We are proud of many ways that San Diego Pride was able to help the community come together this past year! Here are some of our favorite moments of 2023!
1. Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition
Our new Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition was created to provide a space for folks whose identities fall in the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Disabled. It is off to a great start with members meeting every two weeks on Zoom to connect, plan social events, and discuss advocacy and support resources. Members from the Coalition were able to share their experiences and knowledge on a workshop panel at InterPride in October! Click here to learn more about the Disabled LGBTQ+ Coalition!
2. Pride’s Very First Pride Power Summit
As anti-LGBT rhetoric in public discourse increased, San Diego Pride respond by hosting our first annual Pride Power Summit, a skills-based training conference to empower LGBTQIA+ folks and allies with the skills to build our community’s capacity, tear down the walls of discrimination, and amplify the voices of those of us too often pushed to the sidelines. Diverse community leaders ran eight workshops, training community members on the fundamentals of grassroots organizing over the course of two days!
3. InterPride
The InterPride General Meeting & World Conference came home to San Diego for the first time in 40 years in October, when we hosted 453 Pride organizers from around the world, representing 139 Prides from 32 countries around the world. Attendees were welcomed into 5 different receptions and showcases throughout the City that highlighted some of our close partners and local LGBTQIA+- and BIPOC-owned businesses. We even offered an Entertainment Showcase hosted at Diversionary Theatre with LGBTQIA+ performers that Pride organizers could book for their own Pride events. As part of the conference, Pride organizers chose from 59 workshops presented by 86 speakers and subject matter experts (38% of workshops were led or co-led by Pride staff, volunteers, or community partners!).
4. 2023 Pride Community Grants Program
LGBTQ-serving organizations recieve less than 1% of overall charitable giving, and that is one of many reasons San Diego Pride is committed to being the most philanthropic Pride organization in the world! This year, San Diego Pride utilized revenue from our parade and festival to distribute $195,000 to 44 LGBTQ-serving nonprofit organizations. Of these, twenty-five were local San Diego organizations, ten served LGBTQ people across the US, and nine were international. We give funding priority to LGBTQ+ programs directed toward serving marginalized communities, including youth, people of color, transgender people, people living with HIV/AIDS, seniors, and women.
5. Youth Leadership Academy
Our annual Youth Leadership Academy brought together over 140 attendees for a day of learning and community. This inclusive yearly conference focuses on providing vital workshops for youth focusing on advocacy, LGBTQ+ social issues, and building resilience. This year’s program featured specialized tracks for transitional-aged youth and sessions for parents and educators supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Attendees of YLA can take the skills they learn into their own communities to be advocates for themselves and each other. A special thanks to San Diego City College for hosting the event.
6. 2023 Latine Pride
San Diego Pride’s LGBTQ+ Latine Coalition, hosted the third annual Latine Pride Celebration in September at Mujeres Brewhouse in Barrio Logan. This free, family-friendly event celebrated the rich diversity of talent, art, and culture within San Diego’s Latine community and featured ballet folklorico, salsa, international cuisine, and drag. The event underscored the strength and resilience of our vibrant Latine community and gave community members an inclusive space to celebrate their many identities.
7. 2023 QTAPI Week
Queer Trans Asian Pacific Islander week centers the queer and trans AAPI community during the week bridging Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Pride Month. In 2023, San Diego Pride’s Queer APIMEDA Coalition put on an entire week of events that included history lectures,making art, dancing, and socializing from Hillcrest to Convoy Street and made safe spaces accessible to queer API community members all across San Diego!
8. 2023 Pride Parade Grand Marshals Drag Contingent
In 2023, of the over 650 anti-LGBTQ bills being tracked in 49 of our 50 states, 44 bills in 18 states targeted both our transgender community and drag queen performances. Right-wing militias and organized white supremacist groups began to show up even in San Diego for Drag Time story hour events. As a show of solidarity with our drag sibling, San Diego Pride honored our dedicated advocators fighters who have always been there to protect and slay by recognizing the Drag Community as a community Grand Marshall in the 2023 parade!
9. 2023 Pride Festival
The Pride Festival is San Diego’s largest two-day event highlighting the best in LGBTQ entertainment. This year we had 202 performers across five stages, and 35 of them had never before appeared at a Pride festival. In keeping with the THRIVE theme, we added a Health & Wellness Resource Area coordinated by Family Health Centers of San Diego, a Zen Garden, and a Sensory Break Area.
10. Art of Pride Emerging Artists Exhibit
On January 13th, Art of Pride held its first-ever Emerging Artists Exhibit Opening Reception. The exhibit was designed to highlight works from LGBTQ artists who were beginning their gallery experience or who have seldom shown their work in commercial galleries. Eight LGBTQ artists had their work on display during the exhibit.
11. Art of Pride – Mundo Latino Towers, Marigolds
In February 2023, Art of Pride issued a call for Queer Latine artists to submit concepts for art that was printed onto a 16’ x 5’ mural surface to be displayed in front of the Mundo Latino Stage at this year’s San Diego Pride Festival. Five pieces of art were selected, submitted by local Queer Latine artists Hervey Garcia, Betty Bangs and Crystal Castorena, and German Rojas.
The Latine section of the festival was adorned with exquisite marigold decorations, papel picado, a resource village, and a massive dance floor. The Latine Coalition at San Diego Pride dedicated significant effort to curate this showcase of heritage and pride, exemplifying a commitment to the celebration and representation of our diverse community.
