PRIDE Houston Juneteenth Parade Conflict Update 2

This screenshotted comment from PRIDE Houston board member Jason Gallegos is a sterling example of the cluelessness, arrogance and vanillascented privileged hubris we are trying to reason with in terms of getting them to see the error of their ways and change the 2015 Houston Pride Parade date back to the traditional last weekend in June.

PRIDE Houston, just in case you didn't get the memo, African American LBGT people exist. ‪#‎WeExist‬

The question that is on many people's minds in LGBT Houston and beyond is that Stonewall is on June 28. Why move the pride parade date, which celebrates that event from the last weekend in June?

You claim you didn't want a conflict with the 4th of July weekend, but have no problem causing a conflict with another holiday in Juneteenth.   Unless your intent was to stick the middle finger to the Houston African-American community in retaliation for all the vitriol aimed at the Houston LGBT community from some misguided kneegrow pastors.

But it's a stunt that puts the African-American SGL, trans and bi community in the middle of drama we didn't ask for, but will unfortunately have to clean up.

I've been asked who were the community members that tried to get the PRIDE Houston board to see the big picture ramification of this move at that October 22 meeting.   The LGBT community members and allies in that meeting were Ashton Woods, Synthia Walton, Marshella Abrams, Michael Webb Jr, Christina Gorczynski, Melanie Espinosa Pang, Fran Watson, Kim Watson and Ryan Leach.

So much for Frankie Quijano's' lie he's been  pimping.that the people requesting the change were 'unaffiliated with any group'.

You assumed they were unaffiliated with any group, and you know what they say about when you assume.

I've also been asked about the letter that Quijano sent to the community reps trying to get PRIDE Houston to see they had a problem that needed decisive action to solve.  Here it is:

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November 11, 2014

Re: Request to move the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration

To Whom It May Concern:
The Board of Directors for Pride Houston® have discussed in length the recent request to move the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration® from Saturday, June 20, 2015 to the following week on Saturday, June 27, 2015 by a group of local individuals that are unassociated with any one (1) local group.

With a 6-2 vote the Board of Directors have decided to continue with the current date of Saturday, June 20, 2015 for the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration.

There have been previous instances where the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration has fallen on the third weekend in June around the 20th of the month and similar requests were not made during those instances. Furthermore, a substantial amount has already been invested into the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration for its current date that would un-recoupable which can be crucial for any non-profit organization.

As was recently confirmed by the Mayor’s office of Special events, currently on June 20, 2015 the only parade listed is set to begin at 10:00 AM CST and end around 11:00 AM CST. With the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration beginning its parade beginning at 8:30 PM CST it would show minimal impact on that parade. Pride Houston is willing to work with any organization that could be producing a parade on the same date so that both can be equally marketed and supported by the Houston community.

Pride Houston also hosts public production meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of every month where our volunteers discuss logistics, its events and of course the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration. This has been an ongoing tradition for over 15 years and would be an excellent opportunity for those not associated with the organization to observe, provide external insight, brainstorm new ideas and even volunteer for the organization. For more information on these meetings please email volunteer@pridehouston.org.

Sincerely,
Frankie Quijano President and Chief Executive Officer Pride Houston, Inc.
fquijano@pridehouston.org

***

Can you say, dissed and dismissed?   Thought you could.  Because that was the way this tone deaf letter was received.   It also turned out Quijano was mistaken when he claimed thee were other occasions that the Pride parade was held on Juneteenth weekend, and reviewing the history of past Pride parades going back to 1994 shows ZERO dates that the parade was Held on June 18, 19, 20, or 21.

One thing we predicted that has sadly come true is that this was going to cause drama if they didn't make the right decision, and unfortunately only two people on that eight member board had the vision enough to vote to do the right thing

Later tonight at the Montrose Center the PRIDE Houston perspective meeting will take place at 7 PM   Let the board members who aren't 'scurred' to show up know that it isn't okay to dismiss folks when they bring you information you may not want to hear but it will save you drama if you heed it.

And if you think the Houston Black SGL, trans and bi community and our allies are upset about the disrespecting of Juneteenth, wait until the rest of the African-American progressive coalition and those sellout ministers start talking.