San Francisco Pride faces shortfall as corporate sponsors pull out

Bangkok Post Group

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

Transcript

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.

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