Latest news with #NewYorkPride
NDTV
19-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
New York Pride Parade Stares At Fund Loss As Corporate Donations Shift
New York's pride parade, the highest-profile annual US LGBTQ gathering, is ramping up efforts to raise funds from individual community members with corporate donations on the wane as Washington demonizes diversity. Following President Donald Trump's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion policies in both government and the private sector, several companies have cancelled or curtailed their sponsorships of pride parades this year. NYC Pride's spokesman Kevin Kilbride said "just about 80 percent of the fundraising goal" for the city's largest pride parade group had been met. The parade itself will be held on June 29, and according to organizers could draw as many as two million attendees. "That gap we're trying to fill with a community fundraising campaign. So in the middle of May, we launched a peer-to-peer campaign so folks can start their own fundraiser online, share it with their friends, and then have folks donate to that," he said. The group was "wanting to lean a little bit more into individual giving and support from the community," he said. The organization behind the annual parade as well as several other community projects said it raised "nearly $25,000 from almost 200 donors" in a matter of days. In years past, flamboyant floats sponsored by large corporations have paraded down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue alongside those organized by community groups. And while many will still participate, some have quietly cut back their commitments. Muneer Panjwani, who runs Engage for Good, said "there's been a massive pullback over the last year, specifically in corporations that have long supported pride events that have decided not to support anyone." Panjwani's organization connects companies to non-profits, and reports on the sums raised from "checkout giving" -- where consumers are given the option of donating while paying for goods in a store. "While companies are pulling away their philanthropic dollars at the top level, from the bottom up, consumers are saying, 'we still care about this issue,'" he said. 'People demanding their rights' One of the most prominent brands that reportedly stepped back from its previously high-profile involvement with pride was discount department store Target. For a time, Target was reportedly asking to forego publicity and donate to New York Pride silently, but has now reinstated its float at the parade, according to Kilbride. The retailer has come under fire and seen its share price dip after a boycott was organized online in response to it curtailing diversity programs, citing "the evolving external landscape." "We will continue to mark Pride Month... (by) sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country," a Target spokesman told AFP. At Brooklyn's annual pride parade, progressive Democratic city councilman Chi Osse told AFP that "pride started grassroots through community, and corporations bowing the knee at a president who thinks he's a king just shows us who they are to us." Brooklyn's pride event is a smaller affair and has long been seen as a more radical gathering than its Manhattan sibling -- albeit with a handful of its own corporate participants. One of those leading the twilight parade's Sirens Women's Motorcycle Club contingent, Anya Glowa-Kollisch, said "it's great when companies are willing to say that they support equal rights." "But I think at the end of the day, it's a movement that's driven by people demanding their rights, and a lot of corporations just kind of do this because they think they should," they said. "So it's really valuable to have people in the community coming out and showing that this is who we are." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
France 24
19-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
Fundraising shift at NY pride as Trump scares off corporate donors
Following President Donald Trump's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion policies in both government and the private sector, several companies have cancelled or curtailed their sponsorships of pride parades this year. NYC Pride's spokesman Kevin Kilbride said "just about 80 percent of the fundraising goal" for the city's largest pride parade group had been met. The parade itself will be held on June 29, and according to organizers could draw as many as two million attendees. "That gap we're trying to fill with a community fundraising campaign. So in the middle of May, we launched a peer-to-peer campaign so folks can start their own fundraiser online, share it with their friends, and then have folks donate to that," he said. The group was "wanting to lean a little bit more into individual giving and support from the community," he said. The organization behind the annual parade as well as several other community projects said it raised "nearly $25,000 from almost 200 donors" in a matter of days. In years past, flamboyant floats sponsored by large corporations have paraded down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue alongside those organized by community groups. And while many will still participate, some have quietly cut back their commitments. Muneer Panjwani, who runs Engage for Good, said "there's been a massive pullback over the last year, specifically in corporations that have long supported pride events that have decided not to support anyone." Panjwani's organization connects companies to non-profits, and reports on the sums raised from "checkout giving" -- where consumers are given the option of donating while paying for goods in a store. "While companies are pulling away their philanthropic dollars at the top level, from the bottom up, consumers are saying, 'we still care about this issue,'" he said. 'People demanding their rights' One of the most prominent brands that reportedly stepped back from its previously high-profile involvement with pride was discount department store Target. For a time, Target was reportedly asking to forego publicity and donate to New York Pride silently, but has now reinstated its float at the parade, according to Kilbride. The retailer has come under fire and seen its share price dip after a boycott was organized online in response to it curtailing diversity programs, citing "the evolving external landscape." "We will continue to mark Pride Month... (by) sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country," a Target spokesman told AFP. At Brooklyn's annual pride parade, progressive Democratic city councilman Chi Osse told AFP that "pride started grassroots through community, and corporations bowing the knee at a president who thinks he's a king just shows us who they are to us." Brooklyn's pride event is a smaller affair and has long been seen as a more radical gathering than its Manhattan sibling -- albeit with a handful of its own corporate participants. One of those leading the twilight parade's Sirens Women's Motorcycle Club contingent, Anya Glowa-Kollisch, said "it's great when companies are willing to say that they support equal rights." "But I think at the end of the day, it's a movement that's driven by people demanding their rights, and a lot of corporations just kind of do this because they think they should," they said. "So it's really valuable to have people in the community coming out and showing that this is who we are."
