has been in retreat. For example, Gravity Research found a 60% decrease in Pride engagement across major companies between 2023 and 2024, and that trend continues. In its 2025 Pride Pulse Poll, which surveyed communications and public affairs officers from over 200 major corporations, nearly 40% reported that their companies are reducing Pride-related engagement, and none expect engagement levels to increase this year. A majority (61%) cited pressure from the new administration as the cause for change, followed by 39% concerned about a conservative backlash. 'We were already seeing kind of a downward trend. Now, I think that has been accelerated because of the current administration's crackdown on DEI, its broader movement against LGBTQ rights and its seeming willingness to go after companies that might be opposed to some of its policies,' Luke Hartig, president of Gravity Research, told CNN. Not all LGBTQ activists consider the current rollback of corporate support a bad thing. 'Big sponsors supported Pride because they knew LGBTQ people had money in our wallets. They weren't making lasting change, they were just rainbow-washing their logos for the month of June,' Eve Keller, co-president of USA Prides that supports Pride festival organizers, shared with The Guardian. 'We had Pride before corporate sponsors paid us any attention. We're getting back to our community roots with people wanting to connect and collaborate with each other.' Companies Pull Back From Pride Events as Trump Targets D.E.I. (New York Times, 3/26/2025) Pride Month Starts This Weekend. Here's What To Expect (AP, 6/1/2025) Under Financial And Political Pressure, The LGBTQ+ Community Is 'Putting The Protest Back In Pride' Celebrations (CNN, 3/31/2025) NYC Pride Sees $750k Shortfall Due To Pullback From Big Corporate Sponsors (LGBTA News, 5/22/2025)
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Many U.S. corporations this year stopped supporting Pride events that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in budget shortfalls ahead of the summer festivities and raising questions about corporate America's commitment to the cause. The moves come as President Donald Trump has shown antipathy for trans protections and has attempted to roll back some LGBTQ+ friendly federal policies. Experts also note that a growing slice of the public has grown tired of companies taking a stance on social and political issues. San Francisco Pride, the nonprofit that produces one of the country's largest and best-known LGBTQ+ celebrations, is facing a $200,000 budget gap after corporate donors dropped out. In Kansas City, Missouri, KC Pride lost about $200,000 — roughly half its annual budget. Heritage of Pride, the umbrella organization behind NYC Pride and other LGBTQ+ events in New York City, is fundraising to narrow a $750,000 budget gap after companies withdrew. Meanwhile, Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch ended its sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis, Missouri, its home base, after 30 years, leaving organizers with a $150,000 budget shortfall. In response, many Pride organizations have canceled some dance parties, reduced the number of stages, hired less pricey headliners and no longer give volunteers free food or T-shirts. But the core celebrations will go on. In San Francisco, this year's Pride theme is 'Queer Joy is Resistance.' In New York, it's 'Rise Up: Pride in Protest,' and, in Boston, it's 'Here to Stay!' 'If you come to Pride this year, that's a revolutionary act,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride. 'You are sending a message to those in Washington that, here in San Francisco, we still have the same values that we've always had — you can love who you love here. We're not going to retreat from that.' Following media coverage of their retreat, some companies changed course but asked that their names not be affiliated with the events, the event organizers said. Corporations rethink Prid e sponsorships San Francisco Pride earlier this year lost the support of five major corporate donors, including Comcast, Anheuser-Busch and Diageo, the beverage giant that makes Guinness beer and Smirnoff vodka. 'With everything we're facing from the Trump administration, to lose five of your partners within a couple of weeks, it felt like we were being abandoned,' Ford said. After the withdrawals drew attention, some corporations said they would donate but only anonymously, Ford said, declining to identify those companies. As of this week, neither Comcast, Anheuser-Busch nor Diageo appeared on the organization's website as sponsors of the June 29 festivities. It was unclear if they donated. Anheuser-Busch and Diageo didn't reply to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. A spokesperson for Comcast also declined to comment but said some of its companies are sponsoring Silicon Valley Pride and Oakland Pride. NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont said about 20% of its corporate sponsors either dropped their support or scaled back, including New York-based PepsiCo and Nissan. Kyle Bazemore, Nissan North America's director of corporate communications, said the decision comes as the automaker reviews all of its marketing expenses to lower costs. PepsiCo did not return an email seeking comment. Piedmont said NYC Pride has also received anonymous corporate funding and that he appreciates the unpublicized support. 