Volunteer with Pride

There’s still time to join the Pride family by volunteering your time and knowledge during Pride weekend! Learn what it takes to put on the parade and festival, get connected an amazing network of people, and give back to your community!

Still not convinced or not sure where you fit in? We’ve asked some of our volunteers why they volunteer year after year and what they do during Pride. Join their teams or learn more by contacting our Programs Manager Bob Leyh.

Joerg Zimmermann

Joerg Zimmermann experienced his first Pride 20 years ago in the fabulous city of San Francisco. Almost thirteen years ago he decided to make sunny San Diego his new hometown. New to the city and eager to make new friends and to widen his social circle, he decided to start volunteering at San Diego Pride. Over the years, he has made some wonderful connections. He continues to volunteer with Pride to this day and believes that the San Diego Pride Parade and Festival are important for the visibility and acceptance of our LGBT Community.

The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – resonates with him because it is, in his words “a reminder to everybody that there are still many of us struggling, especially outside of our San Diego bubble.”

Joerg Zimmermann is the 2018 Parade Staging Coordinator. Joerg and his team of parade stagers help line up the 200-plus parade contingents that participate in the Parade. Join Joerge and the parade team by signing up for one of the parade shifts!

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Lo Green

Lo Green attended his first Pride event eight years ago in The City by The Bay, also known as San Francisco. For the past four years, he has been volunteering for Pride here in San Diego, another city known for its beautiful bay and sparkling beaches. He loves to volunteer because he believes in Pride and the work it is doing. Moreover, he credits Pride with helping him to grow as a human being. That notwithstanding, Pride is, in his words “one hell of a party.”

Party or no party, Lo is adamant that Pride is needed because it impacts so many people’s lives in a positive way. He thinks that Pride is founded on love, something he considers to be the most important foundation that exists. The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – inspires him to never give up and wants others to keep working for what they believe in and to use their influence to improve our world. In short, for him, the 2018 theme means to lead by example.

Lo Green is the 2018 Pride Sign Coordinator. He and his team put up the signs at the Festival and Parade. Did you know there are volunteer shifts available as early as Wednesday? Check out all the available shifts here.

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Mark Maddox

Mark Maddox participated in his first Pride in 2009. That was in Seattle. His first San Diego Pride was in 2014, just shortly after he moved to America’s Finest City. He began volunteering with San Diego Pride in 2015, the year that a torrential downpour literally rained on our parade. The rain, however, could not wash away his passion for service.

Mark’s impetus for volunteering was to get more involved in the community, but he has continued to volunteer to help ensure that the City of San Diego’s largest civic event and the country’s most philanthropic Pride can continue to meet its goals and support the LGBTQ community.

Even though LGBTQ folks enjoy more freedoms than ever, Mark holds firm that “We ABSOLUTELY still need Pride. While there have been advances in recent years, it is still important to have a visible, united community to provide representation for young folks and to show the haters that we’re still here and we’re not going anywhere.” For him, The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – is a great reminder to keep fighting battles, to continue to engage with and support the community so that we can achieve more through solidarity and togetherness.

Mark Maddox is one of two 2018 Parade Assistant Managers (Stacy Sakamoto is the other). Mark volunteers in the office every Monday and will be onsite at the Parade starting line. Want to volunteer with the parade team and find out where you’re the best fit? Email Mark at [email protected].

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Elmus Billingsly

Elmus Billingsly attended Pride for the first time in 1994, just one year after his brother passed away from AIDS. To honor him, he has been going to the Pride Parade for 20+ years. In 2016 he became a volunteer with San Diego Pride, finding another way to honor the memory of his late sibling.

Things have changed a lot since 1994, but he enthusiastically believes that Pride still matters. “It’s the only time of the year that all people of all genders and colors can come out and party and celebrate who they are, without prejudice. It’s like the Olympics.” The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – reinforces the idea that never giving up matters, that all of us should continue to express ourselves, no matter what.

Elmus Billingsly is one of the 2018 Parade Safety Coordinators. Elmus and his team of safety volunteers will be working hard at the Parade to ensure a fun and safe time is had by all. Help Elmus keep us all safe this year by signing up as a parade safety coordinator here.

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Louis Davenport

Louis Davenport was first immersed in the world of Pride back in 1985 when he was only 16. He partook in the Christopher Street West / LA Pride then but has been been volunteering with San Diego Pride for a long time, about 20 years!

His original motivation for volunteering was free entrance into the festival. To this day, Pride volunteers receive complimentary admission to the two-day festival, but Louis doesn’t give of his time for the freebies. He says now that “I enjoy being of service.” The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – fits in with this long-time volunteer’s contention that “we still need Pride and ‘Prides’ need to grow and evolve to maintain relevance.” This is sage advice coming from a guy who has been in the Pride “family” for two decades.

Louis Davenport is the 2018 Athletes Alley Beverage Garden Coordinator. Louis and his team will make sure that our Festival guests in Athletes Alley have a fun and safe time. Join in on the fun and become part of the Pride family!

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Haydee Sam

Haydee Sam found herself enjoying her first Pride in 2001 in Amsterdam, on the canals. For her second Pride, Haydee found herself in San Diego. Nine years ago, she began volunteering with San Diego Pride.

What keeps her coming back year after year to be of service? “I volunteer because there is still so much work for equality to be achieved. We have so much more work to do to reach equality and feel safe, not just at home in America, but around the globe.” The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – matters because, as she says “in California, we inspire LGBTQ people in other countries that progress is possible.”

Haydee Sam is the 2018 Festival Assistant Manager. She will be leading teams of volunteers to set up the Festival starting on Wednesday, July 11. Help Haydee and her crew get the festival ready for the weekend! Click here to register.

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Don Tanner

Don Tanner will volunteer for the first time with San Diego Pride this year, but he experienced his very first Pride about 20 years ago in Northern California in San Francisco. In between those years, he sat on the Board of Directors for San Jose Pride and was involved with running their parade.

A sense of service is his purpose for volunteering. “I enjoy giving back to the community and thought it would be a fun to be involved with the San Diego Pride parade.” Prides in California came of age a while ago, but Don knows that the community still needs Pride. “It’s fun and it shows that the LGBT Community is alive, kicking, and vibrant. Plus, it generates much and well needed funds for the LGBT Community.” The 2018 San Diego Pride theme – Persist with Pride – “is even more relevant than ever,” Don claims, especially “with the ‘Cheeto’ currently in the White House.”

Don Tanner is the 2018 San Diego Pride Parade Set-up Coordinator. Don and his team will be out early on Saturday, July 14 setting up the parade check-in areas and cordoning off the parade route. If you’re an early bird, join Don’s team and get the parade site ready to go! Click here to register.