12. Entertainment Development Workshops
San Diego Pride, in partnership with Diversionary Theatre, hosted three (3) in-person 90-minute workshops to better prepare local artists for bookings locally and regionally. Over 20 LGBTQ+ BIPOC participants learned the basics of submitting an application, as well as tips on how to format and tailor their work for successful bookings and coaching from Diversionary Theatre with artist presentation and breathing techniques.
13. David Archuleta’s first pride as an openly queer person
We had over 200 great LGBTQ+ artists performing at the Festival this year. A special mention goes to former American Idol finalist David Archuleta, as it was his first time attending a Pride festival as an openly gay man since he officially came out in 2021. From the Stonewall Stage, David talked about feeling welcomed by his “new community, new family.” It’s always someone’s first Pride, and we were glad he could spend it with us!
14. TAY Intern Program
San Diego Pride proudly introduced a team of Transitional Aged Youth Interns this year, providing paid internships focused on essential workplace and life skills for college-aged individuals from diverse backgrounds. The TAY Program reflects Pride’s commitment to equity and inclusion. Together, TAY Interns played a key role in organizing major events and facilitating year-round programming, showcasing Pride’s dedication to a diverse and inclusive community.
15. Rapid Response
This year was a record breaking year for anti LGBTQ+ policies and actions across the country, including here in San Diego. School Boards, classrooms and city council meetings across the county were battlegrounds for LGBTQ rights. From Santee’s news grabbing efforts to limit Trans folks rights to use locker rooms, to Grossmont Union High School District canceling mental health services because of LGBTQ+ affirming practices. SD Pride worked to mobilize local citizens to attend and advocate for LGBTQ+ justice. We’ve mobilized over a hundred folks to over 15 local leadership meetings, and helped provide training and resources to several groups of activists and organizers working to serve our community.
We are planning to continue these efforts and mobilize folks across San Diego in the 2024 elections, to fight the expected escalation of anti LGBTQ+ issues that will come around election season. If you want to get involved with SD Pride’s advocacy efforts you can sign up to learn more here.
16. Donovan Pride
In alignment with San Diego Pride’s long commitment to criminal justice, we were afforded the opportunity to uplift and encourage our siblings within the carceral system with a pride celebration collaboration with Donovan Correctional Facility that left them feeling empowered and hopeful.
17. Community Partners
In keeping with the THRIVE theme, we added a Health & Wellness Resource Area coordinated by Family Health Centers of San Diego, a Zen Garden, and a Sensory Break Area. We also expanded and reinvested in our returning community partner resource areas:TransTopia, Rainbow Native Village, Leather Realm, Recovery Village, and many more. We appreciate the collaboration of all our community partners to make our Festival for everyone!
18. She Fest
She Fest celebrated its 9th year with plenty of year round programming for women and non-binary community members like queer speed friending parties, bonfires, “dykes on hikes’ ‘ events, and crafting meet-ups. The She Fest flagship event entertained over 6,000 people throughout the day with performances, workshops, crafts, and shopping with over 80 LGBTQ+ vendors and nonprofits! Best of all, all events were planned by our al-volunteer She Fest Planning Committee. Find out how you can get involved here.
19. Keeping the Community Safe with Vax Clinics
Since the beginning of the pandemic, San Diego Pride is proud to have hosted multiple free vaccination clinics right in our North Park offices to help community members get their COVID-19 first shots, second shots, and the Bivalent booster shots! In 2023 we added flu shot and Monkey Pox vaccinations to the list of available offerings at our special vaccination clinic days! We even administered vaccines at the Pride festival through our partners at the County of Health and Human Services! Since 2020, hundreds of LGBTQ community members have come to our offices to receive their vaccinations from culturally competent providers that we partner with!
20. 2023’s Out at the Park!
OUT at the Park was back for another year as we watched the Padres take on the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. A record-breaking 8,000 community members attended! Our very own LGBTQ Military Contingent presented the colors as the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Women’s Chorus, LGBTQ Elected Officials, Padres staff, and San Diego Pride staff sang the national anthem together.
21. Soccer Pride Nights – SD Loyal & San Diego Wave
Our community was treated to TWO soccer pride nights in 2023 as we celebrated diversity in sports with both the San Diego Wave AND San Diego Loyal. San Diego Pride staff and volunteers joined thousands of cheering fans for both games that featured special performances, recognition of outstanding LGBTQ community members, and some really fun merch!
22. 2023’s Pride 5k
Did you know that the Pride 5K is produced by volunteers from San Diego Pride’s long-time community partner Front Runners & Walkers San Diego and that all proceeds go to charity? This year’s record turnout of run registrants raised a whopping $50,000 that went directly to fund The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Program and San Diego Pride’s year-round Youth Programs! Thank you to all the volunteers at Front Runners & Walkers who put on such a joyous event that benefits our most vulnerable community members!
23. Cheers to our 2023 Volunteers!
Every year, San Diego Pride relies on over 2,000 volunteers to help us plan and execute the Pride Festival, events, and programs. This year, our amazing volunteers helped as workshop captains at the Pride Power Summit, InterPride, and the Youth Leadership Academy, kept the Pride Parade and Festival running safely and smoothly, and assisted with language interpretation, among much more! We are so grateful for our volunteers and couldn’t do all we do without them! If you are a volunteer, give yourself a pat on the back, and if you aren’t, sign up here to get involved!
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.