Int'l Business Times
19-06-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Fundraising Shift At NY Pride As Trump Scares Off Corporate Donors
New York's pride parade, the highest-profile annual US LGBTQ gathering, is ramping up efforts to raise funds from individual community members with corporate donations on the wane as Washington demonizes diversity. Following President Donald Trump's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion policies in both government and the private sector, several companies have cancelled or curtailed their sponsorships of pride parades this year. NYC Pride's spokesman Kevin Kilbride said "just about 80 percent of the fundraising goal" for the city's largest pride parade group had been met. The parade itself will be held on June 29, and according to organizers could draw as many as two million attendees. "That gap we're trying to fill with a community fundraising campaign. So in the middle of May, we launched a peer-to-peer campaign so folks can start their own fundraiser online, share it with their friends, and then have folks donate to that," he said. The group was "wanting to lean a little bit more into individual giving and support from the community," he said. The organization behind the annual parade as well as several other community projects said it raised "nearly $25,000 from almost 200 donors" in a matter of days. In years past, flamboyant floats sponsored by large corporations have paraded down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue alongside those organized by community groups. And while many will still participate, some have quietly cut back their commitments. Muneer Panjwani, who runs Engage for Good, said "there's been a massive pullback over the last year, specifically in corporations that have long supported pride events that have decided not to support anyone." Panjwani's organization connects companies to non-profits, and reports on the sums raised from "checkout giving" -- where consumers are given the option of donating while paying for goods in a store. "While companies are pulling away their philanthropic dollars at the top level, from the bottom up, consumers are saying, 'we still care about this issue,'" he said. One of the most prominent brands that reportedly stepped back from its previously high-profile involvement with pride was discount department store Target. For a time, Target was reportedly asking to forego publicity and donate to New York Pride silently, but has now reinstated its float at the parade, according to Kilbride. The retailer has come under fire and seen its share price dip after a boycott was organized online in response to it curtailing diversity programs, citing "the evolving external landscape." "We will continue to mark Pride Month... (by) sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country," a Target spokesman told AFP. At Brooklyn's annual pride parade, progressive Democratic city councilman Chi Osse told AFP that "pride started grassroots through community, and corporations bowing the knee at a president who thinks he's a king just shows us who they are to us." Brooklyn's pride event is a smaller affair and has long been seen as a more radical gathering than its Manhattan sibling -- albeit with a handful of its own corporate participants. One of those leading the twilight parade's Sirens Women's Motorcycle Club contingent, Anya Glowa-Kollisch, said "it's great when companies are willing to say that they support equal rights." "But I think at the end of the day, it's a movement that's driven by people demanding their rights, and a lot of corporations just kind of do this because they think they should," they said. "So it's really valuable to have people in the community coming out and showing that this is who we are."
