Representatives from the Latino and African American LGBT communities chastised the San Diego Pride board of directors last week, criticizing the lack of ethnic diversity at the 2011 celebration. In addition, they announced intentions to re-launch the Latin Pride and Ebony Pride events if steps are not taken to make future festivals more diverse.
“I am just disgusted. I am offended. I went to the festival this year and I did not see anything that was representative of me,” said Franko “Franceska” Guillen.
Guillen, who has served as emcee for past Pride festivals, and Charles Patmon Jr., director of Urban Pride, addressed the board members, telling them stories of how they both attempted to work with the Pride organization this year to help organize stages specifically for Latino, African American, Asian and other performers from the ethnic LGBT communities. However, despite their efforts and their offer of assistance, no diversity stages were part of the festival.
“We knew this was going to happen,” Patmon said. “Our main concern, even back when I contacted Pride about having an African American or Urban Pride stage, was whether there was going to be a backlash from the urban community, specifically the African American community, that they weren’t represented.”
This year’s festival, which took place July 16-17 in Balboa Park, included five entertainment venues: three performance stages, a dance tent and a country space.
“I don’t believe the decision not to have all these stages was a capricious one, but that’s how it looks,” said Tom Dickerson, who also addressed the board members. “I don’t want to believe that your intent was to disenfranchise any segment of the community, but that’s how people see it.”
When the Latin Pride and Ebony Pride (now Urban Pride) festivals – which were separate events several years ago – were combined with the San Diego Pride celebration, Guillen and Patmon said the organizers were promised that Pride would always include Latin and Urban stages.
“We need the stage that was promised to us when we turned the Latino festival over to the Pride festival itself,” Guillen said.
“As a whole, we’re upset because a promise was broken,” Patmon said. “That promise was as long as there is a San Diego Pride, there is going to be an Ebony Pride stage. We didn’t have it this year; that is what we are concerned about.”
In response, Board Co-Chairwoman Judi Schaim explained that any promises were made with previous Pride administrations, and the current leadership knew nothing of those deals. She also explained the stages were not included because there was no money for them.
“Our intention was not to disenfranchise anyone, and I mean that sincerely,” Schaim said during the meeting. “We were in a very difficult financial situation where we had lost a lot of money, last year and the year before, and we had to make some financial decisions.”
The board decided to not include the Latin or Ebony stages plus a women’s stage, according to Schaim.
“That was unfortunately the decision we made,” she said. “It really wasn’t the greatest decision, but it was a tough decision that we had to make.”
“I hope and I implore you – because the past is done, and we can’t change it – next year in your planning, I would appreciate it if you re-evaluate this decision,” Dickerson said.
Schaim said Pride’s finances are stronger now, and they can review the possibilities of adding “a lot more diversity in the footprint of the festival.” However, without a written promise for next year’s event, Guillen and Patmon are working to relaunch the Latin Pride and Urban Pride festivals.
“… we are going to come back with the Latino Pride festival and it’s going to be bigger and better,” Guillen said.
“Someone from Pride asked me once, ‘What is Urban Pride? Are you part of us?’ Right now I have to say no,” Patmon said, adding, “We are in the works of creating our own product this next year because of what has happened.”
No other board member addressed the speakers except for co-chairman Larry Ramey. “We really appreciate it. We really do like people letting us know how they are feeling. We would rather hear it from you than hear it from someone else.”
Since the speakers addressed the board during public comments and it was not an agenda item, no actions were taken by the Pride board members.
“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.”
So how about a stage to celebrate individual rights FIRST. That seems more logical than fighting about stages for a slew of various minority groups.
So, unless we have separate but equal, then it’s racist? Because Pride lacked segregated race-based entertainments, it lacked diversity? Wha?
As a gay man, I am so sick of hearing blacks complain about everything. You can’t do enough for them. it’s NEVER enough. If you wana be part of pride festivities, then join in. Just because a spotlight is not shined on you for being black doesn’t give you the right to bitch as usual> You’ve gotten so used to glorification because you are black, that you now expect it. How are you equal if you always insist on being separate. Get over it, suck it up and shut up! IT IS REALLY OLD! Instead of bitching about how you are “not being represented” you would be better served to take that energy & put it into efforts to have your own black events go off without a hitch or typical violence such as shootings.
What is missing from this news story is the fact that Pride received considerable praise (locally and nationally) for its diverse line up of entertainment on all three of its stages. There was something for everyone on each stage. What is also missing frm this story is the fact that the team of volunteers assembled to review and select all the entertainment was purposefully a representation of the diversity in our community. As far as I am concerned, the board, staff and volunteers of Pride have NOTHING to apologize for. They should be applauded for pulling off a highly successful event considering the financial challenges they were facing.