The 28th annual Cleveland Pride parade, scheduled for Saturday, August 13, has officially been canceled by organizers who cited the current climate, without outright referencing violence toward the LGBTQ community, for the decision.
“We have been entrusted by our community to create a secure parade and festival environment for our LGBTQ brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, friends and allies,” said Todd J. Saporito, president and CEO of Cleveland Pride, Inc. “Because of the changing social climate, Cleveland Pride did not have enough time to engage in the development of awareness programs and training that we believe is critical in today’s environment. Therefore, we regretfully cancelled our 28th annual parade, rally and festival this year.”
The press release in its full is below.
CLEVELAND—The Board of Directors of Cleveland Pride, Inc. announced today that the 28th annual parade, rally and festival has been cancelled for 2016.“We have been entrusted by our community to create a secure parade and festival environment for our LGBTQ brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, friends and allies,” said Todd J. Saporito, president and CEO of Cleveland Pride, Inc. “Because of the changing social climate, Cleveland Pride did not have enough time to engage in the development of awareness programs and training that we believe is critical in today’s environment. Therefore, we regretfully cancelled our 28th annual parade, rally and festival this year.”
Cleveland Pride’s 28th annual parade, rally & festival was scheduled at a new location and parade route for August 13th, with the kick-off of the parade at noon, rally speakers at 1:30 p.m. and entertainers and music throughout the day. This will be the first year that Cleveland Pride will not host its annual event. Cleveland Pride has been organizing this annual celebration since 1989.
Cleveland Pride’s officers and lead volunteers extend their gratitude to all partners, sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and service providers for their dedication and energy contributed this year. Individuals, groups and organizations are the cornerstone of the engine that is Cleveland Pride.
“While the specific day of celebration has been cancelled, Cleveland Pride, Inc. seeks to remind everyone that Pride is not a one-day celebration, but a daily act of visibility throughout our community. While we may not be marching as a large, unified body, we can come together throughout Cleveland and continue our support of local LGBTQ establishments and LGBTQ community members.”
The planning team’s next steps will be to refund monies to vendors, sponsors and service providers. A team of board members and lead volunteers will initiate discussion for town hall meetings to further map out a program where we and other LGBT community partners, will be able to start crafting awareness and training programs, that will be beneficial on a day-to-day basis as well as prepared for our celebration in 2017.
Last year’s event, which was originally scheduled for June but rescheduled for August because of weather, had 64 units and 1,500 participants and a near record amount of spectators.
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 2, 2016.
wow….. so the Cavs get to celebrate with over a million people…. but LGBTQ cant? I’m sure this will outrage a lot of people….. so the city can be dangerously crowded with basketball team and its fans but not a group of peaceful people celebrating our freedom… I’m so disgusted.
It sounds like the organization received some sort of threat, without them outright saying so. I wonder if more will come out in the days ahead?
What a sad statement to PRIDE. Giving into fear mongering and hate solves nothing. If CPD can protect out of town GOP from protestors, why will
The refuse to protect it LGBT citizens!!
I think the fear is they will be targeted by the JV team. It has nothing to do with the fear of participants being unruly…
To me, the use of “changing social climate” is fear-mongering and a doubtful reason for canceling this long-time event. I encourage folks to look at the organization itself (which, for example, hadn’t updated it blog since last August and included only 2 mentions of the upcoming event in its Facebook posts since mid-July). After all, in this social climate, Cleveland City Council and the mayor – few weeks before the RNC came to town – adopted the non-discrimination public accommodation bill – and a community (Northeast Ohio) that opened their hearts to make Gay Games 9 the most welcoming that long-time participants had ever seen. (And region that showed it can come together not only for GG9 but the RNC and the Cavs Championship parade without causing trouble.)
See statement of hope from LGBT Center of Cleveland which was not involved in decision to cancel: http://www.lgbtcleveland.org/uploads/3/4/1/5/34158257/cleveland_pride_cancellation.pdf(Full disclosure: My perspective comes as an ally and former staff member of GG9.)
