Lopez said a determination has not been made on having uniformed officers at this year’s event.
The controversy led organizers to ban uniformed police officers from participating in the eventually canceled 2021 Pride Parade. “We know that there is anticipation and that the folks who are coming to our city are going to help support this recovery.”ĭuring 2019’s parade, demonstrators blocked the parade route and were violently removed by police. “We’ve mentioned to them that we could use as much support as they could possibly give us, particularly this year,” Lopez said. What Budget Surplus? Rising Labor Costs Nearly Erase City’s Projected Gains Mayor London Breed has made reactivating downtown a key cog in San Francisco’s economic recovery plan, and SF Pride leaders say they’re hoping for more city support this summer. SF Pride typically draws some 550,000 visitors annually with a total of $357.1 million in estimated economic impact from visitors, according to a report from the Office of the Controller. “We’re looking for support all over the community because it’s an opportunity for people to step forward and say San Francisco Pride is really important.”Īccording to the organization’s last public filing with the IRS, which included the year ending September 2019, SF Pride had $1.7 million in total assets and $4 million in total revenue. We’re looking at new, new ways to raise revenue,” Ford said. She helped cut costs and streamline operations, and she said the organization still has a financial reserve in place.Ĭorporate sponsorships, which Lopez said typically makes up nearly 50% of SF Pride’s revenue, has been slower to come back-an issue he attributed to Omicron-so community support through the organization’s membership program has become more important than ever. Replacing him is Ford, a longtime SF Pride board member.įord, SF Pride’s former treasurer, has spent much of the last two years dealing with the fiscal ramifications of the pandemic. Everyone is a part of San Francisco Pride.”įred Lopez, who’s led the organization since January 2020, announced he was stepping down to take a position in the Director’s Office at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. “We also want to give the city what it deserves, the business owners, the hotel owners. “We’re looking to give the community what they deserve to be together in a safe way on Pride weekend,” Ford said. The two years of canceled parades meant millions in lost economic opportunities for both the city and the organization. Suzanne Ford, SF Pride’s new interim executive director, said she’s ready to help to revive the organization’s crown jewel event-scheduled for June 25-26-and fill what has been a clear gap in San Francisco’s cultural calendar the past two years. So it’s no small wonder this year’s grand return is themed: ”Love Will Keep Us Together.” A pandemic, huge revenue losses and a major leadership change have all occurred since the last time San Francisco’s Pride Parade took over the city’s streets.