A Matter of Pride

The San Diego LGBT Pride board of directors hosted a town hall meeting on Monday, February 22, at their community center in Hillcrest. Representatives spoke of the direction in which the organization is headed and this year's celebration, which will have the theme of “One World, One Heart, One Pride.”

“Despite bumps with controversy, the San Diego Pride board has been rejuvenated with nine new board members and is moving forward to present their 2010 events,” said Frank Sabatini Jr, media coordinator for San Diego Pride.

The bumps to which Sabatini referred occurred in the fall of 2009, when Pride’s board of directors gave chairman Philip Princetta a $5000 stipend. Soon thereafter, executive director Ron deHarte was let go allegedly because he was of the opinion that the gift was inappropriate. Princetta returned the money; however, he along with two other board members who had voted for the stipend refused to step down. They eventually succumbed to pressure in a closed meeting on January 23.

“Over the years,” said Sabatini, “so many have asked, ‘What is SD Pride? Who is San Diego Pride?' And I’d like to answer that question. The LGBT community and its supporters — both newcomers and seasoned activists — are what and who defines San Diego Pride. Particularly now, it’s important for the community to know this.”

Pride 2010, which will include events in June and July (the parade is scheduled for July 17), will be the organization’s 36th annual celebration. The event attracts over 100,000 attendees to the Hillcrest, North Park, Downtown San Diego, and Balboa Park areas.