'Writing a check to a nonprofit and supporting a nonprofit with no strings attached is stepping up to the plate,' Piedmont said. Companies retreat from 'brand activism' The shift reflects how corporations are adjusting to a changing cultural landscape that began during the pandemic and accelerated with Trump's second term, experts said. 'Companies are resourceful, they are clever at identifying trends and studying their environment and their customers' needs, but those needs change and corporations adjust,' said Amir Grinstein, a marketing professor at Northeastern University. Corporations' presence in rainbow-filled Pride parades, concerts and dance parties became more ubiquitous after the landmark 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, as companies splashed their names on parade floats, rainbow flags and bright plastic bracelets. So-called brand activism reached its peak between 2016 to 2022, a period of social upheaval around the pandemic, police brutality and transgender rights, Grinstein said. But research has since found a growing number of American consumers don't want companies taking positions on such topics, said Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. 'There have always been people who said, 'I don't want my toothpaste to have an opinion, I just want to use my toothpaste,' but the tide has shifted, and research shows there are more people that feel that way now," Kahn said. Pride organizers keep their distance from some corporations Meanwhile, Republican-led states have been passing legislation to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and LGBTQ+ rights, especially the ability of transgender young people to participate in sports or receive gender-affirming care. Trump signed executive orders on his first day in office that rolled back protections for transgender people and terminated federal DEI programs. Some companies followed suit by eliminating their DEI goals, prompting Pride organizations to sever ties. San Francisco's organizers cut ties with Meta after the parent company of Facebook and Instagram terminated its DEI goals and content moderation policies. Twin Cities Pride ended its relationship with Target over the Minneapolis-based retailer's curtailing of its DEI initiatives following a backlash from conservatives and the White House. The company's retreat from DEI policies led to a counter-boycott by civil rights advocates. Target announced in May that sales fell more than expected in the first quarter due to customer boycotts, tariffs and other economic factors. The company now offers only some Pride products at a few stores and online. Still, Rick Gomez, Target's chief commercial officer, told reporters in May that it's important to celebrate Heritage Months, which highlight different groups from Latinos to Asian Americans to the LGBTQ+ community. "They drive sales growth for us,' he said. Asking the community for financial support First-time donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses have increased following corporate America's retreat. In Minneapolis, a crowdfunding campaign by Twin Cities Pride to fill a $50,000 funding gap raised more than $89,000. In San Francisco, two local foundations donated $55,000 combined. 'This isn't the first year that there's been an inflammatory climate around Pride,' said James Moran, a spokesperson for KC Pride, in Kansas City, Missouri. 'We know that our community is looking for spaces that are meant for us, where we can celebrate but also process what's going on and build our own support networks.' ___ Associated Press retail reporter Anne D'Innocenzio in New York City contributed.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Many U.S. corporations this year stopped supporting Pride events that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in budget shortfalls ahead of the summer festivities and raising questions about corporate America's commitment to the cause. The moves come as President Donald Trump has shown antipathy for trans protections and has attempted to roll back some LGBTQ+ friendly federal policies. Experts also note that a growing slice of the public has grown tired of companies taking a stance on social and political issues. San Francisco Pride, the nonprofit that produces one of the country's largest and best-known LGBTQ+ celebrations, is facing a $200,000 budget gap after corporate donors dropped out. In Kansas City, Missouri, KC Pride lost about $200,000 — roughly half its annual budget. Heritage of Pride, the umbrella organization behind NYC Pride and other LGBTQ+ events in New York City, is fundraising to narrow a $750,000 budget gap after companies withdrew. Meanwhile, Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch ended its sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis, Missouri, its home base, after 30 years, leaving organizers with a $150,000 budget shortfall. In response, many Pride organizations have canceled some dance parties, reduced the number of stages, hired less pricey headliners and no longer give volunteers free food or T-shirts. But the core celebrations will go on. In San Francisco, this year's Pride theme is 'Queer Joy is Resistance.' In New York, it's 'Rise Up: Pride in Protest,' and, in Boston, it's 'Here to Stay!' 'If you come to Pride this year, that's a revolutionary act,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride. 