Two key components of any organization’s ability to prosper are its willingness to accept change and its capacity to overcome adversity. For San Diego Pride, we will learn from the past and become a better organization for it. We are acting on community feedback and capitalizing on the opportunities created in the wake of last summer’s crisis. In preparation for this year’s Pride celebration, constructive and exciting changes are taking place.

As 2006 began, the changes underway at Pride started to become apparent. I was honored to accept the position of Pride’s new executive director, and I am excited by the opportunity to lead Pride into a new era. I have been a volunteer at the Pride festival in past years, and I support the important role the 32-year-old Pride organization serves in our community. I am determined to continue Pride’s tradition of celebrating San Diego’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population.

But the changes occurring at Pride extend far beyond new personnel. My goal for the Pride parade is to encourage more people to take part in the process. While Pride already holds the distinction of being the largest civic event held in San Diego, each year many people in our community don’t attend. I’m asking every LGBT person in San Diego and neighboring areas to give us four hours of their day and attend Pride this year – be a part of the grand celebration. When our community comes out, we make a statement of diversity, acceptance and unity that reverberates throughout the business and political arenas all year. Imagine the impact we could have if everyone in our community commits to giving us four hours and attends this summer’s Pride parade.

Of course, attracting a larger audience and encouraging those with parade fatigue to come back is dependent upon the Pride organization’s outreach efforts and coming up with something new to offer at this year’s event. We’ve all heard someone in the LGBT community say that they don’t attend Pride because “if you’ve seen one Pride event, then you’ve seen them all.” But rest assured, San Diego has never seen a Pride like this year’s event.

Many of the changes coming to Pride 2006 will focus on inclusion. San Diego’s LGBT community is so diverse; it only makes sense that we should embrace that diversity at the biggest LGBT event held in town. To that end, I have been meeting with diverse segments of the community, seeking feedback on what would make Pride a better experience for all potential attendees. Every person who identifies as a member of the LGBT community will feel welcome at Pride.

Our diversity will be most apparent at the parade. However, the focus on inclusion will also be apparent at the two-day Pride festival, of which we plan to present something that appeals to everyone’s tastes. We are introducing several new performance venues offering specific types of entertainment. There will be several stages presenting jazz, folk, rock and pop, a Latino stage, a women’s space, an African-American stage and additional performance spaces for country western and HiNRG dance. There will even be a new interfaith venue catering specifically to the many LGBT-friendly religious and spiritual organizations in town. Of course, the Leather Realm, Art of Pride, karaoke and coffee terrace areas will return.

The festival will also offer an area devoted to senior members of the community organized by a coalition of senior-service organizations and Aging As Ourselves. The Xone (for young adults up to age 21) and the Children’s Garden will both return this year, but with a few changes. Both areas will be set up outside of the main festival gates to offer a secure setting where admittance will be closely monitored. Youth 17 years and under who want to enter the festival will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Changes will be apparent at the Pride parade this year, too. We will be erecting a second reviewing stand along Sixth Avenue, and additional restrooms will be available along the parade route. Giant balloons will add to the festive contingents in the parade, and we will feature a special reviewing area for seniors.

I want to conclude this column by telling you about one other important change that Pride is enacting this year. In an effort to keep lines of communication open between Pride and the community we serve, I will be writing updates like this one periodically from now through the end of our July celebrations. This will be my way of letting you know what is occurring within the Pride organization, and how we are responding to your requests for change. It’s your Pride, and I want you to feel a part of it.