GLT » Letters to the Editor

editorial

Letters to the Editor

Published Thursday, 07-Jan-2010 in issue 1150

“Yesterday though, both that sense of pride and trust was lost when news broke that members of the organization may have misallocated funds for the benefit of an individual; and not for the public benefit of the LGBT community as the funds are intended.”

RE: San Diego Pride – Restoring Trust

Dear San Diego LGBT Pride Board Members,

In 1974 San Diego Pride held its first event, a march through the streets of San Diego. Two-hundred proud gays and lesbians protested for the first time publicly, many covering their heads with paper bags in fear of reprisal. Since then your nonprofit organization has helped instill pride in the millions of people who have come to participate in your events through the years. They in turn, have given you their time,

and trusted you with their money.

Yesterday though, both that sense of pride and trust was lost when news broke that members of the organization may have misallocated funds for the benefit of an individual; and not for the public benefit of the LGBT community as the funds are intended.

At this time the facts are still unclear, but what is clear is that trust needs to be restored in Pride, an organization that for decades has helped to bridge the divide between the LGBT community and our non- LGBT neighbors.

As the leader of a LGBT non-profit I can attest that your general base of support must have full confidence in the leadership and direction of the organization – and this can only be done through full transparency of the actions of the board and its executives.

So as a concerned San Diegan, a member of the LGBT community, and an executive with a non-profit, I propose the following steps for Pride to get back on track as an organization, restore the public trust, and recommit to transparency:

• All monies given by the organization to its Board members must be returned by month’s end.

• A thorough and independent audit of the organization’s meetings, minutes and finances as it relates to staff and board compensation needs to be conducted immediately and the results made public.

• Regrettably the entirety of the SD Pride Board must resign, including its President & all Executive Officers, and new, interim Board members should serve until such time as the organization’s bylaws can be satisfied with longer-term, replacement Board members.

• All staff who have resigned or been fired as a result of this issue, either directly or indirectly, should be immediately re-instated, pending a review of their actions by Pride’s retained counsel, in an effort to preserve organizational continuity.

Understandably the LGBT community is upset, but emotion needs to be taken out of this process in an effort to restore the organization’s base of support, so that it can continue with its core mission free from suspicion and scandal.

Full confidence in Pride will only be restored when any so-called gifts are returned, an audit has been conducted, and those responsible for any misuse of funds are held accountable.

I wish all involved at Pride much success in your attempt to restore the faith of the public as it would be a great misfortune for the hard work of the numerous staff members and volunteers to have been misspent.

And I look forward to Sunday’s Town Hall Meeting to further discuss this with the general public in our attempt to restore trust in your great organization.

Sincerely,

A. Latham Staples

President & C.E.O.

Empowering Spirits Foundation, Inc.

Letters Policy

The Gay & Lesbian Times welcomes comments from all readers. Letters to the editor longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Send e-mail to editor@uptownpub.com; fax (619) 299-3430; or mail to PO Box 34624, San Diego, CA 92163. To be printed, letters must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

All letters containing subject matter that refers to the content of the Gay & Lesbian Times are published unedited. Letters that are unrelated to the content of the publication will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff.