Latest news with #AndiOtto
CBS News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Pride celebrations shadowed by concern amid recent attacks on LGBTQ+ people, rights
As Twin Cities Pride wraps up the weekend, the celebration has been shadowed by concern and even attacks on LGBTQ+ people. Other than being a little waterlogged and windblown, this year's Twin Cities Pride celebration has been as big and as bold as ever. The exhibits and entertainment drew eager crowds, and the Pride parade once again brought thousands to downtown Minneapolis. But tempering the festivities are recent attacks on the LGBTQ+ community here in the Twin Cities and across the nation. Surveillance video captured one of 30 incidents of pride flags that have been stolen or vandalized in St Paul. Pride flags have also been ripped down in other communities, including Atlanta, Boston and in Colorado. "I think it proves even more so we are here and why we need to be vocal and why festivals and parades are so important," Andi Otto, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, said. "And we have to show the world we are stronger together and we are not going anywhere." The latest FBI statistics are alarming: 20% of hate crimes are against LGBTQ+ people, and bias incidents are up 46%. Nationwide, attacks based on sexual orientation are up 23%, and attacks based on gender identity are up 16%. This all comes as the Trump administration has announced new policies and regulations for the LGBTQ+ community. Government agencies have scrubbed web pages, including resources from government agencies. Funding for HIV research has been cut. Transgender policies have changed dramatically, in keeping with the president's position that there are only two genders: male and female. "As a person who is part of that community myself, it's hard to hear and it's hard to, you know, think you are being targeted just for being yourself," Otto said. Otto says the Twin Cities community is defiant, that they will continue to be on offense and nothing shows that more than this weekend's Pride festivities. You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy and Adam Del Rosso every Sunday at 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
CBS News
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Here's what roads are closing around Minneapolis and when during event-packed weekend
Looking for something to do in Minneapolis this weekend? You're in luck. Looking for something to do in Minneapolis this weekend? You're in luck. Looking for something to do in Minneapolis this weekend? You're in luck. The City of Lakes is bracing for one of the busiest weekends of the summer. A vibrant lineup of events is scheduled from Loring Park to West Lake Street. Starting with Loring Park, the heartbeat of the city, where festival tents line the street, rainbow street signs are up for the annual Twin Cities Pride Festival. "It reminds you that you are not alone and that you have community and it's time to celebrate," said Andi Otto, Twin Cities Pride Executive Director. With more than half a million people expected at Loring Park over the weekend, security is top of mind. "Twin Cities Pride has been a safe event for 54 years. I don't expect this year to be any different," Otto said. He said planning began with state and local authorities months ago to make sure all of the bases were covered. A full-scale safety operation involving beefed-up private security teams, Minneapolis park police and Minneapolis police officers will be on hand. The parade and Rainbow Run strut downtown on Sunday. Dozens of streets will also be closed to ensure safety, starting at 7 a.m. Hennepin Avenue will be closed with no cross traffic from Washington Avenue to 16th Street North Third Street will be closed from Portland Avenue South to 1st Avenue North, with cross streets open Spruce Street to Yale Place will also be closed, as the parade goes into Loring Park Second Avenue South from Washington Avenue to Fifth Street Portions of the left lane on Nicollet Avenue will remain open for street sweeping and hotel access. Southbound Hennepin Avenue will be closed from Laurel Avenue West to Lyndale Avenue South, as well as 16th Street North from Hennepin Avenue to Laurel Avenue West on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Metro Transit is expanding services and offering free rides on all three days of the festivities. Safety measures will go beyond Loring Park this weekend, just blocks away to West Lake Street. Preparations are already underway for Saturday's Somali Independence Day Festival. More than 40,000 people will line the streets to celebrate their culture and community through music, food and traditions.