'You are sending a message to those in Washington that, here in San Francisco, we still have the same values that we've always had — you can love who you love here. We're not going to retreat from that.' Following media coverage of their retreat, some companies changed course but asked that their names not be affiliated with the events, the event organizers said. Corporations rethink Prid e sponsorships San Francisco Pride earlier this year lost the support of five major corporate donors, including Comcast, Anheuser-Busch and Diageo, the beverage giant that makes Guinness beer and Smirnoff vodka. 'With everything we're facing from the Trump administration, to lose five of your partners within a couple of weeks, it felt like we were being abandoned,' Ford said. After the withdrawals drew attention, some corporations said they would donate but only anonymously, Ford said, declining to identify those companies. As of this week, neither Comcast, Anheuser-Busch nor Diageo appeared on the organization's website as sponsors of the June 29 festivities. It was unclear if they donated. Anheuser-Busch and Diageo didn't reply to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. A spokesperson for Comcast also declined to comment but said some of its companies are sponsoring Silicon Valley Pride and Oakland Pride. NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont said about 20% of its corporate sponsors either dropped their support or scaled back, including New York-based PepsiCo and Nissan. Kyle Bazemore, Nissan North America's director of corporate communications, said the decision comes as the automaker reviews all of its marketing expenses to lower costs. PepsiCo did not return an email seeking comment. Piedmont said NYC Pride has also received anonymous corporate funding and that he appreciates the unpublicized support. 'Writing a check to a nonprofit and supporting a nonprofit with no strings attached is stepping up to the plate,' Piedmont said. Companies retreat from 'brand activism' The shift reflects how corporations are adjusting to a changing cultural landscape that began during the pandemic and accelerated with Trump's second term, experts said. 'Companies are resourceful, they are clever at identifying trends and studying their environment and their customers' needs, but those needs change and corporations adjust,' said Amir Grinstein, a marketing professor at Northeastern University. Corporations' presence in rainbow-filled Pride parades, concerts and dance parties became more ubiquitous after the landmark 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, as companies splashed their names on parade floats, rainbow flags and bright plastic bracelets. So-called brand activism reached its peak between 2016 to 2022, a period of social upheaval around the pandemic, police brutality and transgender rights, Grinstein said. But research has since found a growing number of American consumers don't want companies taking positions on such topics, said Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. 'There have always been people who said, 'I don't want my toothpaste to have an opinion, I just want to use my toothpaste,' but the tide has shifted, and research shows there are more people that feel that way now," Kahn said. Pride organizers keep their distance from some corporations Meanwhile, Republican-led states have been passing legislation to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and LGBTQ+ rights, especially the ability of transgender young people to participate in sports or receive gender-affirming care. Trump signed executive orders on his first day in office that rolled back protections for transgender people and terminated federal DEI programs. Some companies followed suit by eliminating their DEI goals, prompting Pride organizations to sever ties. San Francisco's organizers cut ties with Meta after the parent company of Facebook and Instagram terminated its DEI goals and content moderation policies. Twin Cities Pride ended its relationship with Target over the Minneapolis-based retailer's curtailing of its DEI initiatives following a backlash from conservatives and the White House. The company's retreat from DEI policies led to a counter-boycott by civil rights advocates. Target announced in May that sales fell more than expected in the first quarter due to customer boycotts, tariffs and other economic factors. The company now offers only some Pride products at a few stores and online. Still, Rick Gomez, Target's chief commercial officer, told reporters in May that it's important to celebrate Heritage Months, which highlight different groups from Latinos to Asian Americans to the LGBTQ+ community. "They drive sales growth for us,' he said. Asking the community for financial support First-time donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses have increased following corporate America's retreat. In Minneapolis, a crowdfunding campaign by Twin Cities Pride to fill a $50,000 funding gap raised more than $89,000. In San Francisco, two local foundations donated $55,000 combined. 'This isn't the first year that there's been an inflammatory climate around Pride,' said James Moran, a spokesperson for KC Pride, in Kansas City, Missouri. 'We know that our community is looking for spaces that are meant for us, where we can celebrate but also process what's going on and build our own support networks.' ___ Associated Press retail reporter Anne D'Innocenzio in New York City contributed. Olga R. Rodriguez, The Associated Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