Time Out
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Out
Let Me Tell You: It's not just rainbow drinks—here's how NY bars and restaurants are going all in on Pride this year
When the clock strikes midnight on June 1st, various corporations throw up a Bat-Signal to the queer community, albeit a yassified one. Allegedly, all in the name of Pride, several big-named brands hawk gaudy, colorful suits in the retail space and slap on some variation of 'Yes Queen!' on beer cans at the bar. But every year, the issue remains—companies go hard on the rainbow-colored scheme and not much else. As this year's Pride approaches, it's becoming increasingly clear whose allyship is genuine and whose support is merely a superficial show. As of late, the queer community has faced an onslaught of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and hate due to the Trump administration, much of it targeting transgender individuals. As a result, many of the corporations and businesses that proudly waved their Pride flags just a few years ago have quietly stuck them back in their corporate closets. According to The New York Times, about "25 percent of corporate donors to New York Pride have canceled or scaled back their support, citing economic uncertainty and fear of retribution from the Trump administration." However, as support from large entities has all but evaporated, it is our local community members who have stood up in the face of changing tides, many of whom operate in the food and beverage sector. Naturally, gay and lesbian bars and other queer-run entities have led the pack, operating with joy in the face of resistance. What started as a one-off event centered on community and good soup, Brooklyn's Queer Soup Night has evolved into a national movement. Showcasing the talents of LGBTQIA+ chefs in the kitchen, the soup-centered evenings always have a social justice tie, raising funds for queer youth, prison reform and other mutual aid organizations. Meanwhile, the New York-based Queer Food Foundation reminds us that queer people exist outside of the confines of June with its Queer All Year initiative. Partnering with the James Beard Foundation, the ongoing virtual series celebrates LGBTQIA+ voices in food and hospitality from restaurant owners, beverage professionals and farmers. In real life, transgender activist Gia Love is currently fundraising for the annual Black Trans Women Cookout. Moving locations from Bed Stuy to Socrates Park in Queens this year, the outdoor get-together invites trans people and their allies to gather over jerk chicken, mac and cheese, and most importantly, joy. Even spaces that aren't queer-owned are showing up, proving allyship is an active verb. A certified safe space and the official beer of NYC Pride three years running, Brooklyn Brewery made it clear they were standing on business this year by launching Brooklyn Brewery Supports. In partnership with Angelica Christina from Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI), the program will provide $25,000 or $1,000 each in direct support to 25 trans, non-binary or two-spirit New Yorkers. Meanwhile, The Romer Hell's Kitchen hotel is hosting Love Thy Gayborhood, a nod to the queer neighborhood it calls home. The month-long activation includes an informative panel on safe, inclusive spaces on June 18 and a queer and Black-led Juneteenth celebration, featuring their speakeasy-ish piano bar, So & So's. Continuing to honor queer art well past June, the hotel will host Sabel Scities, winner of Miss Hell's Kitchen 2024, for a five-month drag residency in its basement bar. Of course, all of the above only scratches the surface of this year's Pride events that directly benefit the community. Just be mindful this year (and really, all years) that Pride is not just about rainbow-colored margaritas—it's about making tangible change. This year, spend your time and dining dollars at businesses that go beyond .
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The era of Corporate Pride is over
This is going to be a "strange" year for Pride, Kevin Kilbride says, given everything that's going on. About one-third of New York City Pride's corporate partners are still holding back their sponsorship dollars this year, with just a couple of months to go before the event, explains Kilbride, who handles media and marketing for the organization. "That is unusual," he says. "We've seen folks moving a little bit more cautiously, what they would say is strategically." Some sponsors have expressed political concerns, pointing to the White House's antagonistic stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion and the current climate more broadly. Others are gesturing at tariffs or general economic instability as the cause for their hesitation in committing big money, which organizers have to take at face value, even if it's hard to imagine the politics aren't part of the calculation. Case in point: Kilbride says that a "pretty significant" corporate sponsor has asked to be a silent partner of this year's New York Pride, though it hasn't scaled back its funding. "Our businesses have long been a leader in trying to support this community and push this movement forward and more into the spotlight," Kilbride said. "And it's unfortunate that that not across the board seems to be shared by all of the former partners." LGBTQ+ Pride month is close on the horizon, in June, and organizers of events, marches, and celebrations across the country are in the final stages of securing funding and sponsorships. In contrast to years past, when, if anything, the complaint was that Pride had become too corporate, planners are encountering a much different, colder scenario. This year, businesses are anxious about their involvement. While some are sticking to it, others are scaling back donations or declining to participate entirely. They're scared of the Trump administration's anti-DEI stance and threats of retribution. They're worried about the potential social media backlash. And they're reacting accordingly. "There's a variety of responses. One is there is obviously retreat," said Bob Witeck, a communications strategist focused on the LGBT business community. "A number of companies have made the decision that this is a fraught environment in which to take part." San Francisco Pride has had several big sponsors back away this year, including Anheuser-Busch, Comcast, Diageo, and Nissan. It may be on track for a $200,000 shortfall in its anticipated $4.1 million budget. Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, said the companies backing away have been wishy-washy about why. "Obviously, the Trump administration and the war on diversity, equity, and inclusion, I think, has affected some corporations' decisions about who they sponsor," she said. "Some corporations are hedging their bets, not trying to inflame one side or the other and trying to just stay out of the fray." The public attention on the dropouts has helped inspire other sponsors to jump in and fill the gap, Ford said, including Levi's, which is returning after a three-year hiatus, Benefit Cosmetics, and La Crema wines. As news about withdrawals trickled out, San Francisco Pride also brought in $30,000 in donations from individuals last month, and organizers believe some companies could still make donations even if they choose not to officially sponsor. Pride is a boon for San Francisco: A 2015 economic impact study found it injected $350 million into the local economy every year, thanks to more than half a million visitors attending the two-day celebration. Ten years later, Ford thinks that number could be $1 billion as crowds have continued to grow. "Pride, over its history, has faced difficult times, and we've always found a way, and we'll find a way now," she said. A Diageo spokesperson said that Diageo plans to participate in events around Pride in San Francisco, such as offering promotions at bars through its Smirnoff brand. Comcast, Anheuser-Busch, and Nissan did not respond to requests for comment. Ryan Bos, the executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance in Washington, DC, said a number of sponsors have dropped out of this year's event, including Booz Allen Hamilton, a consulting firm and major federal contractor that could, in theory, find itself in the crosshairs of some of Trump's DEI-related executive actions. "As you can imagine, being in the nation's capital, a lot of advocates we work with either have federal contracts or definitely receive federal funding," he said. In an email, a Booz Allen spokesperson said the company is committed to supporting all of its employee communities and celebrating tribute months. They said the decision not to be a headline sponsor this year "does not reflect any pullback of support to this community." I think there is a level of fear. Denver Pride has seen a decrease in funding for its events, which include a festival, parade, and 5K race. Natalie Zanoni, the organization's interim CEO, said in an email that among those who sponsored Denver's 2024 Pride and are coming back this year, average contributions have decreased by 62%. Other sponsors aren't coming back at all. She noted that Denver's Pride is unique in that it doubles as an annual fundraiser for Denver's local LGBTQ+ community center, The Center on Colfax, meaning the decline in sponsorship money will affect more than the size of parade floats. "The decrease in funding we are experiencing puts these critical services at risk, such as mental health support, programming for our trans and gender diverse community, youth, older adults, and more," she said. While they are "disappointed" by the situation, the group doesn't want to call out specific funders. "We also recognize that these decisions do not reflect the views and opinions of everyone within the organizations in question," Zazoni said. Kojo Modeste, the executive director of Pride Toronto, said that Nissan Canada is the only company that's publicly announced its exit from the city's event. The company said in an email that it was a "local decision solely due to a reevaluation" of its marketing and media activations in a "variety of activities." However, Modeste said "quite a few" other sponsors have quietly pulled out. Many of the corporations haven't provided a detailed justification, though most are based in the US, which, given the current economic headbutting between the two countries, adds another element. "It sends a message without sending the message, without them telling us exactly that they're pulling out for these reasons," Modeste said. "I think there is a level of fear." Some smaller Canadian sponsors are trying to step in to help fill the gap, which Modeste is grateful for, but their generosity will still leave the organizers with a shortfall. "The cost of doing the festival year after year keeps going up," Modeste said. "Even if we were to gain back 50% of that loss, it is not going to cover that big gap that is left." We're really back to, in a sense, what Pride was originally intended to be. It's not just the large Pride events that are seeing pullbacks. Jessica Laney, the president of Pikes Peak Pride in Colorado Springs, said the event has never really had large corporate sponsors. It's generally relied on grassroots support and smaller entities, but they've scaled back this year, too. Pikes Peak is seeing fewer sponsors at their $5,000 and $10,000 tiers, which represent some of their highest levels of giving. Government grants have dried up, too. "Those are pretty much