Bay Windows - June 6, 2002
Laura Kiritsy

The announcement was made June 4 at the Eighth Annual Gala Concert and Tree Lighting in the South End, one of the Pridelights Foundation's signature events. "The AIDS Action Committee is one of the few AIDS service organizations in the country that, I think, is relevant and credible in the lives of all of the communities that are affected by the epidemic," AAC Executive Director Mike Duffy told the large crowd gathered on the plaza at the Boston Center for the Arts on Tremont St. "So not just the gay community, not just communities of color, not just injection drug users, but [in] all communities that are affected by AIDS and HIV, AIDS Action is present. And that goes for both straight and for gay people. And I think that the mission of Pridelights, trying to build bridges between these two communities fits in perfectly with the close to 20 year history of the AIDS Action Committee." Duffy is a former board member of the Pridelights Foundation.

"We are as happy as you to be associated and working with an organization that is as dynamic and strong as AIDS Action Committee and an organization that has done so much for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered and straight communities," Ed MacLean, chair of the Pridelights Foundation, told the cheering audience.

MacLean established the non-profit, volunteer driven Pridelights Foundation in 1994 for two reasons. "One, for gays and lesbians to celebrate our contributions and our presence and to do that in a way that which was welcoming to a diverse group of folks," he told Bay Windows.

"And I guess the word that's important there is celebrating -- accomplishments, presence, contributions. The second reason was, I felt as if we could have Pridelights generate some income and give money back to establishing a foundation that would further the mission of Pridelights and bridge building and bring people together through bringing a network of other GLBT organizations through a grant making program that would be a wonderful opportunity." MacLean has fulfilled that mission through the sale of Pridelights, strings of bright pink lights that glow from the windows of gay businesses and homes across the city, particularly in the South End. Beginning with the annual Gala Concert and Tree lighting, for the month of June thousands of the lights illuminate the massive fir tree that sits on the BCA plaza in honor of Gay Pride month.

Pridelights proceeds are used to fund the organization's Bridge-Builder Grant Program, which gives money to organizations working to integrate the gay and straight communities. Past grant recipients include Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The Pridelights Foundation has boosted its profile over the with its second signature event, the annual Taste of the South End fundraiser, a culinary tour of South End neighborhood restaurants.

The Pridelights Foundation also hands out an annual Individual Bridge Builder Award at the Gala Concert and Tree lighting, to recognize those who embrace the spirit of building diverse, inclusive communities. The award this year was handed to openly gay local news anchor Randy Price of WHDH-TV. "[I]n reaching into millions of homes as both a trusted source of news and as an openly gay man, you've done very important work to shatter stereotypes, combat homophobia and build bridges between the straight and gay communities in a very significant and lasting way," said Rachel Goldsmith, the Pridelights Foundation board member who presented Price with the Bridge Builder Award.

In accepting the award, Price, who also served as emcee for the event, said, "We all try to do our best to dispel the myths and the stereotypes about homophobia. I've been very fortunate that I have a great vehicle to be able to reach hundreds of thousands of people on a daily basis." Price shared a recent experience attending a Gay/Straight Alliance event at a local school, after which the mother of a gay son approached him to say she appreciated his presence as an openly gay man at the gathering. "It's moments like that which remind me of how important honesty is in our lives," said Price.

Two years ago, the Pridelights Foundation began casting about for ways to expand the organization's message beyond its South End home base and into the greater Boston community and began to consider partnering with other organizations. The terror attacks of Sept. 11, after which charitable giving to local organizations all but dried up, made their desire to join forces more urgent. "Since September 11 everything has changed in the fundraising world, regardless of whether it's a straight or gay organization," MacLean observed. "For gay organizations it's very difficult. And specifically for philanthropic GLBT organizations like Pridelights. Less than one percent of every philanthropic dollar that's donated in the United States goes to a GLBT cause."

That's when Duffy, who shortly after taking the helm of AAC earlier this year, stepped into the picture. Looking to increase AAC's visibility in the gay community, he saw the opportunity to do so in a Pridelights partnership. "We started talking about this almost two weeks after I started and their whole mission of building bridges really felt comfortable within AIDS Action culture, Duffy told Bay Windows. "And I also think that AIDS Action needs to be more visible and present in the gay community, especially since rates of infection amongst younger gay men have spiked in the last few months and the last year or so. So I think this is one way for AIDS Action to be more present in the gay community than it has been in the recent past." As such, Duffy hopes to incorporate AIDS/HIV prevention and education into Pridelights' mission, for instance by holding the annual tree lighting before the AAC's annual AIDS Walk/Run.

"I think there's some great energy here that it'd be useful to roll into the walk," he explained.

MacLean will continue to be involved with Pridelights during its integration into AAC. Despite his long personal stake as the organization's founder, allowing AAC to take up the reins ultimately wasn't a difficult decision. "I don't see it as a bittersweet thing at all," he said. "I see it as really a positive opportunity for Pridelights. I see it as a wonderful opportunity for us to continue our message, to continue to have an impact here in the South End and other communities. So I think it's definitely a win for Pridelightsàand I'm certain that it will be a win for AIDS Action Committee."

Laura Kiritsy is a staff writer at Bay Windows. Her e-mail address is lkiritsy@baywindows.com.

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