Ten weeks ahead of San Francisco Pride, the organization that puts on the city’s annual celebration is $200,000 short of its fundraising goals from corporate sponsors. - REUTERS
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Several major companies have opted out of donating to San Francisco Pride this year.
00:07Anheuser-Busch, Diageo, Nissan, and Comcast have each participated in the past,
00:12but all chose not to donate this year.
00:15That has left the city's annual celebration $200,000 short of its fundraising goal from corporate sponsors.
00:21Their support has meant everything, and for them to pull that support, it's like a gut punch.
00:27Suzanne Ford is the executive director of San Francisco Pride.
00:32While she doesn't expect the laws to affect this year's event, now just 10 weeks out,
00:36she says it could impact Pride next summer.
00:39Still, she's determined to explore alternative funding to make it happen.
00:42If we have to knock on every door, obviously we're reaching out to city government, state government,
00:47our individual donations.
00:51We're hoping that those will come up, $30,000 this month,
00:55which doesn't sound like a lot when you're talking about $200,000, $300,000 in sponsorship,
01:02but each dollar counts.
01:05Pride weekend events are a significant driver of economic activity for the city.
01:09The San Francisco Pride organization says that each year,
01:12over a million people come to town for the festivities.
01:15Honey Mahogany is the director of the city's Office of Transgender Initiatives,
01:19as well as a co-founder of a local queer bar.
01:22She points to the current climate in Washington for why corporate sponsors are pulling back.
01:27I think a lot of them are scared, and they are worried about exposing themselves
01:31by being in such a visible celebration of the LGBTQ community,
01:36while this country operates under an administration that has shown tremendous animus towards the LGBTQ community.
01:42A representative for Comcast told Reuters that decisions to sponsor events are made at the local level,
01:48while Diageo told Reuters that its ability to sponsor the event was impacted by budget changes.
01:54Both companies noted several other Pride events they will participate in this year.
01:58Anheuser-Busch did not respond to requests for comment.
02:01Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:02Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:03Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:04Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:05Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:06Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:07Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:08Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:09Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:10Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:11Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:12Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:13Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.
02:14Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Reuters.