gone now," Laney said. On the more encouraging side, they've had an uptick in smaller contributors, say, at the $1,000 level. "It's kind of like a change off," she said. Pikes Peak Pride is still below where it was last year in terms of sponsorship dollars, but the group hopes more money will come in. It's being more proactive about outreach and doubling the number of fundraisers it hosts. Alexander Clark, the board president of 406 Pride, which hosts Billings Pride Fest in Montana, said they've had some new sponsors jump in, including a large local hotel chain, and as of now, one of its five major sponsors is returning — and increasing its donation. As for the other four major donors, Clark said the organizers are taking a cautiously optimistic approach. "As we're approaching some of the bigger sponsors, though, we're expecting to get some pushback, because some of the companies that have participated in the past may not have that same DEI focus," he said. 406 Pride is what Clark admits is a "unique" organization and location, given that it's in a deep-red county in a deep-red state. "Folks seem to have a 'keep to their own' mentality," he said. If they're part of the queer community, they'll come out, but if not, they "don't really bother with us." That means in terms of sponsors, it's always been a more thoughtful decision to participate. This year, Clark is hoping partners will come back and then some, because organizers are taking a number of new — and more expensive — safety measures. They're installing concrete barriers instead of wooden ones and are hiring a security firm to back up local police. "I'm not taking any chances this year," he said. These decisions to scale back Pride support aren't happening in a vacuum — they're taking place in a context when many corporations are afraid to engage in anything that might appear DEI-esque. The White House has pledged to root out what it's characterized as "illegal DEI" from the federal government, government contractors, and, where possible, private companies and is seeking to make examples out of specific entities it believes have gone too far. Some conservative social media influencers are on the hunt for targets to rile up their followers about. Businesses don't want to be caught up in whatever the controversy of the day is, or the one that pops up tomorrow, or the day after that. This has led a number of major companies to scale back their DEI practices. Some have eliminated or overhauled programs aimed at underrepresented consumers, vendors, and employees, including the LGBTQ+ community, and have scrubbed mention of certain diversity-related terms from their websites, financial filings, and other documentation. Take Target: It faced blowback last year over its Pride merchandise collection and wound up scaling it back, even though the collection wasn't markedly different from anything it had done in previous years. "If you and I were talking five years ago, the bigger issue was corporate exploitation," Witeck said. "So we're really back to, in a sense, what Pride was originally intended to be. It was sort of a civil rights activation." He added that some companies, instead of sponsoring celebrations or parades, are donating to community causes instead. "In some respects, that's a positive move," he said. Fabrice Houdart, a human rights advocate who focuses on LGBTQ+ rights and corporate social responsibility, pointed out that the Trump administration has not targeted Pride, including this year's World Pride, which will happen in Washington, DC. In Houdart's mind, companies may just be taking advantage of the opportunity to walk away from initiatives they were never really that attached to in the first place. "Right now, the wind is not very pro-LGBT and therefore they're thinking, 'Well, I'm just going to throw out the baby with the bathwater and run away from that community as quickly as I can,'" he said. "In many ways, what it shows is that there was some amateurism in the way the company expressed their values." It's very, very hard to make that happen without corporate support. All of the Pride organizers I spoke to expressed disappointment about former sponsors' handling of this year's events. Parades, festivals, and other gatherings cost money to put together, and less money may mean they could need to scale back their plans, though, in certain areas, such as security, medical services, and insurance, there's no compromising. "People are getting the message that Pride is fragile. It always has been and always be," Ford said. Historically, some corporations have been ahead of the curve on LGBTQ+ rights — General Motors, for example, extended marriage benefits to same-sex couples before same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide. Organizers also said they were starting to look for more grassroots, individual support going forward so that they won't be so reliant on big business and whatever cultural and political tides they're reacting to. "You've got a free event that we're trying to make as accessible to as many people as we can. It's very, very hard to make that happen without corporate support," Kilbride said. "It's still, I think, going to end up being on the queer community. In my opinion, we are our own sponsors during Pride Month, so I think that's kind of what the future is headed towards." In the meantime, New York City Pride is planning to get fundraising for this year wrapped by the beginning of May. Some of the attention on sponsors dropping out is bringing some of them back to the table, and there's hope additional visibility could inspire other companies to step up — corporate anxiety works both ways. Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy. Read the original article on Business Insider
