Letter to Supporters: Prideraiser 2020

Last year at this time, we were kicking off the most successful Prideraiser campaign to date. It’s hard to think about the joys of June 2019 in the midst of the world around us. While we desperately miss our clubs, our supporter groups, and our communities, we truly hope you are safe, healthy, and cared for in the midst of this pandemic.

As planning for this year’s efforts got underway, the world shut down. We’ve struggled with what to do this year, if anything. But we refuse to ignore the uprisings in the US, and those in solidarity around the world, following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sean Reed, Tony McDade, and so many others.

Let us not forget that the first Pride was a riot—a rebellion—led by Black and Latinx Trans Women. It would be a mockery of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera’s legacies to raise funds in honor of the annual celebration of the work they sparked for LGBTQ+ folx while ignoring the racism gripping America.

Instead of avoiding the responsibility to build power in our shared communities, we are taking our fundraising campaign a step further. Here’s what we’re asking you to do:

1) Make a gift to a local organization that serves LGBTQ+ individuals in your community— ask your supporters group for a recommendation. If you can’t, we understand. Many of us have been hit hard by the massive wave of unemployment.

2) Once you’ve donated, you have the right to a voice with them. Make sure that the work they’re doing is intersectional .

3) Where possible, find other ways to support local efforts in your area. There are short-term needs, like bail funds for protestors , and long-term capacity-building, like elevating the community organizing work of Black LGBTQ+ activists, scholars, organizations, and civic leaders.

Black Lives Matter. Black Queer Lives Matter. Black Trans Lives Matter.

With love and solidarity,
The Prideraiser.org Team

Note to Prideraiser supporters groups: We are happy to contact your donor list with a customized message based on this letter. Check your email or reach out to our admin team on the Prideraiser Slack workspace for assistance.