"We recognize the deep importance Tucson Pride has held in our community since 1977, serving as a space of visibility, advocacy, celebration, and resilience for nearly five decades. We are profoundly grateful to every volunteer, sponsor, artist, activist, and community member who has supported Tucson Pride throughout its history."
"The community has been very steadfast about not hiring high-end, expensive headliners and featuring local talent,"
"And for some reason, this specific group of people has continued to ignore that year after year, which has created debt year after year, and that's pretty much the bottom line."
Tucson Pride announced cancellation of its upcoming Pride Festival and the dissolution of the organization after nearly five decades of community service. The organization provided visibility, advocacy, celebration, and resilience since 1977. Financial struggles trace to an embezzlement case involving a former president in 2017, and supporters kept events alive through fundraising. Community members and activists say the current board has repeatedly spent on costly headliners instead of local talent, creating recurring debt. The closure prompted shock and grief across the local LGBTQ+ community and nearly 700 Facebook comments reacting to the news.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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