Can San Diego Pride pull off CAPI given the current turmoil?
Part 4 of a 4 part series
A. Latham Staples | Thu, 01/14/2010 - 11:59am | Login to bookmark or comment
(SAN DIEGO) As San Diego Pride continues to suffer from a scandal regarding the alleged misuse of the nonprofit’s funds, questions remain as to the impact the turmoil will have on the future of the Pride festival and the other programs San Diego Pride oversees.
Although San Diego Pride may have time to restructure and strengthen itself before July’s Pride events, of particular concern to many is next week’s Consolidated Association of Pride Incorporated’s (CAPI) annual conference, which San Diego Pride is to host.
“The senior staff who have worked hard to bring CAPI to San Diego and make it successful have quit, and I was told volunteers instrumental to making [the conference] successful have stated they will no longer assist with CAPI as long as the three remaining board members remain on the board,” said San Diego Pride’s former Director of Development Ken St. Pierre, who resigned last week in protest of recent actions by the Board. “So at this time it’s anybody’s guess as to who is now working to make sure this event is a success.”
The four day conference is scheduled to take place at the Sheraton Mission Valley. The twenty-two hour event is to feature local and regional speakers, along with discussion panels, workshops, and training sessions aimed at helping Pride organizations throughout the Western United States enhance their annual celebrations.
Discussions and forums will cover such topics as creating community partnerships, volunteerism, marriage equality, parade and festival production, developing creative activist events and more. Roughly 40 Pride Organizations from New Mexico to Hawaii are scheduled to take part in the conference.
An Arizona Pride official who asked not to be identified stated they’ve “heard of the ongoing situation at [San Diego] Pride, but are planning to attend as normal.”
“We don’t know what to expect once we arrive in San Diego. We keep hearing different things but our tickets have all been purchased and dues paid so we will attend hoping that everything will be productive once we get there.”
Jeffrey Redondo, San Diego Pride’s former Production Assistant (who also resigned last week), believes the handling of the conference is under control.
Said Redondo, “The remaining staff will do its best to make sure that the the conference attendees will continue to see San Diego Pride as a leader within the pride movement conference, and the event will be just as memorable as the last time San Diego Pride hosted CAPI.
“But as one of the leading pride organizations in the country, I believe that the current situation will have an effect on the conference, to what degree I do not know. I do believe that there will be a lot of questions surrounding the termination of now former San Diego Pride Executive Director Ron deHarte, [as well as] the resignation of Ken and I. The current board will need to be ready to answer those questions truthfully and honestly.”
The focus of the CAPI conference is “Sharing proven practices, evaluating challenges for Pride organizers and setting the course for tomorrow.” San Diego Pride last hosted the conference in 2002. Keynote speakers will include Metropolitan Community Church founder Troy Perry and former assistant to President Jimmy Carter, and longtime equal rights activist Midge Costanza.
Phone calls to San Diego Pride indicate Mike Karim, current Treasurer of the San Diego Pride board of directors, is now supervising the CAPI conference. Karim, who also serves as Treasurer of CAPI, did not return phone calls to SDGLN at the time of deadline.
Comments
Confused Reader
I have been following the SD Pride situation on sdgln.com since the story broke and have to whole heartedly disagree with the previous poster (Sherwood)who discussed a one sided journalistic approach by the editors of sdgln.com.
"But I'm disappointed in your coverage of pride lately. Why the witch hunt? All I see are quotes and opinions from bitter former employees and volunteers. Why haven't you included any quotes from the volunteers and staff that continue to support pride? What's the agenda?"
Let me begin by stating that every person, regardless of their "side" of the issue has made it perfectly clear that Pride as an Organization, and as a fundamental part of our community is at the foremost of everyone's heart. You state that there has not been any quotes from volunteers that continue to support pride. I respectively tell you that you are wrong.
I happen to be one of those volunteers who was quoted recently, and the entire focus of what I had to say was about supporting and rebuilding our beloved organization.
Also, might I add that if the "opposing sides" would actually speak to the press, instead of hiding behind various "issued statements", there would be more statements and quotes from these individuals.
