Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Washington Blade - May 23, 2003
"There's always little things to do like getting posters together and running small errands," said Fowlkes, president of the Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day, Inc. (BLGPD). "But we've got a great team of about 20 volunteers, and they're all going to make it happen."
Last year, Fowlkes said the group donated about $15,000 to several groups, including the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL) and the Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer.
"Fifteen thousand dollars is not a whole lot of money, but as an organization we have very limited ways of breaking [even]," Fowlkes said. "We have some sponsorships, we try to put money aside for next year's Pride, but we can't increase our prices too much."
Fowlkes and the BLGPD are hoping that a party at Nation nightclub on Sunday, May 25, will help the event to earn more money than last year.
"We like to think we'll be successful," Fowlkes said. "Last year's party at Nation did very well and hopefully we'll replicate that."
The BLGPD is considering joining the Washington AIDS Partnership, a philanthropic collaborative affiliated with the National AIDS Fund (NAF) and Washington Grantmakers. Fowlkes said that should his group join the Washington AIDS Partnership, BLGPD would give a percentage of their earnings to the group.
"We hope to give out $15-20,000 this year," Fowlkes said. "If we can give most of the money toward this partnership, we will be able to help determine which groups will get the money. Traditionally, our group gets percentages and donations, but we don't get large sums of money. Through this partnership, a large portion of our funds would go into the pot and we'd be able to influence who gets the money."
Fowlkes, who has been involved with BLGPD since 1997, also hopes to set some money aside for next year's Pride. He said that while the majority of participants in the festivities are African American, D.C. Black Pride is open to all.
"Having a Black Pride does not preclude people from participating in Capital Pride," Fowlkes said. "Black Pride started here Memorial Day weekend in 1991. People were coming to D.C. and wanted to raise money."
D.C. Black Pride, organized in 1991, is a four-day event that Fowlkes says is designed to educate and get people involved in their community.
"D.C. Black Pride is the first Pride event and other Black Pride events in the nation generally come after ours," Fowlkes said. "We are the grandfather of annual Prides."
An eye-opening experience Twenty-three-year-old Clarence Fluker, member-at-large for BLGPD, was 19 when he first attended Black Pride and called it "the most wonderful thing on earth."
"The following year I did my first workshop, and last year, I was officially brought onto the board," Fluker said.
Fluker said that preparing for this year's Pride has been an eye-opening experience for him. He said he expects it to be unique for him since he's been involved all year long in planning the event.
"This is the first time I've been a participant," Fluker said. "I'm the youngest member of the board, and I've gotten to see all the things that happened during the past year as we prepared for Pride."
Part of D.C. Black Pride will be held at the new Washington Convention Center, and Sgt. Brett Parsons added that it was an appropriate venue for the growing Black Pride.
"It's fantastic center, absolutely incredible" said Parsons, commanding officer of the gay and lesbian liaison unit. "I've talked with Fowlkes on a daily basis and have worked on coordinating plans for all events with him."
Fluker felt confident about his year-long involvement with the BLGPD and is looking forward to the weekend festivities.
"I think it will be better this year," Fluker said. "I mean, it's always good, but this year we've expanded the film festival so now more people can go see that. Last year we had the poetry slam held in a small room that filled up quickly. This year we've been able to expand that. We also have a great list of workshops we are presenting."
Joe Crea can be reached at jcrea@washblade.com.
MORE INFO
D.C. Black Pride
P. O. Box 77071
Washington, D.C. 20013
202-737-5767
www.dcblackpride.org
030523
WB030508
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