CBS News
18-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
SCOTUS ruling will bring more people to Minnesota for gender-affirming care, advocates say
In a landmark decision on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law restricting medical treatments — like puberty blockers and hormone therapy — for transgender minors. Twenty-six other states have laws with similar restrictions to Tennessee. With this latest news, LGBTQ+ advocates say they expect to see more people traveling to Minnesota, and even moving to Minnesota to seek gender-affirming care. "We are seeing a just plethoria of folks moving here to Minnesota just to get basic human care," said Andi Otto, executive director of Twin Cities Pride. House Republicans in Minnesota introduced a similar bill this past session banning gender-affirming care, but it didn't make it out of committee. While advocates say there's fear Minnesota could see similar restrictions, Otto said Minnesota's 2023 trans refuge bill gives him reassurance. "I continue to have faith in our legislators and our government to make those decisions and keep Minnesota exactly what it's supposed to be, and that's a state that you're free to be yourself," Otto said. Also on Wednesday, it was also announced the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline would no longer connect those in need of help to the Trevor Project, which helps LGBTQ+ individuals in crisis. "It's really tragic to have these two decisions come on the same day," said Kat Rohn, executive director for OutFront Minnesota. "To see that actually enacted and moved forward is a really hurtful blow to kids who need all the support they can get." Otto said the timing of this announcement during Pride Month is not a coincidence.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TC Pride Faces $700K Drop in corporate sponsorships, leans on grants and small donors
The Brief TC Pride faces some fundraising challenges after losing more than a dozen corporate sponsorships. Much of the money raised this year came from grants, foundations, and individuals. In corporate sponsorships for 2025, it received more than $600,000. That's significantly less than the $1.3 million received in 2024. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - June is Pride Month and one of the nation's biggest pride festivals is just two weeks away. TC Pride is facing some fundraising challenges this year after losing more than a dozen corporate sponsorships. What we know TC Pride has received more than $600,000 in sponsorships so far this year, which is significantly less than the $1.3 million sponsorships the group received in 2024. The backstory The funding issues for TC Pride started in January when they rejected Target's sponsorship after its DEI rollbacks. In total, they lost 15 corporate sponsors. Those sponsors either pulled out or didn't return phone calls from TC Pride. Its goal is to raise $1.5 million for 2025. Right now they're $25,000 short. What they're saying Executive Director Andi Otto says the Pride Festival was always going to happen in full. The question that remains about year-round resources. "I get asked a lot of times, well, will pride look differently with the funding gaps? The answer is, No, it won't. But where it does impact is our year-round programming, when we're able to do things like our rainbow wardrobe and provide free gender-affirming clothing," said Otto. A lot of this year's funding came from foundations, grants, and individuals. If you're doing the math at home, that's nearly $900,000 raised. Otto says small businesses are stepping up to meet some of that funding lost from corporate sponsors. Last year small businesses chipped in $25,000. This year they're at about $93,000. "Becoming Together Therapy and Wellness, they've been a $2,000 sponsor of mine. And the owner called and said, Andi, we're going to make it happen. We're going to go up to 10 this year. We'll figure it out," said Otto. What's next The deadline for fundraising is Festival Weekend. Even if they don't hit that goal by the end of the month, it won't impact the Pride Festival. Any money that comes in now will go towards year-round programming.
The Guardian
29-01-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Minnesota Pride group raises $50,000 after dropping Target as a sponsor
Twin Cities Pride, the non-profit that organizes an annual Pride festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota, announced that it had raised more than $50,000 after publicly dropping Target as a corporate sponsor. The group said it had removed Target as a sponsor of the festival after the company dropped some of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies on 24 January: Target said it would stop its anti-discrimination efforts, including participation in external surveys, such as one run by the Human Rights Campaign, which tracks LGBTQ+ inclusive corporate policies such as spousal and domestic partner benefits and outreach to communities. The company also said it would end a program that helped it carry more products from Black- and minority-owned businesses, among other changes. Twin Cities Pride thanked supporters on Instagram, saying in a post that donations would help fund initiatives like Rainbow Wardrobe, which provides a space for people to try on clothing that fits with their gender identity, and its artist-in-residence program. 'Every dollar donated goes directly back into helping us create inclusive spaces, support local artists and provide resources that make a difference year-round,' the organization said. 'Thank you for standing with us.' Days earlier, Twin Cities Pride had said that organizers were 'deeply disappointed in [Target's] announcement' and that the company would not have a presence at this year's festival or parade. Target, which is based in Minneapolis, has been a sponsor of the Pride parade for 18 years. While the organization knew that dropping Target as a sponsor would affect its finances, 'what is more important is that we send the message that companies need to do the right thing', Andi Otto, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. In a memo to employees on Friday, Target said that it was transitioning into the 'next chapter of our strategy'. 'As a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape, now and in the future,' the memo said. Target did not respond to a request for comment. Though Target joined a growing list of companies that said they were dropping their DEI policies, including Meta, Walmart, Amazon and McDonald's, the company's announcement has garnered backlash online that other companies have not received. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion A smaller handful have defended and stood by their DEI policies, including Costco and Apple. Companies are announcing the end to DEI programs at a time when the White House has taken an aggressive stance toward ending what the administration considers 'reverse racism'. Donald Trump signed two executive orders that end all DEI efforts in the federal government, and legal experts believe the White House could try to target the private sector. Trump has also received widespread criticism for a new policy that would ban transgender people from serving in the military. This isn't the first time Target has been the center of online backlash. The company saw a brief drop in sales after conservatives vowed to boycott the company over its Pride merchandise in 2023. The next year, the company ended up scaling back on its Pride collection.