Sad indeed but our safety is paramount. We live Pridefully each day. Next year, when Hillary is president, shit will have calmed down. We need our city to air out for a while anyway… Let all the republican hate and bigotry the GOP brought with them blow away.
Wha-at?????? Wow. Just wow.
Now I hear that the Cleveland Pride Org hasn’t posted financials since 2011.
Hmmmm
Those that say shame on pride are the same that would blame pride if something did happen if they held it this year. It was a hard decision I’m sure. – an ally always.
they would be smarter to be honest and open as to the reason for cancelling besides a vague “social Climate” statement. If that was truly the issue, They would have been working on this issue since the tragedy in Orlando.. Having been on a pride committee myself, i know we would have had an emergency meeting and immediately put wheels in motion to ensure a safe pride. shaking my head…..
Sound like an Impromptu Pride Picnic need to take place!
well, I guess the terrorist won 🙁
So…the Bikers for Trump and the open carry jerks won the day after all.
It appears that, in Cleveland at least, hate Trumps love.
Next year, after the Democratic victory, these assholes can either Slytherin to the primordial ooze where their kind dwells…or finally be dragged (no pun intended) into the 21st Century. Kicking and screaming?. That is up to them.
A lifelong Democrat and proud ally sadly shakes his head in disgust.
Chuckles the Clown
If there is any threat, it is from supposedly “Homeland security” trying to extort $25,000-$40,000 for “security, much like paying Mafia protection money when Elliot Ness was in town…
I set up and ran a corporate sponsored booth at Cle Pride 2002, and the organizers would not give me a receipt so I could get reimbursed… Led to me losing my job… I believe Bryna Fitch was CEO and hoped the new CEO would clean up their act…
We don’t need a CEO to have our Pride! I will be by the rock and roll hall of fame August 13th at 12pm with my family showing our Pride! Spread the word and let’s unite our community!!!
Why isn’t the city more directly involved? Why is the openly gay member of council who makes being gay a political issue in his favor and who represents the ward Pride is in doing nothing to ensure Pride exists this year?
I would like to know who actually made the decision to cancel. Some of you are blaming the city, some blame homeland security, some blame terrorists. My suspicion is that it was a lack of planning and failure to work with the city on the part of Cleveland Pride, Inc. Their press releases have been very carefully worded to not accept any responsibility but not say who really is responsible. Everyone should be asking questions and working to see that this never happens again.
Come to Toledo!!!
Wise up Cleveland, Todd Saporito has benn scamming the Gay Community for decades. Everything him and his minioms touch is tainted, dirty, and dishonest. All one has to do is look back there is a massive trail of wrong doing and dishonesty. It started with Volleyball, the Synergy Group, and noe Cleveland Pride. Todd Saporito is nothing more than Bernie Madoff in cheap designer knock-off’s.
This individual exists soely to take from the Gay Community and those that keep giving just allow him to continue. What a disservice and embarassment, Todd Saporito is a constant black eye to Cleveland, OH.
The press release is full of questions — not answers.
The President of this Pride group has changed his story several times. This raises a ton of questions. The man needs to be held accountable, perhaps stepping down from his post.
Those of us in the LGBT community really need to take a hard look at this board. They have not only done the LGBT community as a whole a disservice, but have in the process attempted to place a disgrace upon Cleveland that is totally undeserved. This one act will have an impact for many years to come in neighboring communities, cities, and states, as well as around the world, and could very well prevent hosting other large scale LGBT related events in the future, as we have the GG9 in the past.
We need to stand up against the board of directors by contacting Phyllis Harris, (216) 651-5428, PHarris@lgbtcleveland.org and let her know of our disappointment not in the residents of the city for causing this, but in the boards poor management skills, and their deceptions upon the community and Cleveland as a whole, and asking her how we can help to not only remove that board of directors, but also ensure this never happens again, and to publicly show this was a problem with board management, and not a problem with Cleveland’s Social Climate. Otherwise, it may be years to come before we can recoup from this, and be known as a friendly and safe place for our community to reside.
Let’s all stand together, show this board of directors some real pride, and how we feel when it is stepped on by people such as themselves.