Apr 03, 2009  |  By: Peter Rosenstein  | COMMENTS     

CAPITAL PRIDE Alliance, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, will be staging Pride this year. It is the first time in many years that Whitman-Walker Clinic will not be running Pride. Considering all the issues the Clinic is having, I think that is a great idea. Donald Blanchon, the Clinic’s executive director has been moving quickly to refocus Whitman-Walker Clinic on its main mission and Pride was certainly not part of that.

I recently had coffee at my favorite spot, Java House on Q Street, when I overheard a conversation about planning for Pride. I leaned over and mentioned that I had heard some of discussion and then had the pleasure of meeting two of the new organization’s board members. I said I was interested in writing something about Pride and one of them, Anne Scott, graciously agreed to set up a conference call with the new executive director, Dyana Mason, and board president Michael Lutz, among others.
 
One of the first things they both wanted me to know was that I could call the event Capital Pride — as always. That wasn’t going to change. The theme for this year’s events is “Generations of Pride: Celebrate and Remember — Stonewall at 40.” This was chosen to indicate their desire to bring together all of our community: young and old, all cultures, genders and ethnic backgrounds.

Inevitably, Pride means different things to different people. It is both a party and a statement. It is a chance to meet friends and walk the parade route, or just watch it on Saturday evening, and to sell your merchandise — so to speak — at the festival on Sunday. It is also a week of music, culture and education.

OVER THE YEARS, Pride has morphed into a major event with a budget of about $400,000. Dyana and Michael were quick to point out that donations to Pride are tax deductible. They assured me that though they are running Pride from a virtual office, they have hired a professional group to handle all the finances and that the public will see a full, audited accounting of all funds quickly after
Pride ends this year.

They said that there will be some changes and that we should expect announcements in about three weeks. But the major events that most of us wait for each year, the parade on June 13 and the festival on June 14, will look pretty much like we have always known them. However, organizers anticipate doing some strategic planning for future years and looking at Pride in places like New York and Chicago to see what they do that works.

Pride has been operated by a number of different groups. It is always a break-even situation for the groups that run it. I asked if they felt that this year, in difficult economic times, they would have an even harder time raising money. Michael said that they are seeing an indication that all the groups will again participate but, of course, registration is just beginning so time will tell.

One interesting thing I learned on the call was that they intend to be a year-round organization focusing on educational, cultural and social events. I asked if that mission could overlap the work of other organizations. They felt that it wouldn’t and that they could make a difference in those areas. But I do question where they will fit in. Dyana, who lives in Richmond, only has a contract as executive director through the end of the current Capital Pride. Keeping her and other staff on through the year will require additional fundraising and that won’t be easy in these tough times.

I ASKED IF there is a commitment from the city to once again cover the cost of security for the parade and they told me that commitment isn’t there yet. I predicted to them that there may be the usual fight with the city to waive the police fee but then this has always happened and been justified because this is actually a city-wide event with tens of thousands of people coming to Dupont to watch and take part.

The diversity of people lining the parade route, often 10 deep, includes not only the LGBT community, but straights, singles and families with strollers, young and old, all enjoying the spectacle.
For those looking for more detailed information on Capital Pride, the web site capitalpride.org is now being updated and is the place to find out how to register for a booth, a float in the parade, find out who is on the board of the organization, volunteer or to make a donation online.