Please let me state that everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, I felt it necessary to respond to this statement because it was just not true. I support pride, and I personally know that the others mentioned in Sherwood's statement do support Pride with every ounce of their being.
CAPI Conference
I believe the exsisting staff is doing everything possible to ensure that this conference goes off without a hitch. I have complete confidence given the current situation within the organazation that they will do a wonderful job hosting this event and focus on what matters, making San Diego Pride standout even in the fallout of the recent trials and tribulations. I wholehardetly stand behind the mission of San Diego Pride and belive us as a community should not give up on that vision.
they will be fine but sad about the yellow journalism
I've never even heard of capi before. Is this really news or is it just an excuse to keep harping on the so called "pride scandal"?
I have to agree with the previous poster. i'm sure the pride staff and volunteers will put together a great conference. If they can handle the parade and festival they can do this.
But I'm disappointed in your coverage of pride lately. Why the witch hunt? All I see are quotes and opinions from bitter former employees and volunteers. Why haven't you included any quotes from the volunteers and staff that continue to support pride? What's the agenda?
Ben Cartwrite, Jeff Redondo and Ken st Pierre are quoted in almost every article (Ron Dehart is strangely quiet letting others fight his battles for him) but nobody with a different opinion is ever quoted. Why?
The only professional and balanced coverage I've seen about pride lately has been in the straight press. 20 years ago I never would have thought that the Union Tribune and local tv stations would be the ones to cover the gay community in an unbiased manner.
How times have changed.
Yellow journalism?
Sherwood,
I've been following the story on SDGLN and have to wholeheartedly disagree with you on your point here. I've seen many quotes from sources on both sides of the spectrum. I've been bookmarking the stories from day one but anyone can easily judge for themselves.
Search Jeri Dilno, Jess Durfee, Christine Kehoe, Todd Gloria, Carl Demaio to name a few. I feel there's been much contribution beyond the few you named.
Naturally Ron, Ken and Jeffrey are at the center of all this as is the board of three so I expect we'll here more about them as this all works itself out.
The one point I to agree with you on is that we all must come together and help get Pride back on track and give our support to those that remain.
Yes, yellow.
By "both sides of the spectrum" it appears you means some from one side and a few neutral people from the middle. Of the people you mentioned, how many of them voiced dissenting opinions? Three of them are politicians too smart to get involved with petty infighting, even if one of them is the partner of the sdgln publisher.
Also, in an article by SDGLN editor Margie Palmer, she claimed that "Several Hundred" people showed up to the town hall meeting. This despite the fact that the center doesn't have more than 200 folding chairs and there WERE empty seats, but later in the same article she reported that one of the votes was 72 for, 50 against, and 10 abstaining. I'm not rocket scientist but I can add just fine and 72+50+10=132.
Inform the oxford english dictionary, "several" has been redefined to mean "less than two"!
Rex Wockner reported a little more than 150 people, but it appears he was being generous.
The other side
Sherwood,
I'm just not following your logic here. I've read every piece relating to the Pride scandal on here and I've found comments from a wide range of individuals. It's also clear that the current board members are not being responsive to the media or community for that matter. They didn't even show for the town hall.
As to your comments about "several hundred" in comparison to the amount of individuals that voted that evening... what I can tell you is that I was there and by the time we got to voting half the auditorium had cleared out.
As to your reference to the definition of several: several means "being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind"
There were definitely appeared to be more than 200 there at the start.
I think many left early frustrated by how the proceedings were being handled.
Sherwood what I see here is you clearly have an axe to grind against SDGLN. If your issue was truly with the reporting than I would think that you would offer the dissenting view that you say is not being reported... My guess is you would be hard pressed to do so with a straight face.
Support for the current staff
Let us not forget there are still "Senior Staff" members (not Board Members) working at the San Diego Pride offices who have well over 50 years of combined event preparation and management. I am sure they have the expertise to put together a successful event without the help of the staff members who resigned. There are also many volunteers who have been with the organization for many, many years who are continuing to support the organization and help put together a successful CAPI Conference. The organization has been through much worse than this and will continue to grow and thrive no matter what happens.