Dear Pride Family,
As two queer femmes – one cisgender and one non-binary – step into our new roles as Interim Co-Executive Directors, we wanted to take a pause to reflect on the strength of the many queer women leaders of San Diego Pride’s past who paved this path. Amazing women like Senator Christine Kehoe who formed the Pride 15/20 committee, or Vertez Burks who became part of the first duo of BIPOC leaders of the organization, or former executive directors Barbra Blake, Mandy Schultz, or Suanne Pauley who grew San Diego Pride in the 90s and early 2000s.
Many of these leaders stepped into their positions at a time when the organization was in a time of transition, and we take courage from their example as leaders. Some of these folks also led using a dual leadership model, which allows for a less hierarchical, more equitable, and more feminist approach. Vertez Burks, for example, co-led Pride with our beloved Larry Baza in the early 90s. Barbra Blake, too, credits volunteer leader Maryanne Travaglione as essentially a Co-Executive Director during her tenure.
The San Diego Pride offices are still buzzing in December with staff and volunteers working hard on plans for the coming year. Not only will it be a contentious election year with lots of organizing work to be done (register to vote here and save the date of Saturday, April 13th for our annual Pride Power Summit), but it will be a year celebrating many milestones for our community here in San Diego.
First, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tracie Jada O’Brien’s community-focused Transgender Day of Empowerment on Friday, April 5th. TDOE includes the Tracie Jada O’Brien Trans Student Scholarships, of which San Diego Pride is proud to be a fiscal sponsor.
Next comes the 10th anniversary of She Fest on Saturday, July 13th, which has grown from a single-day event to a twenty-plus person committee with year-round programming focused on women and non-binary community members.
Then, our Pride weekend festivities July 19th through the 21st, will mark the 50th anniversary of some of the first marches in San Diego AND the 30th anniversary of San Diego Pride becoming its own nonprofit organization. We look forward to uplifting the heroes in our community who have contributed so much to bring us to this point and recognizing the up-and-coming leaders who are still fighting for our rights on the frontlines today.
We invite the entire community to join us in this year’s milestone celebrations – whether you want to help us get out the vote, volunteer to help put on an event, or simply dance on a float as it rolls down down University Avenue, there is a place for everyone in our community in our upcoming celebrations. In fact, you can now:
However you participate this year, you’ll be engaging in building the legacy of San Diego Pride and assisting in fostering pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally. We are incredibly grateful and honored to do the work with you!
In solidarity,
Sarafina Scapicchio (she/her) & Jen LaBarbera (they/them)
Interim Co-Executive Directors
San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.
